[Dixielandjazz] Pee Wee Russell Anecdote

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Steve,
There I go again!
I should have reread the Eddie Condon book account in full and not taken
your abridged version.
Sorry.
However, in an attempt to redeem myself, I checked out the facts in Robert
Hilbert's fine book 'Pee Wee Russell. The Life of A Jazzman' (1993. Oxford
University Press).
Pee Wee opened at the Brass Rail on 6 July 1940 [I suspect Mr Hilbert meant
1941, as he also mentions that Pee Wee's health was poor and and, after
resting in Chicago he returned to New York in time for a November 1941 job
at Ryans.
So what do the much-maligned discographers say?
That on 15 July 1941 'Downbeat' reported the following Jimmy McPartland band
at the Brass Rail:
McPartland, c; George Brunies, tb; Pee Wee Russell, cl; Joe Sullivan, p;
Eddie Condon, g; Hank Isaacs, d.
And who was Hank Isaacs?
He recorded with Jimmy McPartland's Squirrels in Chicago for Decca on 11 Oct
1939 with McPartland; Bud Jacobson, cl; Boyce Brown, as; Floyd Bean, p; Dick
McPartland, g; Jim Lannigan, sb.
    Jazz me blues  
    China boy      
    The world is waiting for the sunrise
    Sugar      
A session we all know and love - and well overdue for reissue on CD.

So Steve, you get the ceegar agin.
It WAS a local drummer.
Kind regards,
Bill. 



 



. It was Jimmy McPartland's gig and it seems that Joe Sullivan was in the
band. Mr Hilbert quotes the 'milk story'. The McPartland band had a
successful month-long engagement at the Brass Rail which was broadcast
nightly over local CBS radio.