[Dixielandjazz] The ultimate kazoo band

[Steve barbone]

Dan Augustine <ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu> wrote (polite snip) about a Pee
Wee Erwin band with Tony Spargo (Sbarbaro of ODJB fame) on drums.

> On this LP, Tony Spargo plays not only the drums, but the kazoo
> (and also whistles).  Spargo is quoted as saying the he "is the
> _only_ kazoo player in jazz.  Red McKenzie has long been credited
> with the distinction.  Tony contends, however, that McKenzie was
> unorthodox in his choice of instruments and did not use a genuine
> kazoo."

Posted this a while back but will repeat for the newbies on the list.

Spargo was the house drummer at Nick's in NYC for quite a while in the 50s
and often played there with Pee Wee Erwin et al. As well as with my pal
Chuck Traeger on Bass. Spargo would always take a kazoo solo during the
evening festivities.

One night, Erwin and Traeger and Andy Russo (trombone) and the boys in the
band all got kazoos, and unbeknownst to Spargo, hid them in their pockets.
When the time came for his Kazoo solo, the entire band whipped out kazoos
and played along with him in a veritable cacophony of polyphonic kazoo
improvisation. 

Huge hit with Spargo who cracked up, and the audience. Result? Mrs. Rongetti
insisted that it become a part of the act, like Big Noise From Winnetka etc.
  

Cheers,
Steve