[Dixielandjazz] YBJB, Lu and Turk

[EDWIN COLTRIN]

I guess I am one of the few persons who followed the band fom Redwood Canyon Road to the Dawn Club, through the war, the re-opening of The Dawn Club and the move to Sally Rands place in El Cerrito Ca, called Hambone Kellys, alive.
   
  Phil Elwood and myself, although unknown to each other convinced the lady at Big Bear In , Canyon Road tht we would behave and NOT  drink, sit deep in a corner and catch YBJB, 
   
  When the band moved to SF and opened at the Dawn Club, I had no problem entering and sometimes not dronking. Stood in front of the band at Wally's side and became acquainted with all the members. Somewhere in Dotties' photo collection there is a picture of the back of my head, with Wally playing piano.
   
  Lu was a little hard to talk to, Harry Mordacai (sp) was almost impossible, Turk was no problem, Bob Helm, used to refer to me as Brother Red Eye, Dick Lammi, who was Rosacrucian, easy to talk. Bill Dart  was easy, Bob Scobey was easy o talk with .As was Wally. 
   
  Sunday morning, Ted Lenz, a DJ from KYA, did a remote from the Dawn Club, "Titled Jive at 1105" the frequency of KYA. The bar served a drink called a Ted Lenz Special, which I belive was a pink Gin Fizz. Although I was only 17, I had no trouble being served.  Ah those were the days. 
   
  After the war at Hambones I used to stay after the nights playing and engage in conversation and listen to comments , Augie Girreto was always there, Mom and Pop Scobey who sold and collected tickets were gone early, Barbara Scobey after Alexander was born didn't showup too much, Bill and Edith Dart had me up their place for dinner several times, I took  a futile period of time for Piano lessons from Wally, football practice and piano lessons did not mix so Wally and I parted  Brother Red Eye  and his wife had  me for dinner, Lizzie Miles cooked a mess of Red Beans and Rice which she fed a couple of poor white boys on an afternoon in Oakland.
   
  Those days are imbeded in my memory, after the band broke up I followed the Scobey band from Lafayette to Victor and Roxies in Oakland and first heard George Probert. Jack Buck played Trombone, valve, at that time.
   
  Leaving the Bay area and moving up the mountain , only 40 miles from Reno, diminished my association with the band members.. Came off the mountain a couple of times and visited Earthquake Mcgoons. But it was a long drive and I hadd too much to do up on the mountain.
   
  Thjis may sound like a long personal dissertation of my relationship with the YBJB, but in the pre-war years I spent every Sat night in SF at the Dawn Club and after the war, Friday  and Saturday night in San Francisco, the same at Hambone Kellys including a midweek night,(Tues or Thurs), in the back room , where Wally played.
   
   
  Slainte
   
  Ye Olde Mouldy Fygge
   
  Ed Coltrin
   
  Ah those