[Dixielandjazz] Re: Illinois Jacquet Obit

[Fred Spencer]

Dear Bill et al,
Thanks for the obits and comments about Illinois Jacquet. I knew him well
because his daughter, Pamela, got an MD degree from the medical school where
I taught.As it happened, I gave the graduation address to her class and
naturally made it my business to meet her illustrious father afterwards.
Whenever I was anywhere near where he was playing I went to the gig, and he
used to come and chat between sets. I remember asking him once if he was
going to play "Flying Hoime" and he said "I played it already but I"ll play
it again"--and he did, without the honking that made him famous in the Hamp
recording which, like it or not, changed the whole face of jazz.Several
bands played that solo scored for the whole sax section. The only other one
I know is Bunny Berigan's solo on Tommy Dorsey's "Marie". Any more? One
time, when I asked Illinois if he was going to play his bassoon, he replied
"Couldn't do it, the ceiling's too low!" He kept saying that he had someone
writing his autobiography with him. I hope so
because it would be a real winner. For Illinois--THE Texas tenor.
Fred

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Haesler" <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au>
To: "WILLIAM HORTON" <WILLIAMHORTON at peoplepc.com>; "dixieland jazz mail
list" <Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2004 5:33 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Illinois Jacquet Obit


> Dear Bill,
> Regarding your comment: >Illinois Jacquet and Flip Phillips trading fours!
> Oh man, that may not be OKOM, but it sure is MKOM!<
> When was this?
> Not on Lionel Hampton's May 1942 version of "Flying Home" mentioned in the
> obit kindly posted by Norman Vickers.
> Which, incidentally, does nothing for me.
> Playing it, again, now.
> Sounds like a 19-year old on his way somewhere. Which I never bothered to
> follow.
> Growing up, as I did, listening to the records featuring saxophonists
Eddie
> Miller, Bud Freeman, Charlie Holmes, Johnny Hodges, early Lester Young and
> 1930s Coleman Hawkins.
> Very kind regards,
> Bill.
>
>
>
>
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