[Dixielandjazz] It's a Small World

[Steve Barbone]

Dear Listmates (Bill Haesler and Don Ingle take note)

Just returned from a wedding gig tonight in New Hope PA (Artists Colony +
Touristy Boutique town, Bucks County, Delaware River north of Philadelpia)

Bride's Family on the mother's side were nieces and nephews of Pete Beilmann
who played trombone with Ted Weems, Red Nichols, Wingy Manone and led his
own band in L.A. which I thing Don Ingle played in. Pete was born near where
I now live, in Lancaster PA, and moved to L.A. early on.

Groom's family are Australians who LOVE OKOM. We played Waltzing Matilda for
them and their table (about 12 strong) sang it lustily to the cheers of the
rest of the guests. Then they invited me over on break and we had a long
chat about the lack of OKOM these days.

Luckily, I had a CD that Bill Haesler had sent me last year, with Graeme
Bell, The PIX Sessions etc., which I presented to the Groom's mother. (I
burned a copy for me earlier, Bill) These sessions are by top Australian
OKOM Musicians, from the 1960s, and Mom was beside herself upon receiving
it. Hugs and kisses from all the gals at the table.

The bride's family included a guy about 85, who knew Pete well, and spent
some time in L.A. when Pete fronted his own band there. He thought, but
wasn't sure Don, that he talked with you about Red Ingle way back then. He
was a huge Red Ingle fan. So I spent the second break at their table talking
about Pete, Red and Don. Hugs and kisses all around.

They broke out some pictures of Pete, and a postcard with the Ted Weems Band
on the front side. Don, I think Is saw Red on it, or someone who looks a lot
like him. No year mentioned. (It was a small space for that big band) They
also had a very young gal singer with "cheerleader pigtails". <grin>

Then they insisted that I introduce the band guys with short bios as I
normally do at concerts, but not at weddings because it is the brides night,
not ours. But they were all so wired into the music and the bride insisted.
After all, she said, we'd like our guests to know that your guys played with
Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Sidney Bechet, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge,
Lester Young, Muggsy Spanier, Buddy Rich, Clifford Brown, Max Roach, etc.,
etc., etc. (They'd seen me do this at several concerts)

It was a magical evening that broke all the rules. We got applause after
every number, especially loud for tunes from the Red Nichols movie, mingled
with the guests, had drinks with them, ate with them and did all those other
things "hired Help" are not supposed to do. I even danced with the bride,
her mother and the groom's mother.

I asked the Australians to look up Bob Barnard, Jack Wiard and Ross Anderson
when they got back to OZ. An oh yeah, The Robber Dogs and Bill Haesler.

Yep, it is a small world.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone