[Dixielandjazz] Fights At performances

[AL LEVY]

My first gig with Carmine Marino was in downtown Brooklyn.
We played at a joint called, believe it or not, "Joe's Place".
At about 9:00pm, five men came into the club. They walked
over to a girl sitting at the bar, grabbed her and shoved her
into a waiting car.
Nobody said a word!
A while later they returned and threw her back into the bar.
That was that.
==============
We played that place every weekend. More often than not
fights would break out, like the movies only real.
We, the trio, just kept playing. We never got in trouble.
I'm guessing but I think the year was 1951 or so.
================
A few years later I was playing with a quartet at the
Flatbush Terrace in Brooklyn. They served American
as well as Chinese food and of course the bar was
always open.
Two men came in with "beautiful dolls" hugging their
arms. The two couples ordered some chinese food.
Food was served and one man's head fell down, right
into a plate of chow mein.
A few minutes later the other guy came to the bandstand
with his "doll" and requested "Around The World".
The song had just come out and I really didn't know it.
As politely as I could, I said "Let us finish this set, we
only have one song to go and I'll play it first thing, next
set.
He said "Play Around The World!"
I repeated my offer.
He said "Play Around The World!"
I repeated my offer.
He pulled out a pistol, aimed it at my head and said
"Play Around The World!"

Dah Dum, Da Dum I've searched for you.

I never learned a song that quickly, not before, not since.
My tenor player (Joe Severoli) was laughing out of control.
The customer laid a one hundred dollar bill on the piano.
We played that request EVERY SET and each time he
placed another hundred dollars on the piano.
=================================
Later that night, after the two couples left, the boss asked
me if I knew who he was. I said "no".
Turns out he was just released from jail that day.
He had been serving time for murder.
Cheers,
Al
Pianist, Composer, Arranger, Conductor, Teacher and Music Prep.
Please visit me at
http://alevy.com