[Dixielandjazz] Charlie Hooks & Dick's Last Resort

[JimDBB at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/3/2003 1:15:53 PM Central Standard Time, 
mikemarois at hirelivemusicians.com writes:

> No, Charlie's referring to the Dick's Last Resort just off of the Chicago 
> River in Chicago.  I never, got to play in the joint, but I frequently 
> performed with the accoustic trio that played the pier and mall that 
> surrounded the club.  We used the back of the club as a break room and 
> storage location for our cases and gear for a short time.  And yes, it was 
> a bloody loud place.
> 
> Mike
> ------------------------------------------------
> 

   Dick's Last Resort originated in Dallas and Tommy Loy set up the bands 
there.  The original format had Dixieland Jazz groups every night of the 
week.  Dick's also opened in Chicago and San Diego.  Tommy Loy came to 
Chicago and lined up bands, essentially a different band for each night of 
the week.  the Dixie groups were followed by blues groups later in the night. 
 The whole scene at Dick's was contrived rowdiness with Dixieland Jazz and 
Blues groups banging away in the general din.

   The Dixie groups in Chicago's Dick's Last Resort that I remember were 
Charlie Hooks, Dave Remington, Chuck Hedges, Jim Clark and my own band.

   Dick's Last Resort was sometimes fun to work at and they paid decently but 
the prevailing din that was encouraged and prevailed was hard to cut through. 
 It was rather like working in Las Vegas 
( years ago) where your audience has lost money and was saturated with 
entertainment, you had to get used to it.  

  Jim Beebe