[Dixielandjazz] Megaphones

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

That's really a funny story - I'm surprised the band could even play.  I 
would have been laughing too hard.
I have to tell the story to the band.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 12:14 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Megaphones


> Tom Wiggins posted about the California Highway Department "Megaphones"
> which reminded me of a funny story.
>
> In the late 1950s I was gigging with Kenny Butterfield's Beale Street
> Stompers at the Melody Lounge in Sunnyside NY. The Melody was a rough 
> place,
> young people audience and some who were fighters. There was a fight there
> about every other week.
>
> One of the tougher guys had just been released from jail. A nice, but real
> Dead End Kid. He loved the band and would buy us drinks etc. Fought often 
> in
> the bar there. Big guy, always dressed like a bricklayer just coming in 
> from
> work.
>
> One night, he came in and asked to sit in. We were afraid to refuse and 
> said
> sure. He had a suitcase with him that could have been a Tenor case. He
> proceeded slowly onto the stand and made a production of slowly opening 
> the
> case. Then he took out a large traffic cone. Beautiful orange color with
> NYPD stenciled on the side. Held it up, to his lips and proceeded to sing
> loudly (really a guttural hum) through it on Bill Bailey which he had
> requested. Tore the place up and got a standing O for his "solo".
>
> He never cracked a smile, slowly put it back in the case when done and 
> left
> the stand to a cheering crowd. Then bought us all a drink to thank us.
>
> It was a very funny scene.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
>
>
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