[Dixielandjazz] Re: female tuba eupher

[Charlie Hooks]

On Wednesday, July 6, 2005, at 09:33 PM, dingle at baldwin-net.com wrote:

> I did mention here and also sent a tape of the group Chicago Jazz 
> (mono) I made at Central City, CO to Dan Augustine who was ocllecitn 
> tuba example..
> Louise was (and is as far as I know) an excellent tubist, and a good 
> jazz player on that horn. Solid rhythm player
> and good  at soloing.
> Have not heard much of here for years.
> She certainly is worthy of being on any list of good tuba players. 
> Hey, I also brought up Crhris Stind, another fine played.
> And Wallbanger (Mike Wallbridge) is among the best around.
> Don Ingle
>

Have to admit, I never heard of Louise (my bad, not hers); but have 
heard of and played with for many years Chris Stend and the great 
Wallbanger, Mike Wallbridge.   Both are first rate players.  Chris 
Stend I've played with for twenty years and much admire. Wallbridge 
is a special friend of more than twenty years and have enjoyed him 
drunk and sober through jobs too numerous to mention.  But a couple: 
one dead winter outer suburb Chicago gig, Mike and I and Buddy Lee on 
banjo.  Fun gig.  Went to load up afterward, super cold night; Mike 
says, you guys stay here, I'll go warm up the wagon.  He goes out 
across the road, puts his tuba down behind his station wagon, decides 
to warm up the engine first, does so and then carefully backs up over 
his tuba, making it a four-ba.   We first tried to yell at him, then, 
finding that ineffective, started laughing so hard we were ashamed.  
He was scheduled to leave next morning on a flight to a gig somewhere 
in California.  He made the flight--in what condition and with what 
instrument I can't say.

One more great Wallbridge story:

Really, you gotta know Mike to appreciate this.  Wallbridge is not 
only the best tuba player in our Chicago clicque, but one of the best 
cornet player anyplace: in fact, I first fell in love with him on Jim 
Beebe's band at a gig on Navy Pier back on 1979--on cornet! What a 
lead line!  How musical!  Well--enough musical appreciation.  Here's 
some character:

Mike, as have I myself, has been known from time to time to indulge 
in alcoholic beverages, at times, alas, unto the overserved state.  
But while I get a bit, or more than a bit, combative, Mike gets 
loving and understanding.  So when a cop pulled him over on the way 
back from a gig, MIke didn't fight, nor should he have.  The cop led 
him not to the pokey but to a nearby Holiday Inn lot just off the 
Expressway, took his keys and said to cool it, he'd be back.

He came back a hour later, MIke now completely sober, and gave him 
his keys.

Mike could not have been more grateful: "Aw, man, you are such a nice 
Dude!   Thank you so much!  Hey, can I buy you a drink?"

As I said, You need to know Mike....

Charlie Hooks


____________________________________________
"If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without 
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