[Dixielandjazz] Composer of "Roll The Patrol"

[Bill Gunter]

Hi to those interested in the origin of "Roll the Patrol,"

Bruce Strangeland asked:

>Does anyone know who wrote "Roll The Patrol" and when it was written?

And Don Ingle responded:

>Ask Bill Gunter - he sang it on a Cell Block 7 CD.

I Respond:

I don't know who actually wrote it. It's in the Firehouse Jazz Band Fake 
Book and the only credits listed in the book are "The Black Dawg Jazz Band" 
which recorded the song in 1989 with the vocal sung by Bob Leary.

I first heard the song myself before I ever heard of the Black Dawg Jazz 
Band. The year was 1988 (I think that's the year the Black Dogs were first 
organized by Steve Yocum) and I was visiting a friend of mine (trombonist 
Jim Maihack) who was living in Orlando, Florida at the time. While there, 
Jim played a casual gig at a mobile home park grand opening over near Tampa 
somewhere. There were three musicians on the gig (Maihack, Bob Leary and a 
lady who played banjo and whose name I forget).  I went with Jim to the gig 
and while there Jim introduced me to Leary.

Jim said to Bob, "Play that new song you got for Bill . . ." Leary said "ok" 
and proceded to play and sing "Roll the Patrol."  I, like everyone who hears 
the song, was captivated by the funny lyrics and very playable melody and I 
made a point to remember it myself (this was long before I joined the Cell 
Block 7 Jazz Band).

Unfortunately I didn't get around to asking Bob Leary where he got the song 
so I can't help you there.  I wouldn't be surprised to find that the song 
surfaced during the formation and early practice sessions of the Black Dawg 
Jazz Band.

If any of you know Leary you might ask him about it and post your findings 
here. It's a popular song on the jazz circuit. Louis Brown used to sing it 
with the Titan Hot Jazz Band and I've heard four or five other bands who 
regularly perform the tune.

Anyway, the earliest I can trace the song is Bob Leary in 1988.

Cheers,

Bill Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com