[Dixielandjazz] Fights at nperformances & heavy tippers

[Steve Barbone]

> "AL LEVY" <jazz_man at ix.netcom.com> wrote a hilarious post about some gigs in
> NYC in the 1950s.

Enjoyed it Al. Folks who never worked at these joints in NYC
(Brooklyn/Queens/Bronx) etc might have a hard time believing it but you and
I were there.

The Melody Lounge, Joe's Place, The Kit Kat, (where I learned to walk the
bar) and a bunch of other joints were frequented by low level hoods. They
loved the music and like you say were BIG TIME TIPPERS. It certainly was
exciting back then and as long as you kept playing, you were pretty safe.
They kind of protected you. Our protector at the Melody was a guy known only
as "Danny from Chicago". In 1960, he was going to book us in Chicago at a
joint his "pals" owned there, but he got busted by the Cops before it
happened. And remember the bouncers that these joints employed? Mostly ex
heavyweight boxers or wrestlers.

Those $100 dollar tips were no joke, especially when we were working for
union scale. $16 to $26. Probably funded by the rake off the hoods made from
the Waterfront and/or the Airports which were easy pickings for them. You
could always spot the wise guys by their swagger, their girlfriends and the
expensive clothing they wore.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone