[Dixielandjazz] Customer Requests

[JackleeT at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/3/2003 5:46:29 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
ringwald at calweb.com writes:
When I lived in Los Angeles I led the Great Pacific Jazz Band.  In the band,
Jack Wadsworth played bass sax.  He had a big, beautiful bass sax in perfect
condition.  Gawd only knows how many thousands of dollars it was worth.

One afternoon we were playing the Poolside venue at the Los Angeles Sweet &
Hot festival.  A customer came up & requested "Big Noise From Wenetka."

I had an instant picture in my mind of our drummer Ray Templin, beating the
crap out of that beautiful bass sax with his drum sticks.
***********
I am reminded of the time when trumpeter Ray Linn had a Dixie group thyat 
played weekly sessions at a Hollywood hotel. Once he used Leroy Vinnegar on bass, 
and after the first intermission he told Leroy that to end the next set 
they'd play "Big Noise from Winnetka."

Leroy said he wasn't familiar with that song. Ray said, "You know, the one 
where the drummer plays on the bass strings with his sticks." Vinnegar, as large 
and formidable as the sound he used to produce, looked at Linn unbelievingly 
for a moment, then said, "Not on MY bass he don't."

And he didn't.

Jack Tracy