[Dixielandjazz] Call Him George

[Bill Haesler]

On Monday, May 21, 2007, Audrey Van Dyke wrote:
> "Call Him George."  There is a slight discrepancy in the two editions 
> of the book that perhaps someone out there might be able to clear up.  
> The American edition of the book has "Ann Fairbairn" as the author on 
> the spine of the book, but on the copyright page, it is attributed to 
> Dorothy Tait.  The English Jazz Book Club edition has the name "Jay 
> Allison Stewart" on the cover as the author, but the copyright page 
> again has Dorothy Tait.  Anybody know anything about the author, and 
> why Ms. Tait, if that's who she was, used two different pseudonyms?

Dear Audrey,
Apologies for the delay in replying. My long-time Melbourne (Australia) 
mate from our teenage jazz days, Tony Standish and his wife, have been 
staying with us for 5 days, soaking up the Sydney jazz scene.
Jay Allison Stewart and Ann Fairbairn were both pseudonyms for Dorothy 
Tait.
Dorothy Tait was George Lewis' occasional manager for several years 
from 1954 and was, by all accounts, a real mother-hen to him.
When she met George on the band's third visit to Los Angeles she was a 
52-year old former newspaper columnist. She was a year younger than 
George at the time and a fan before she heard him play 'live' at the 
Beverly Caverns. She hunted up work for the band and eventually fell in 
love with George shortly after his wife of 20 years, Jeanette, died of 
a heart attack sometime in 1954. That band broke up in 1956, and there 
was talk of a rift fueled by George and Ms Tait attempting to take over 
the organisation of band matters. It also seems that George was 
spending quite bit of time with Ms Tait who was allegedly trying to 
isolate the band from everyone else. She was certainly unpopular with 
friends of the band at that time. She accompanied George Lewis on his 
April 1957 trip to England and later made further tours with him to 
Europe.
*The main source for the above information was Tom Bethell's fine book 
'George Lewis. A Jazzman from New Orleans'. (1977. University of 
California Press.)
There were (as you say) two editions of the book 'Call Him George' both 
originally published (as by Jay Allison Stuart) in London. It was a 
one-eyed biography, which has not weathered too well.
1961 by Peter Davies and 1963 by The Jazz Book Club (by arrangement 
with Peter Davies). I have the 1963 copy.
It was also republished by Crown in New York in 1961 [by Stuart or 
Fairburn?] and 1969 (as by Ann Fairbairn).
Dorothy Tait was an 'African-Amercan author who, as Ann Fairburn, wrote 
two novels "Five Smooth Stones" (1968) and "That Man Cartwright" (1970).
   "Five Smooth Stones: A Novel of racial conflict about a young black 
demonstrator from New Orleans who becomes a hero in the civil rights 
movement. A brilliant scholar at Harvard and Oxford, he marries a white 
girl and returns to the South to continue the struggle for equality. 
Some strong language and violence."
    "That Man Cartwright: Novel. A successful Madison Avenue advertising 
executive inherits a newspaper in California's Junipero Valley and 
becomes involved in the migrant workers' struggle. He witnesses the 
poverty and shabbiness of the workers' lives and resolves to use his 
newspaper to correct the injustices they suffer."
Very kind regards,
Bill.