[Dixielandjazz] Re: George Rock - Minka

[Stan Brager]

What I question, Bill, is George Rock being listed as the composer.
Certainly, he probably added his changes to the variations to what was
essentially Jules Levy's composition. This would be like Fats Waller's name
being listed on his recording of "Star Dust".

Stan
Stan Brager
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Haesler" <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au>
To: "Stan Brager" <sbrager at socal.rr.com>; "Bob Romans"
<cellblk7 at comcast.net>; "Bill Gunter" <jazzboard at hotmail.com>; "dixieland
jazz mail list" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 28, 2005 4:18 PM
Subject: Re: George Rock - Minka


> Dear Stan, Bob and Bill,
> Jack Mirtle, in his definitive bio-discography, 'Thank You Music Lovers'
> (1986. Greenwood Press) has this to say:
> ""Minka", the show-stopper solo of George Rock, was a carry-over from his
> 'Schicklefritz' days when he inherited the solo from Fischer's previous
> trumpeter, Nels Laakso. Laakso had recorded it as "Trumpet Blues" for the
> "Korn Kobblers' a 'Schnicklefritz' spin-off group (as were the
> 'Doowackadoodlers".)
> "Minka" was based on a traditional melody with variations as featured and
> recorded as "Russian Fantasie" ([Jules]Levy) by Herbert L Clarke. It is a
> fair and safe estimation that Rock played his version of "Minka",
variously
> arranged, an average of once daily for the next ten years - from one to a
> high of six performances per working day."
>
> As to Bill's query, who wrote the children's melody "Twinkle Twinkle
Little
> Star"?
> An easy one.
> Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
> Kind regards,
> Bill.
>
>
>