[Dixielandjazz] Wake Up Bix / Musician's falling asleep

[Steve barbone]

"Jon Stutler" <jon at razzmajazz.com> wrote in answer to Ken Gates
> 
> I remember a story told about Bix.  The fellow next to him in the trumpet
> section on one of the bands supposedly had a note in his music about 8 bars
> ahead of Bix's solo that said, "Wake up Bix!"  I'm not sure of the
> authenticity of the account, nor if the note appeared before every Bix solo.

That story appears in many places. A copy of sheet music with the notation
"Wake Up Bix" appears on page 154 of the book "Jazz, A History of America's
Music" by Ward and Burns. Along with the story and the note that it was
written before a Bix solo part, by one of his trumpet section mates on the
chart of a piece in the Paul Whiteman Band. Possibly written by section mate
Charles Margulis who more than once propped Bix up when he would pass out on
the stand in Whiteman's band.

Some of the "falling asleep" on the stand that was so prevalent was caused
because the players were quite drunk (Bix's case) or high on drugs and
nodding out. During the 50's and 60's, if you were working steadily in jazz,
part of your gig time was used trying to sober band mates up between sets,
or before the gig. I can still remember elbowing band mates just before
their solo part came up back then. One in particular, who was a heroin
addict, would nod out in the middle of songs when ever he wasn't playing. He
could spring back to life in an instant when his solo space came up. Funny
and sad, at the same time.

Or, if you were traveling 600 miles by car to the next gig, after a night
gig in Chicago and the next night in Toronto, you might take uppers to stay
awake for the drive. Then in Toronto, if you quit the uppers too early, you
might suddenly crash and pass out in the middle of a song. Lots of musicians
fell into that trap. (You only had 18 hours at most between the gigs)

I must admit I still drive and play same day on those rare occasions. Last
year I played as a sideman, over 400 miles away, on a Saturday night gig. I
drove there Saturday with the piano player. The rest of the band left Friday
so they could rest up before playing. They were 10-20 years younger than me.

And I regularly commute 250 miles round trip by car to play the Showboat
Casino gigs. About 5 hours driving & 4 playing, 100 times in 2005, maybe
more this year. I am in great health, completely sober and enjoy driving
as well as playing, listening to jazz or classical during those 5 hours.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. To Pat Ladd about "OZ". Yes, I know how some folks in the land of
Kerikeri would be insulted being called OZ inhabitants. I'm only pulling
Bill Haesler's chain, and I think he knows it. :-) VBG.