[Dixielandjazz] The Many Lives Of Jo Stafford - Plus some free associations

[AL LEVY]

Seems like De Ja Vue all over again.
I remember writing this perhaps a year ago.
RE: Jo Stafford and her alter egos: (Careers)
Pied Pipers, Cinderella G. Stump, Darlene Edwards + 
her Be Bop handle "Jolly Jo".
She recorded a few sides with Bass Player / singer
Dave Lambert and his "choir". These were on 78 rpm
well before Dave formed the Lambert, Hendricks and
Ross group.
I fell in love with "Hawaian Love Chant" in the Lambert
style. Much like Woody Herman's "Be Bop Spoken Here".
==============
Jazz note:
I was working on West 3rd Street and 8th Ave at a club
called Mona's. Six nights a week for about three years.
I often subbed across the street at Tony Pastors.
Drummer across the street was Andy Napoleon,
one of the brothers. You remember Marty? (piano)
Phil (sax) and there were two more + an uncle who
repaired woodwinds. The entire family had a conference
call (phone) every Saturday night.

Meanwhile, a block away from where I was working was
a club called the Famous Door. (NYC) not New Orleans.
Sunday nights anyone could fall in for a small fee, and
sit in. Dave Lambert ran the sessions.

During the years I worked in the village I got to hear
many players at these sessions. Bechet to Coltrane,
Ray Brown to Charles Mingus and on like that till the
wee hours of the morning every Sunday.
I even had the guts to sit in now and again.

Now going back to a previous thread: If any of the players had
to be paid, it never would have happened.

Cheers,
Al
Pianist, Composer, Arranger, Conductor, Teacher and Music Prep.
Please visit me at
http://alevy.com