[Dixielandjazz] Vic Dickenson

[JimDBB at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/8/2003 5:07:01 PM Central Standard Time, 
barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes:

> Sorry to be late with this, been running about quite a bit. About Vic
> Dickenson, as Jim Beebe says, not only was he one of the greats, but he
> knew just about every tune there ever was, in several styles of jazz.
> 
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
> 

   Vic Dickenson was on more recordings, I believe, than any other jazz 
trombonist.  And every one is enhanced by his presence and fine trombone 
work.  He is on a wide range of recordings from Art Hodes-Edmond Hall to 
Basie to Eddie Condon to Louis Armstrong to Ruby Braff and on and on.  

   Vic caught my attention early on in my jazz record collecting.  HIs 
playing on those great Blue Note sides with Hodes, Sidney DeParis, Edmond 
Hall was superb.  I challenge anyone to listen to their "Squeeze Me" and not 
be moved by Vic's monumental ensemble and solo work.  The same on " Bugle 
Call Rag."

  I had the priviledge of playing a duo with Vic at a Fest.  I didn't belong 
there with him but there I was.  Vic is very sly.  He and others like Roy 
Eldridge were forever being challenged by idiot musicians who would jump on 
the stand to challenge them to a 'cutting' contest.  One could sense that he 
was wary and tired of this.  He let me know in a very sly but unmistakable 
way that if I tried to outplay him in anyway, he would reach into his very 
deep bag and pull some of his stuff out that would blow me off of the stand. 
Once he realized that I had no intentions of this nature he relaxed and we 
did a nice "Keepin' out of Mischief" together.

  Vic Dickenson is one of the greats will will not soon be forgotten.

   Jim Beebe