[Dixielandjazz] Mostly Self Taught Musicians

[Jim Beebe]

From: "Don Ingle" <dingle at baldwin-net.com>
To: <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>; "Dixieland Jazz

> Sorry Steve:
> You're off  the mark on Red Nichols being self-taught. Red was, in fact,
> highly taught and trained.

Don:  thank you so much for the information on Red Nichols.  I"ve wondered
about his background as I consider him to be one of the finest musicians
ever in the American musical scene.  For too long he was sort of written off
by many as a Bix mimic.

Red Nichols  had one of the finest and longest running bands on the scene.
One of my great thrills was in 1953. I was stationed in a Marine Corps band
in San Francisco.  Emil Orth was also a young trombonist in this band and
Bob Scobey would let the the two of us sit in with his band in Oakland on
weekends.  One night Emil and I were taking turns sitting in and Red Nichols
and his whole band walked in and sat down right in front of the band.  Man,
the electricity in the air was palable.

Red and his band were very friendly and interested in how Emil and I
happened to be attracted to older style jazz.  Most young musicians then
were into modern jazz amd  we were rather a novelty.

Red made so many fine recordings in the 50s for Capitol and none of them
have been reissued. That is a shame.

Red Nichols is due a lot more recognition for his artistry and his
achievements.

Jim Beebe

(Emil Orth is today playing trombone with the Beale St. Jazz Band in
Memphis.)