[Dixielandjazz] Bio For Jazzman Joe........The Long Version...........

[JazzMnJoe at aol.com]

Born in Passaic,N.J. 1934.....raised in Salem,Beverly & Beverly Farms,Ma. 
While in High school participated in a family band,me on tenor sax,dad on alto 
and clarinet,brother on trombone,sister on drums and mom on piano....Steve 
Lynch's Big Five.....One day mom over heard a lady checking out at the grocery 
store register the clerk asked how the lady was enjoying her summer residence in 
Beverly Farms.Oh its been wonderful we love to keep our windows open and 
someone in the neighborhood has parties every sunday and they hire a band 
........and they are very GOOD..........This is the best I can say about our musical 
expertise......our Sunday pratices generally went down hill after dad's third 
manhattan......and some of mom's martini's......we did enjoy a lot of laughs 
though.........
.Attended Boston University Jr College from 53-54 met Father Norman O'Connor 
known as the jazz priest back in those days also had by now met 
J.C.Higginbotham performing at Sandy's Lounge in Beverly,Ma. Also saw Louis Armstrong live 
in Symphony Hall in Boston.Was in Braves Field in Boston for a game the night 
"Babe Ruth" died.........Met Marian McPartland who performed for our Jazz 
Society at St.Anselm College in Manchester where I graduated in 1958 w/BA-History. 
Worked in Long Island prior to marriage to an Irish coleen in June of 1959. 
Sold Photolamp products.......who can remember flashbulbs........Press 
25.......and AG-1.......Transferred to Worcester,Ma as salesman for Nestle's sold 
Crunch Bars some with worms and most without.....Collection of Lp's had grown by 
this time to several hundred.....Saw Ella Fitz on an off night at Hampton 
Beach,NH. Saw Nat King Cole on a better one.....Also danced to Benny Goodman's Band 
at College Senior prom,.Loved Guy Lombardo's band especially after having 
lived in Freeport, LI. for two years. Started with the old Champion Lamp works of 
Lynn, Ma in 1962.....sold incandescent,fluorescent lighting till being 
transferred by them to Sterling, Ill in 1965.
Family additions daughter and My three sons......two others didn't 
survive........Spent a lot of time on the road with coverage of Northern Indiana,Half of 
Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska......transferred again in 1970 to Ankeny,Iowa 
survived through two leveraged company buyouts.....until 1973 then worked for 
Midland Ross Electrical Products Div till 1987 covering Iowa and 
Nebraska......Managed to visit New Orleans in 1972 saw Al Hirt and Pete Fountain the PHJB and 
Pat OBrien's made friends with the "Hurricane Cocktail" Brought an empty 
suitcase which I filled up with LP's for the trip back to Iowa. Collection was now 
close to 1000lp's with a few hundred cassettes.Learned about the Bix Jazz 
Festival and have attended over thirty of them,Also attended the old central City 
Co., jazz fests,  Rawhide in Phoenix,Cedar Basin, Clear Lake, LaCrosse,and 
more recently two in Sacramento and one in San Diego. Retired in fall of 1996 
however my dear Ann died in early 1997..taken by Cancer. 38 years of 
marriage.......Four great kids all with degrees and then some...Two 
grandchildren......Learned about the DJML and have enjoyed lurking and sometimes writing......Enjoy 
video taping festivals and sharing the video's with the band 
leaders.......such as Trevor Rippingdale, Phil Crumley, Ray Heitger, Marty Frankel,Bill Allred, 
Gene Mayl, Barbary Coast Band,St.LouisStompers, and a host of others.....Gave 
a copy to the daughter of the late Tommy Yetta on his final performance at 
the Bix Fest in 2002.....she was thrilled.......Tape for the Bix Society..
every year...........Now keep busy with volunteer work for Lutheran social 
Services as a "Senior Companion" and also help at an adult day care 
center........ Getting ready for the Cedar Basin JazzFestival on June 27-29  the Doc Evans 
Festival on July 5th and the Bix on July 24-27 then the Goodtime JazzConcert 
in Altoona Iowa featuring the New Wolverines Jazz Orchestra from Sydney,Au 
........Best wishes to all my friends whom ever wherever they may 
be..........Jazzman joe