[Dixielandjazz] We Played For The Concorde

[Robert Newman]

  In 1988 Sacramento's best string bass player, Gil Lester and his wife Rose were the luckiest couple we have ever known.     In two unrelated drawings they won a trip on a Concorde from Sacramento to Paris, and a trip to anywhere of their choice, first class, on the QE2.     So they elected to fly to Paris, stay there for several days, and return to the U. S. on the QE2.      Well, the city of Sacramento put on a party to celebrate their good fortune and the once in a lifetime visit of a Concorde to SMF.     I was fortunate enough to play alto in Bill Rase's 12 piece band which played at the celebratory party.     I talked to Gil yesterday to refresh my memory of that party and their wonderful trip.

  One of the hangars at SMF had been fully opened, the Concorde was sitting right outside the open doors, grandly parallel to the opening so it was a white giant in full view, brightly illuminated with flood lights.     Inside the hangar was the bandstand, microphones for speeches, a long buffet table, bar, many tables.    The affair was attended by well over a couple of hundred invited people, the mayor and other city personalities including Gil and Rose.     We played while people milled around inside and outside under the plane.

  The ceremony then included fairly brief welcoming speeches, and  introduction of the uniformed French Concorde officers and flight attendant girls.    Then we played some music while everybody milled around again.     Gil spent some time talking to some of us and telling us how this all happened.   Yesterday Gil told me he and Rose went home that night, then took off on the Concorde the following mid morning.     The plane had been filled with passengers at Sacramento, flew to New York for refueling, and then directly to Paris.    In and around Paris they were on their own for the rest of their trip.

  And so were we.

  Bob Newman