[Dixielandjazz] Re: Bunk Johnson - Maria Elena etc. + Chuck Traeger.

Steve barbone barbonestreet at earthlink.net
Fri Feb 17 19:59:18 PST 2006


on 2/17/06 7:28 PM, Bill Haesler at bhaesler at bigpond.net.au wrote:

> Dear Steve, 
> There is a photograph of Chuck Treager playing at the Caravan Ballroom with
> Bunk Johnson in New York in 1947 on page 231 of the 2000 Jazzology Press
> book 'Song of The Wanderer' by Mike Hazeldine & Barry Martyn.
> Also in the pic are Bob Miekle, Jerry Blumberg, Albert Nicholas, Irv Kratka
> and James P Johnson.
> One track of the music from this 17 Oct 1947 date is on American Music
> AMCD-45 put out by George Buck. I have this.
> There are also 3 other tunes from another night with Bunk and Mr Treager on
> the CD.
> If recordings were made of Chuck Treager playing "Maria Elana" with Bunk
> they have yet to surface. But you can bet that Bunk would have played the
> tune at the Caravan at this time.
> Kind regards,
> Bill. 

Thanks Bill

I knew you'd have some more information on that. What a list mate. I'll pass
the information on to Traeger. I'll also pick up the book and give it to him
as I doubt very much that he has it.

He also recorded with Sidney Bechet around the same time, with Bob Wilber's
band. Also, perhaps re-issued by Buck.  Buck tracked him down and paid him
$100 as a performance fee before re-issuing AMCD-45, endearing himself to
working musicians everywhere.

It was Traeger who turned me on to Clifford Brown when Brownie took the jazz
world by storm in the 1950's. Chuck is a complete musician from classical to
avant garde with a strong record of OKOM in NYC from 1945 to 1965. He also
did quite a bit of work with Lester Lanin and Meyer Davis "society" groups.

You would adore Chuck Traeger who was, in those days, called "Charlie" and
one of the hippest jazz men on the planet. I worked a steady gig with him,
one summer back then which included Gene Schroeder on piano. All the regular
guys used to fall by and sit in, from Erwin to Haggart to Lawson to Lee
Gifford et. al. Oh my, how I would love to do that again.

Cheers,
Steve




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