[Dixielandjazz] Sacramento stuff

[Dan Augustine]

Folks--
     Just received the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee program in the mail 
today, and i immediately sat down and spent a pleasant two hours 
reading through it, kind of like squinting at the menu outside a 
famous restaurant (but this one is affordable).
     There was a nice tribute ("In Memoriam") to Bill Borchers to 
start out with, and then i started reading the list of bands and 
performers.  I was happy to see Pete Barbutti come back; i still 
foist one of his lines on would-be musicians: "OK, you call yourself 
a jazz musician.  What's the second chord in the bridge of 'Laura'?" 
There were an unusual number of typos, though: the Jim Cullum band 
with "Don Mopsilk", a reference to Bob Wills and his Texas "Cowboys", 
"Bib" Mama Sue, and of course "one William Gunter, washboardist, wit 
and bon wiwant" (a German connoisseur--with the accent on the 
'sewer'?).
     I'm also looking forward to hearing one of the best 
tuba/sousaphone players around, Westy Westenhofer, with the Reynolds 
Brothers' Rhythm Rascals, and i'm pleased as punch to see members of 
the Wooden Nickel band show up in other bands: Brady McKay (with five 
different bands), Otis Mourning (with Catsnjammer), Paul Edgerton 
(with Fulton Street), and Bob Williams (with Igor's Jazz 
Cowboys)(there may also be other members i'm not familiar with who 
are playing).
     One of the nicest things, though, is to see my old buddy Joe 
Cadena playing trombone with Big Tiny Little.  I knew him in Reno in 
the 1960's after he settled in Reno after touring with the Harry 
James band, but i haven't seen him since.
     By happy coincidence, today in the mail was also the latest issue 
of _The American Rag_, and there on page one was the following: "The 
Jazz Cowboys (who all read music, contrary to rumors started by rival 
musicians) are devoting several weeks to rehearsing new band charts. 
Be ready for a new sound and new songs when the group hits Sacramento 
in May.  When asked if they were going to clue in Celebrity Guest 
Artist Bob Williams (trbn.) in Sac, the band just smiled . . ."
     In the same issue i was interested to see a review of a new CD by 
the Calamity Jazz Band, "Cookin' with Calamity", which was well 
received; it can be purchased from our own Meg Graf (bass sax).
     In short, i'm ready for Sacramento!  If you see a tall, 
goofy-looking guy in a Texas cap with a DLML or DJML button, 
stumbling around and complaining about his knees, that'll be me. 
Just buy me a beer and i promise to go away (but not far, if you're 
stupid enough to buy me a beer).

     Dan
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**  Dan Augustine     Austin, Texas     ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu  **
**    "I believe I will dip my pink-and-white body in yon Roman tub.  **
**     I feel a bit gritty after the affairs of the day."             **
**            W. C. Fields in _My Little Chickadee_ (1940)            **
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