[Dixielandjazz] The Death of OKOM

[Ministry of Jazz]

Dear Austin colleagues,

Great to hear from Dan about new OKOM groups and venues in Austin. I got my
first break as a young tenor banjo player with the John Roberts Jazz Band,
who used to play at the Capitol Oyster Company on Sunday nights. Most of
those guys are probably gone by now, but I am curious if anyone remembers
the band, or if any of the players are still around, or even perhaps on
DJML.

I bought my first "real" banjo -- a Gibson TB100 -- from Eugene Wisdom, who
had bought a tenor and a plectrum and then opted to go with the plectrum.
That was back in 1976. That banjo is now in the capable hands of my young
Israeli student/partner in our Doctor Jazz band, delighting new OKOM
audiences in Jerusalem and around Israel. I graduated to a pre-war 1926
Gibson Mastertone about a dozen years ago. But in Doctor Jazz I am playing
mostly brass -- bone, tuba and trumpet.

I also used to hang out with Johnny (Dr. John) Huntsberger, who had a banjo
home group for fun an mutual edification, besides performing in and around
Austin.

Then I recall a place called (I think) Pipe Organ Pizza, one of those
restored old theater pipe organs built into a restaurant. As I knew one of
the organists and got friendly with the owners, I used to sit in on banjo
now and then, and they let me play the organ a few times.

If any of the old crowd are still around, say hello for me.

Elazar (back then, Larry) Brandt
Dr. Jazz Dixieland Band
Tekiya Trumpet Ensemble
Jerusalem, Israel
www.israel.net/ministry-of-jazz
+972-2-679-2537


-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Augustine [mailto:ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu]
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 8:30 PM
To: DJML
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The Death of OKOM


DJML and others--
	Well, reports of the death of OKOM in Austin have been
greatly exaggerated.