[Dixielandjazz] A true story of musical hope and inspiration

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

That reminds me of another guy that was in about the same boat.  About 10 
years ago I was playing a Shriners convention here in St. Louis.  They were 
having a jam session and the horn players were lining up for their 15 
seconds of fame.  There was this very short man from Wichita, KS.  I'm sure 
that his stature was due to his age which had to be about 90.  He could 
barely walk and two guys helped him up the three steps to the stage.  His 
tenor was almost as big as he was.  He proceeded to blow everyone away. 
That guy had more licks and wonderful takes on the tune we were playing.  I 
was amazed that his sound was every bit as powerful as I have heard.  I just 
couldn't believe it.  Unfortunately I never knew his name.

I have heard quite a few guys that just get better as they get older.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Dustin" <postmaster at fountainsquareramblers.org>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 10:09 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] A true story of musical hope and inspiration


At the risk of undermining the premise in my message about the indignity of
watching great players fade on the stand in their old age, I have to offer
this true story which I remembered just as I hit ³send².  I now live in New
England where I caught a largely banjo band about 2 years ago < 4 guys
strumming, one picking leads, a elderly tuba, a trumpet, and another guy
blowing a baritone.  Since I¹m a trombone player and seriously missed that
horn in the mix, the event was not all that memorable. But it struck me that
there was something unusual about the way the guys around him helped the
very elderly tuba on and off his chair, navigating him to and off the stand,
putting his horn away, etc.  He blew great lines and a lot of musical
energy. I talked afterwards to the trumpet player.  He told me that the tuba
player had Alzheimer¹s so bad he couldn¹t even remember his name half the
time or carry on a conversation. But he had played with the group for years
and when you put his horn in his arms and counted off the song, he was
always right there!  True story.  It spoke some kind of hope to me because
my dad passed from Alzheimers and I keep hoping that if it overtakes me too
I will be like that tuba player, still able to cut it on the downbeat and
not just drool into my horn.

And Tiny Tim said, ³God bless us, every one...²

David Dustin
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