[Dixielandjazz] Strange Gigs

[jcblegen at sbcglobal.net]

Another strange one just popped into my memory.  This is probably the earliest gig I've ever 
had.  I got a call from a local piano player (who acted as contractor on this thing but didn't 
play) to be at a hotel in downtown Chicago at 7:30 a.m. wearing a red vest.  When I arrived, 
I was ushered into a room where the other bandmembers were gathering.  I think there were 
about eight of us, and I remember that Ted Butterman was on trumpet and Dave Remington 
was on trombone.  There was also a very short young woman who was in the process of 
putting on a Mickey Mouse costume.  A brusque, elaborately coifed woman came and and 
told us what we were to do: march after Mickey Mouse playing the Mickey Mouse march.  It 
was a Disney sales meeting, and we were apparently there to set the tone.  "This," said 
Remington, "is why I went to the conservatory."  We were cued, we marched, we left.  A 
true Mickey Mouse gig.


-- 
John Blegen
jcblegen.com
blog.jcblegen.com