[Dixielandjazz] Jazz History in Queens:

[Steve Barbone]

Bill Haesler <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au>

> Dear friends,
> This one of interest from my mate Denis King, moderator of the Australian
> Dance Bands list.
> Kind regards,
> Bill. 
> 
> *******************************************************
> Jazz's History Is Living in Queens
> 
> by Nat Hentoff
> Wall Street Journal, January 17, 2007 remainder snipped for brevity:

Dear Bill:

Thanks for that post. Queens was indeed a great place for jazz music and for
jazz musicians. Still is.

Some names left off that list were those of clarinetists Hank D'Amico and
Kenny Davern. D'Amico, who played with Norvo in the late 30s and recorded
with Louis after WW 2, was my neighbor and sometimes mentor in Flushing,
Queens. Another left out was Jimmy Durante who lived in Queens back in his
jazz musician days. We still pointed out his old house to visitors (2 blocks
from D'Amico's and mine) in the 1950s.

Many black musicians lived there also, including Sam (The Man) Taylor who
taught me how to "walk the bar" at the Kit Kat Inn in Bayside Queens. Also
lots of second tier jazz musicians you never heard of like drummer Johnny
Morris and bassist Jack Fahey.

Lena Horne and Illinois Jacquet also lived in Queens. And Basie's "Jumpin at
The Woodside" was named for a hotel in Queens where he had a steady gig.

Etc., etc., etc.

Yep, I remember Queens. I lived there for the first 28 years of my life. And
when I moved away, stopped playing for the next 3 decades before starting up
again in Philadelphia.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone