[Dixielandjazz] Magic Moment

[Stephen Barbone]

Hi Pat:

How rare and precious those magic moments are. Jazz is a language. Some speak
it some don't. Some understand it, some don't. It is so totally cool when you
are 7000 miles away from home and all of a sudden you find yourself in a deep
jazz conversation with a total stranger.

Like in that TV documentary on The Blues, when an American Guitarist was in
Africa seeking that part of the roots of the music and was picking a blues
tune. An African player picked up on it and played along with him. A great
moment for the synergy of the language of jazz.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PATRICK LADD wrote:

> Had a magic moment at a gig tonight >>
>
> Hi Steve,
> reminds me of the time, many years ago, when my friend Bill and I were in
> New Orleans.
> We were having a quiet beer on Bourbon Street and the band, with the
> exception of the piano player, were taking a break. Bill wandered over to
> the pianist and asked if he knew a particular blues. `Don`t think so` said
> the pianist `How does it go`
> `Its an old Bessie Smith number` said Bill `and it goes....` and started to
> sing it. `Oh, this one` said the piano player and began to play.
> At that point the guitar player came back on stage and picked up the song,
> then the bass player and one by one, the band came back and began to play.
> Bill had a good voice and we had worked round the pubs a bit with two
> guitars, and he was pushed up to the mic.and the whole thing took off.
> The band took their breaks and cue`d Bill back in for the last chorus and
> the number ended to thunderous applause to the crowd which the performance
> had pulled in off the street.
> The leader took the mic, thanked Bill and said `Here we are in New Orleans
> and we have to have a bloody Limey come here to show us how to sing the
> blues`.
>
> `It was was like a bad B movie` `said Bill afterwards `Every body wandering
> on stage and picking up the tune. It would never happen in real life`.
>
> Bill and I are now 75 and 77 respectively but  I think that singing the
> blues on Bourbon Street was the high point  of Bills life.
>
> Cheers
>
> Pat
>
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