[Dixielandjazz] Joe Ascione, Ascona Jazz Festival

[Tamas Ittzes]

Hi everyone,

We just came back from Ascona, Switzerland and certainly had a good time
at the JazzAscona festival. I don't know if Joe Ascione has MS or not,
but he was playing 10 nights in a row, 2 hours a night. He was working
hard and played well. His right forearm and hand was dressed all the
time (especially at the wrist) and we could tell that playing was
painful to him but he did a good job. I thought it was just a simple
injury, wouldn't think of MS.

By the way, we also played 10 gigs at the Ascona Festival with the Bohem
Ragtime Jazz Band (sold almost all CD's we had brought and got 7 new
invitations to other festivals and jazz clubs). The festival was very
good and the surrounding is just breathtaking. Before Ascona we had two
gigs in Italy, the first one in Rimini at the Jazz & Swing Festival,
where we played for 2000 people. The whole 2-week tour was great, we
were treated like kings in 4- and 5-star hotels, beaches, huge meals,
lots of beers and everything. And met good old friends everywhere, and
of course, made new friends everywhere. Best to all,

Tamas
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Tamas ITTZES
violin teacher, ragtime pianist, festival organizer
Bohem Ragtime Jazz Band
Kecskemet Jazz Foundation
Mailing address: H-6001 KECSKEMET, Pf. 652., Hungary
Phone: +36(20)82-447-82
E-mails: tamas at bohemragtime.com, bohem at fibermail.hu
Web site: http://www.bohemragtime.com
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