[Dixielandjazz] Re: I Am Pecan Pete, by Turk Murphy

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Bob, Bruce and Vickye,
"I Am Pecan Pete" was indeed composed by Turk Murphy.
Its first outing on record was an LP made in Adelaide, Australia on 29
December 1978, 'OZ Turk'. (Jazz & Jazz Records 6357 903 with notes by Bill
Haesler. Now available on a 2CD set 'Oz Turk Plus' BAC-07-2 with notes by
the late Ron Halstead).
The Turk Murphy band was on a tour of the eastern Australian states and
attended the 33rd Australian Jazz Convention in Adelaide as special guests.
As they featured "I Am Pecan Pete" on several occasions while here, I have
always assumed that the tune was, at that time, a recent composition.
Therefore, I have always dated it at 1978.
We had already met most of the band on the first tour of Australia (1974)
and again in  San Francisco (1975). It was great to mix with them again in
1978, both at the Convention and during their concert stay in Sydney.
Kind regards,
Bill.