[Dixielandjazz] Re: Memphis Nighthawks

[Charlie Hooks]

on 6/8/03 2:09 PM, W.P. Mossel at w.p.mossel at wanadoo.nl wrote:

>> Hi Listmates,
>> Can anyone tell me who the Memphis Nighthawks are/were?
> 
> Were. They made records March/April 1932 in New York.
> 
>> Who played in that
>> group and when?
> 
> Line up:
> Alfred Bell-t/ Roy Palmer-tb/ Darnell Howard-cl-as/ Al Washington-cl-ts/
> Bob Hudson-p/ Ed Hudson-bj-v/ W.E. "Buddy" Burton-wb-v.

    Yes, and would you believe it--Beebe and I have actually played with Al
Washington just a few years ago.  Al was living in Mexico (to stretch out
his pension) and would return once in awhile to the states; some young
friends or relatives who knew he was a great player would take him around to
sit in with bands.   Al was then in his nineties and lacked the stamina of a
young man (only Franz Jackson, that genetic freak, has that still) but he
could show pretty clearly what he once had, and we all enjoyed him
immensely.

    And of course, there are the New Memphis Nighthawks that Ron DeWar put
together at the U of Illinois over 20 years ago, where Steve Jensen learned
the OKOM songs and style.  Except for Steve, these guys are still very much
alive, but I don't believe they play now as a group.  Wish they did.  Good
players!  Ron DeWar can literally play anything--authentic OKOM, for which
he has a real love, but also as modern and postmodern as the occasion may
call for.  I try to stay as far away from guys like that as I can:
comparisons make me nervous.



Charlie