[Dixielandjazz] Sad News - Joe Bithell died today...

[David Richoux]

Joe was the leader of the Silicon Gulch Jazz Band and had been a 
fixture in the San Francisco/San Jose area trad scene for many years. 
He had a great way of singing old jazz and blues standards and had a 
long running gig at the Prince of Wales Pub in San Mateo.

I first met Joe back in the late 1970s when I was getting started in 
OKOM - he was  a member of the Los Trancos Woods Band and played a 
beat-up old Eb tuba or washboard in that group. He taught me quite a 
lot about OKOM in those years.

Later, I sat in with the Silicon Gulch band from time to time and it 
was always interesting. He often was in the audience at other area jazz 
band performances and was a welcomed "guest singer" many times.

He will be greatly missed...

I will post any information about the funeral as soon as I know.

Dave Richoux