[Dixielandjazz] It's a Small World

[Don Ingle]

 >Teen ager in pigtails>
That would have been a young gal named Mary Lee who sang with the band 
-- a teen ager who later made a bunch of movies at Republic. Ted also 
had Marvel Maxwell as a gal singer who later went to Hollywood and 
became Marilyn Maxwell. Of course Perry Como was the "boy' singer with 
the band.
The photo wa slikely the band shot taken on Catalina Island near the 
Casino. It was put out on a post card for years.
I have an 8X10 of it as well.
Pete and dad were duck and pheasant hunters and spent a of  time in 
season chasing pheasants and sitting in cold wet swamps waiting for 
ducks to fly in. Between the two of them they kept the cooler at the 
Palmer house filled with their birds, but the head chef loved ducks so 
he got a share of them for keeping them utl the holiday feats were at 
hand. the Ingles and the Bielmans shared many of these over the year.
Dad would also spend lots of time fly fishng for trout, a pursuit I 
follow here in Michigan.
Yes, I worked with Pete's band in L.A. -- Bob McCracken was clar. and 
tenor man on the band, Hal Koster (one time Nichols pianist,)on piano, 
Doc Cedardo, former Chicago drummer then living in L.A. on drums, Pete 
on Trombone and myself on trumpet. (Sad to say no bass.)
The place was called the Millionaire's Club, on La Cienega, sort of an 
L.A. take on the Playboy Club without the bikinis and bathrobes.
Pete's dad was a baker, and Pete used to make the best creme eclaires in 
the world of pastries having learned from his dad. His wife Kitty and my 
mom were like sisters and his son Bob and I were buddies on the band 
brat roster with the Weems band throughout  the 30;s.
So, your bridal party contact was right on. Dad led a quartet in the 
same club in another room at the same time I was playing wiht Pete. Sort 
of  musical incest going on here, but nothing like keeping it in the 
"family."  Bueno familia -- you got a problem wit dat?<G>
Don Ingle
Steve Barbone wrote:
> 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
>
>
>
>
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