[Dixielandjazz] Jonathan Russell

[Steve Barbone]

Got this from Jonathan's mom after writing her to tell her that they were
playing Jonathan's CD, (which I sent to the Eilat jazz station) in Israel
and that there was some interest at the jazz festivals there.

She wrote back about Jonathan's experiences in Florida last week, with Dick
Hyman and Swend Asmussen. All thanks to Bud Leeds.

No way could I paraphrase Jonathan and Mom's excitement, so I quote it
below. Isn't it wonderful when good things happen to good people? Dick Hyman
and Svend Asmussen jammin with Jonathan? It just doesn't get any better than
that.

Jonathan will be in Sacramento soon. DON'T MISS HIM.

Note to Bud Leeds. Thank you Bud. What better way to perpetuate the music
then by helping the young. You are wonderful.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone 


Steve-

Thanks- that's very cool- although I'm still not sure I want to go to
Israel...

So here is this week's BIG story. J played in Fl last weekend- too long a
story to get into many details, but the person who set up the gig  (Bud
Leeds)lives near (and is friends with) Dick Hyman. I guess Dick had heard
about J from a couple of people, but he was interested enough to have Bud
set up a meeting. What an incredible man. He'd just had his 80th birthday
party. Anyway, we walked in and he immediately asked J to take out his
violin- they got through one song, and he said to Jonathan- "I think you
should meet my friend Svend".

Steve, my mouth dropped open- and I said Svend Asmussen? (google him, if you
don't know about him-the last of the Grappelli /Venuti of violinists, and at
91, still amazing). [STEVE'S NOTE, HE PLAYED WITH WALLER, JOSEPHINE BAKER
AND OSCAR PETERSON, ET AL] Well, an hour and a half later, we were in
Svend's living room. Any jazz violinist would have been drooling to be
there. he and his wife (a younger American)were lovely, and he is so
incredibly humble. So, he played a couple of tunes with Jonathan (in which
Jonathan played one of Svend's leads which he'd figured out), and Bud asked
Svend if he'd play a tune with Jonathan that night.

Svend at first said he was too tired, and that he hadn't practiced in months
(he actually still performs quite a bit), but in the end agreed to play,
since they were coming to the concert to see Jonathan anyway. The concert
was a big affair- a sold out  fund raiser for the Venice symphony orchestra
(Fl, not Italy)and Jonathan was  the featured guest artist with Bud's band.
Well, you can imagine the audience reaction when Jonathan and Svend played
Indiana together-1000 people roaring on their feet. Steve, it was
incredible. We will be getting a copy of the video eventually. I'm going to
forward you a photo in the next email.

Oh- and he had a great time jamming with Dick, too.