[Dixielandjazz] Strange Gig

[RICK KNITTEL]

In 1964, before the opening of the Worlds Fair in Flushing, NY (where the
Mets play in Shea stadium now), Wally Olson (piano) got a gig playing on
an excursion boat that went around the tip of Manhattan and up and down
the East river.  It was a fund raiser for a NJ hospital and it was to the
restaurant called The Top of the Fair after the excursion. I don't
remember all the musicians but Larry Weiss was on cornet and a guy named
Stanley Reeba was on tuba.

First, a poor guy was struck by a piece of concrete that fell from the
Manhattan bridge and we had to stop at the Brooklyn navy yard to transfer
him to an ambulance for serious injury to his head. It was during an
intermission and most of the band was standing on the top deck not to far
from him when it happened.

Then, while in the middle of our second set, the boat came to a
screeching halt in the middle of the East river and apparently had run
aground. We were all wondering if our instrument cases would provide
enough buoyancy to save our lives. They determined we would not sink but
it took what seemed like a couple of hours to get a tug to tow us off the
sand bar. Before that, the first sign of recognition that we were in
trouble was a newspaper helicopter that hovered over us with it's cameras
running and spot lights shining. We had recollection of the band on the
Titanic. 

When we finally arrived at our destination and were on the elevator to
the restaurant, we were greeted by the union (local 802) rep who told us
that we weren't allowed to play the gig in the restaurant because we had
only 6 pieces and the contract called for a minimum of 9. We told him of
our ordeal in the river and he left without any money being exchanged.

Rick Knittel - JAZZBONE
The Maine Street Paraders