[Dixielandjazz] Loaded in Lodi

[Dan Augustine]

Folks--
     As part of my self-imposed thrashing around in northern 
California between the Turk Murphy tribute-concert last Sunday and my 
45th highschool reunion on the 28th, i stopped by the unaccountably 
unwary Bob Romans on Wednesday in Lodi for a visit.  Bob, in a moment 
of either weakness or pity, invited me to stay with him and play a 
song or two with the Cell Block 7 that night.  In this endeavor my 
accomplice in crime was Dave Richoux, who in another moment of 
weakness let me buy an old tuba from him on Monday.
     Anyway, Bob let me sit in at the CB7 rehearsal, and Tom Downs 
(the CB7 tuba-player) was both generous (letting me blow some notes) 
and understanding (not commenting on their quality or 
appropriateness).  That evening at the Lodi Beer Company (wonderful 
beer, by the way, and very good food) i played about half the songs 
in each set, realizing a dixieland-life-long dream of playing in a 
top-quality band.  Bob and Tom and all the others in the band played 
magnificently, as always, and the crowd was enthusiastic and loud.
     Thanks again, Bob, for putting me up and up with me!

     Dan
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**  Dan Augustine  --  Austin, Texas  --  ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu
**     "Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days
**      on nothing but food and water." -- W.C. Fields (1880-1946)
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