Fw: [Dixielandjazz] Re: [Sextet from Hunger]

[Don Ingle]

To Bob's question about that horn George had, not sure. Cor d'amore, flugal.
There were several odd ball horns in the cornet range. I remember that he
played at the Beverly Caverns one time with Ben Pollack's Pick-A-Rib Boys.
around 1950 or so.
I recall Joe Yukl on most of the Sextet broadcasts -- a tip of who playing
were those radar-sharp pedal tones he would toss in in the middle of a run.
Damndest thing I ever heard, and he never missed a note. The local (47) had
a picnic in the late 40's for the membership ot at Pop'sWillow Farm in Sun
Valley...a big picnic resort. Another fine trombonist, Ted Vesley, dead all
too young, led a band there with BobHiggins and Stan Story on Clar. In the
middle of an announcement, Yukl popped up on the stage, walked to the mike
with a big pitcher of beer, opened his throat, and poured the whole thing
down. Then he bent to the Mike and gave the loudest belch this side of Spike
Jones -- and it was also almost in pedal tone range. People for yards around
were sure they'd been showered!
There were other great groups playing sets there. The Jimmy Dorsey band with
the
Doreseyland Jazz Band small group had Charlie Teagarden on trumpet.
Wonderful player. Someone commented that they didn't like his heavy vibrato.
Well, for the record it was a lip vibrato and perfectly controlled, if fast.
(I use half and half  hand/lip on trumpet/cornet, and lip vibrato fully on
valve trombone, but a slower wave rate.
Personally I have come over the years to admire Bob Havens' playing more and
more, and enjoyed sitting in on a couple sets with him at a festival in Ohio
in the mid-80's -- first time I had that opportunity. Came to find out he
went to Interlochen Music Academy, about 50 miles from my Michigan shack. He
mentioned that one of his kids also went there. A great training ground, and
almost a prep school for Julliard. Bob clearly knows his horn as well as any
player out there today, but plays with a lot of taste and a gestalt feeling
for our shared musical style.
Great to have Bob back on. The input is terrific. Hang in more often, Bob.
Don Ingle
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert S. Ringwald" <ringwald at calweb.com>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Cc: "Bob Havens" <bobhavens at hotmail.com>; "Floyd Levin" <FloydLevin at aol.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2003 4:08 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: [Dixielandjazz] Re: [Sextet from Hunger]


> Recently there was a discussion of the Sextet From Hunger.  There was also
a
> mention of George Thow.
>
> I forwarded the e-mail to Bob Havens.  Below is his response.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bob Havens" <bobhavens at webtv.net>
> To: "Robert S. Ringwald" <ringwald at calweb.com>
> Cc: "Bob Havens" <bobhavens at hotmail.com>
> Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2003 1:33 AM
> Subject: Re: Fw: [Dixielandjazz] Re: [Sextet from Hunger]
>
>
> > Hi  Mr. Wonderful,alias Mr. Ringwald,
> >     I have not been a lurker in the [Dixieland Group] with Don Ingle and
> > others but since you have told me about George Thow recently being the
> > subject of conservation I would like to add a few bits of information
> > about Gus since I played with him in 1960 while doing the Lawrence Welk
> > TV Show.  We both were a part of the little jazz band that was featured
> > occasionally during the show.  He quite often played what looked to me
> > like a straight version of a mellophone.  I don't remember the proper
> > name for it. Don Ingle would probably know what it was.
> >      In those early Welk days I was doing a little writing . Don, you
> > mentioned the Dorsey Bros. recording that featured the lone trumpet of
> > Georgie Thow. Well one day I brought in to the Welk rehersal an
> > arrangement for small group on that same number and the trumpet part was
> > practacally identical to the Dorsey recording which I liked very much.
> > You should have heard George's comment after finishing my arrangement .
> > He immediately remembered it and said " I thought I had seen the last of
> > that God Dam part twenty five years ago."
> >     I remember the "Sextet From Hunger" back in the 1940's from a week
> > -end radio show called "The Borden  County Fair" featuring Bert Parks as
> > the MC and always included selections by Eddie Scravanic and the Sextet
> > >From Hunger.  Of course in those days I did not know who the players
> > might be.  I mentioned the program once to George and he informed me
> > that he was in  the band then.  I am not positive but I believe he said
> > that the trombone player was  either Joe Yukle or Brad Gowans.  All I
> > remember is that that band played their buts off.