[Dixielandjazz] How Bud Shank learned to play jazz flute

[Steve barbone]

For some, Kenton is OKOM. Either way, this is a good anecdote, from the
Chicago Institute of Jazz files. Bud Shank at the age of 79 or 80, is still
a JAZZ GIANT.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

Bud Shank: "When I joined the band (Stan Kenton's) it was sort of a unique
thing, because it was during the formation of the Innovations Orchestra and
Stan needed a saxophone player who could play flute, which had never
happened to him before. During the year 1949 Stan didn't have a band and
most of the guys had been staying in Los Angeles and I met and played a lot
with Shelly Manne and Bob Cooper and Buddy Childers. When the occasion came
up they recommended me to Stan; that they knew a guy who played alto and
flute. I didn't play flute. I owned a flute. Stan had organized some formal
auditions for this position. It was at the old Capitol studios on Melrose in
Hollywood. I know the exact place because I'll never forget it as long as I
live. It's the only time I had to audition for a job in my life."

"Fortunately, I knew about this for a couple of weeks in advance, and I
never took that damned flute out of my mouth for those two weeks, because
all of a sudden I had to know how to play the thing. There were several
other people who auditioned, but they were in worse shape than I was and I
got the job. But then we went though two or three weeks of rehearsals. The
first actual job that we played was the concert with this 45 piece orchestra
in Oakland, California. Seeing the reaction of the people and the
musicians‹I was 21 at the time‹was one of the most exciting things in my
whole life."