[Dixielandjazz] Walt Johansson's Turk Murphy discography

[Dan Augustine]

DJML--
     Got a letter from Walt Johansson today, and the first (potential) 
item of interest is that his address is NOT "P. O. Box 65612" but "P. 
O. Box 6612; Ocean View, HI 96737-6612".  He says, "Oh yes, correct 
my address in your files, the canoe driver gets angry when he goes 
500 orange boxes too far."
     Walt says his Turk Murphy discography resides on an IBM-clone 
386. "I agree that the information should be more widely distributed, 
and the format should be in a database compatible with the modern 
language(s) now being used, but it is in a format of DOS 6.2(?), or 
something, in a program called C8T...."
     He goes on to say that "it is okay to use my Name and Address and 
I will discuss with each individual that applies the what ifs.  If it 
becomes overwhelming I'll deal with it.  As to reformating it to 
CDrom I'll check with a few friends that deal with computers.  If it 
can be done without too much trouble I'll go forward on that basis. 
And I will send you a copy to peruse and see if it is a workable 
project."
     Of his background and interests, Walt says that "I was fortunate 
enough to have him [Turk] as a friend and to be able, over a period 
of twenty or more years, hear him at least once a week and spend off 
time with Turk, Bob Helm, Leon Oakley, Bob Schultz, Pete Clute, Bill 
Carroll and Ev Farey.  I also had ongoing relationships with Lu 
Watters, Squire Girsback and a host of other musicians of the 
so-called 'Revival' era of the kind of music I enjoy."
     He says he has "about 5000 78s, 2000 Lps, 2000 audio tapes, 600 
video tapes" in his 'vault' underneath his house, much of which is 
still uncataloged. "Who knows when the Watters 'Chicken Shack' reels 
will be available again with the demise of Ed Sprankle, another 
scribe of the testaments of Bay Area Jazz, and a piano roll buff.  I 
received a couple of snatches of Lu's 'Chicken Shack' from reels 62, 
and 62A from Ed. (Imagine what could be hiding in that trove.)"
     Well.  My first impulse is to fly to Hawaii and pound on his door 
and help him research and catalog his collection, while recording 
everything he says about music in the Bay Area of the last sixty 
years.  My second impulse is to take a deep breath, let it out, calm 
down, and let him send me something i might be able to convert to 
Excel or whatever on my Gateway IBM computer (and on my Mac also).  I 
have a number of computer-friends at UT who can help me, if need be. 
Until then, i shall be serene and patient....

     Dan
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**  Dan Augustine     Austin, Texas     ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu  **
**    "Beg, v. To ask for something with an earnestness proportioned  **
**     to the belief that it will not be given." -- Ambrose Bierce    **
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