[Dixielandjazz] John Cocuzzi

[Harold Smith]

Awhile ago, I sent a posting in that, for whatever reason, didn't get
through.
Nancy Giffin got a copy of it and wanted me to resubmit it by cutting
and pasting.
Gads, folks, I haven't had to do that since first grade back in 1936.

Anyhow, before Nancy cuts me off from all those wonderful hugs she
sends, I thought I'd better relay my thoughts one more time.  Besides,
Nancy is a big John Cocuzzi fan, and thinks that everyone ought to catch
his fire.

What I said was that I saw John way back about 1984 or 5 at the Central
Illinois Jazz Fest.  My dates may not be accurate, but, so what?  He was
a youngster of about 17 or 18 then, played vibes with the Brooks Tegler
Hot Jazz group, and brought the house down with his wonderfully swinging
vibes.  Ah, you can't beat the exuberance of youth!

As I understand it, mostly because I haven't heard John in years, he has
become an even better musician, plays great piano, and along with his
vibes , is an absolute killer (as we used to say in the jitterbug era).

Heard that he swung his -- er  -- p;posterior off at the Illiana Club's
30th anniversary jazz fest, and was nothing if not fabulous with the
fabulous group he played with, which, I believe, was the Ed Polcer gang
from New Yawk, a gang which, incidentally, included Alan Vache'.  What a
wonderful group of musicians devoted to the art of main stream, swinging
jazz.

Now you know (a least a little) about John Cocuzzi:  

Now don't be choosey,
Grab your  Suzie,
Bring some boozie,
And tap your feet to
JOHN COCUZZI!!!!

(O.K., Nancy??  Please get me back on your hug list.)

Harold Smith