[Dixielandjazz] Can Rusher

[Stephen G Barbone]

Mopo asked about "can rushers". Ric's answer is right in the cleaned  
up sense of the word. A can rusher was the kid who go a bucket of beer  
for the folks, usually prostitutes in Morton's case.

However, there is a more sex-oriented connotation to the phrase, which  
seems to fit JRMs stature back then.

"For many women sex workers, contraception becomes a major issue. The  
early jazz pioneer, Jelly Roll Morton says that he made himself a "can  
rusher" in a New Orleans Bordello just to learn the "219 Blues" and  
other songs by Mamie Desdume. (He also claims to have invented jazz  
thus casting considerable doubt on his overall credibility). Bordello  
contraception consisted basically of douching (often with coke bottles  
and towels), flushing out the sperm as much to clean up for the next  
John as to avoid pregnancy."

"The explosion of varieties of contraceptive devices - chemicals  
(however dangerous some of them have proven to be in their long term  
disruption of hormonal physiology_ as well as the more sophisticated  
physical devices - have made the can rusher obsolete" (remainder  
snipped) . . . . .

Pages 187 and 188
"Why We Do It: Rethinking Sex and the Selfish Gene"  by Niles  
Eldridge. 2004.

There are additional back-ups of similar views of the expression "can  
rusher" to be found on the internet.

Take your choice Don.

BTW, the same question was asked on the DJML in 2002 and the answer  
given was the person who went for the beer. However, given JRM's bawdy  
nature, I vote for contraceptive assistant and/or towel boy. <grin>


Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband