[Dixielandjazz] The Paddock in New jersey - Was Empire City Six

[Steve Barbone]

Edmetzsr at aol.com wrote:

> Jim, be assured that Tony Spair did exist, although I believe this spelling
> is improper but phonetically correct. I remember well sitting in with the band
> that played at a place called the "Paddock" in Trenton, NJ in the 1950s.
> I was in college in Philadelphia and had a roomate (trombonist Marty
> Bergen) who came from Trenton with whom I would periodically spend the weekend
> - 
> usually because we had a gig in the area. Tony was a Phil Napoleon "sound
> alike" - as a matter of fact, the Paddock house-band was a "Phil Napoleon at
> Nick's" sound-alike band (we often snuck up to the village in NYC to catch the
> Napoleon band at Nicks, so we knew the sound). They had virtually all of the
> Napoleon arrangements down cold.
> Angie, one of the owners of the Paddock played clarinet, Ellsworth Felton
> played trombone, Johnny Coates Sr. played piano (he was a great stride player
> and father of John Coates Jr. who is still playing around the Poconos). I
> don't recall the drummer, although Artie Geidlin of Trenton sat in on
> occasion.
> I can't tell you anything about Phil Failla,

Now that jogged a memory bank. Thanks Ed.

I too now remember that venue and band. Went there a few times with Jack
Fine (trumpet) in the 50s. Remember Angie (but forget his last name). Also,
remember Ellsworth Felton and of course, John Coates Sr., who was a great
OKOM player. 

Met Angie again around 1990 when he came into the Temperence House in
Newtown Pa to hear Derf Nolde's Keystone Five, and I was playing one of my
first gigs after a 30 year hiatus. We picked up where we left off when he
said, "You remember me Steve, I used to own that joint in Trenton where you
sat in a few times, The Paddock".

So many fine players in the area back then, including you, eh Ed?

Cheers,
Steve Barbone