[Dixielandjazz] Bass Problems

[Mike Marois]

The orchestra conductor had been having problems with the bassists;
they were the least professional of his musicians. It was the last
performance of the season, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, which required
extra effort from the bassists at the end. Earlier that evening, he
had found them celebrating a birthday by passing around a bottle. Then,
as he was about to cue the bassists, he knocked over his music stand.
The sheet music scattered. So he stood in front of his orchestra, his
worst fear realized: It was the bottom of the 9th, no score and the
bassists were loaded.