[Dixielandjazz] Wild Bill Davison Remembered Gig - Old Harlow 26th March

[john petters]

Greetings

Herewith a press release for my forthcoming concert in  Old Harlow.



One of the pioneers of Dixieland Jazz will be saluted in a special show at
St John's Arts Centre (St John's Walk, Market St, Old Harlow) on Thursday
(26th March) at 8PM.



Titled Wild Bill Davison Remembered, the evening will be a trip down memory
lane for ex Harlow bandleader/drummer, John Petters who played and recorded
with the legendary cornet star on his final tour of Britain in May 1989.



The Legends of American Dixieland, which reunited Wild Bill with the late
American Blues pianist Art Hodes, played to a sell-out audience at the
Playhouse in 1989. In the band were two local jazz stars, Harlow's bass ace,
Keith Donald, and the superb trombonist, Jackie Free from Epping, who will
starring on Thursday.



The brilliant young cornettist, Allen Beechey, who has modeled his style on
Wild Bill, will make his first appearance in Harlow, sharing the bandstand
with two other outstanding young musicians, clarinetist, Duncan Batchelor
and pianist, Nick Dawson.



William Edward Davison was born in Defiance, Ohio, in 1906. During the
twenties he worked with the tragic cornet legend Bix Beiderbecke. Money was
scarce and bootleg booze was plentiful in the days of Prohibition.  Davison
earned the nickname 'Wild Bill' partly as a result of his excessive
lifestyle, and because of his immediately recognisable hot cornet sound.



During the forties, in New York, he joined Eddie Condon's hard drinking
bunch of jazz stars and recorded a number of songs with Bing Crosby.



With Art Hodes he took part in an historic series of recordings with the New
Orleans star Sidney Bechet for the famous Blue Note label.



He married 20th Century Fox starlet, Anne Stewart who gave up her career to
take care of her wild man. She succeeded, because Bill was still playing hot
jazz into his 83rd year, when he toured with the Petters band.



Tickets cost a mere £10 and are available from the box office on 0800 496
0673

More information on www.traditional-jazz.com. Or e-mail:
tjpost at traditional-jazz.com

John Petters
Amateur Radio Station G3YPZ
www.traditional-jazz.com