[Dixielandjazz] The Tune Sleuths

[Robert S. Ringwald]

Steve,

Great story.

Please send me your list for the future when the Tune Nazis get out here.

--Bob Ringwald


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 1:25 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The Tune Sleuths


> Got a note from a large public park venue where we are playing a concert
> this summer. It said:
>
> "The County Solicitor's Office was contacted by SESAC (Society of European
> Stage Authors & Composers) concerning musical content of the musical
> concerts being performed in the county. I know of two other organizations
> (BMI & ASCAP) that are also contacting local municipalities about paying 
> for
> a customer license to play music that is copyrighted by their 
> organization.
> etc., etc."
>
> "Therefore please list:"
>
> "Song name/title of those you are performing / Writer of the song / and 
> the
> publisher of the song."
>
> "We need this information for our Solicitor etc., etc."
>
> What to do? I prepared a 20 song program of songs all written before 1920
> and told them that they were "head" arrangements by me. Also stated that 
> all
> of these songs were in public domain, no royalties due etc. Worked fine.
>
> ---
>
> Reminded me of another Pee Wee Russell Anecdote: NBC broadcast circa 
> 1940/41
> Pee Wee Russell, Joe Sullivan, Dave Tough and Eddie Condon to perform two
> songs.
>
> At rehearsal, the afternoon of the broadcast two tune sleuths appear and
> asked for name of each number they are going to play. First was a Sullivan
> original and sleuths agree no royalties due. Second number was a blues.
>
> Condon told Russell to say it was a Condon original, untitled and 
> unscored.
> When Russell did so, the sleuths were dubious. So they played it for them,
> Pee Wee improvising while the rest played background blues chords.
>
> "It sounds all right" said one sleuth, "but how do we know that he 
> (pointing
> to Pee Wee) is going to play it the same way on the broadcast? He has no
> score to go by."
>
> Condon takes him aside and in a confidential manner says: "Don't you know
> about Pee Wee Russell? He has a very retentive mind. Once he has played a
> thing he  never varies it, he repeats the same notes time after time. It 
> is
> considered one of the most remarkable musical accomplishments in America."
>
> Sleuth nods and says; "I remember now. I knew he was famous but couldn't
> remember why."
>
> That night on the broadcast, Pee Wee, who is utterly incapable of playing
> anything in even approximately the same way twice, gave a fresh
> improvisation of the blues. When the program was done, the sleuth shook
> Condon's hand and said:
>
> "That Pee Wee is surely a remarkable man, isn't he. He played it tonight
> exactly the way he played it this afternoon." He then added after a sigh,
> "If we had as little trouble with other musicians as we had with him, our
> jobs would be easy."
>
> (From "WE CALLED IT MUSIC" by Eddie Condon)
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
>
>
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