[Dixielandjazz] [Tradjazz] THE gig

[geohunt1 at aol.com]

Hi Steve:

Sounds like fun.  Did the proprietors of that "speakeasy" make any money that night?  Did they pay the musicians?

If the answers are, "yes", "yes", the old guys should be hiring Drew Nugent every night to front their bands.


George

PS What do I MapQuest?  336 Adams Street in Bethlehem, PA?









-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen G Barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: DJML <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>; tradjazz at list.okom.com
Sent: Fri, Dec 4, 2009 1:54 pm
Subject: [Tradjazz] THE gig


Thursday Night, Dec 3 Bethlehem PA: : Damn, where is this place?  I'm  
n nearly deserted Adams street among some warehouses. Address is 336  
nd I'm in the 300 block but can't see anything except a metal door, a  
ew steps below sidewalk level that says in old faded paint, "The  
ookstore", no windows in sight, and no address visible.
So I call my fearless leader, Drew Nugent (25 years old) who answers  
Hi Steve." I ask "where the hell is this bar?", adding that I'm on  
dams street in the correct block. He says, "what do you see?" I  
nswer a Bookstore and some old warehouses. He says "that's it." The  
ight dawns. He had said earlier that it was an old converted  
peakeasy . . .Duh.
I enter and can barely see. The dimly lit vestibule is small with  
ables full of books and a sign saying "Any book $5." "Go through the  
urtain and sit anywhere", says the young lady at the door. So I pass  
hrough as if into another world.
It is very dark, primarily candles and oil lamps. A bar on one side of  
he low ceilinged room with tables and chairs scattered around. Books  
n every table and on the wall shelves. My eyes adjust to a joint  
lmost full of YOUNG PEOPLE, who turn and stare at this old man as he  
eaves his way through the tables to the bandstand. Background music  
ia CDs is Bix, Nichols, Memphis Five, MacKenzie and other early  
ands. WHAT?
Drew comes in a minute later and we set up to play. Piano/Clarinet  
uo, and primarily the Fats Waller Book with some Clarence Williams  
hrown in. Just before we start, Mike Kuehn walks in. He is the new  
young) president of the Pennsylvania Jazz Society and a fine banjo  
layer. He agrees to join us as a sit in on banjo. Then a drummer we  
now walks in and sits in on suitcase with a pair of brushes.
Meanwhile the place is now filled with YOUNG people, many of them  
emales and I'm an old flirt. Maybe I died and went to heaven and  
hese are my 72 virgins reward for being a jazz musician?  <grin>
We did a 4 hour gig, ending at 1 AM, of 20s & 30s jazz with this  
uartet and had a blast. The audience had a blast and I don't believe  
here was anyone there last night over 25. Mostly kids from Moravian  
ollege nearby. It was as close to the experiences we old jazzers had  
ith jazz, girls and club dates in the 1950s, as we will ever get. I  
idn't get home till 3:20 AM. Just like the old days.
Drew sang Waller. I did my flirt stuff singing "I Want A Little Girl"  
nd "I Can't Get Started" to some girls who jumped up to gyrate in  
ront of me in a very limited space. When you've spent 3/4 of a  
entury on earth, a jazz gig does not get any better than this.
"Will you guys be here tomorrow night?" the dancers ask. Drew say he  
ill, but that I will not because I have another gig. They are  
isappointed which is a huge ego boost for me, and I quickly add; But  
ome see us on Sunday at the Hotel Bethlehem, Drew and I plus 3 more  
ill be there from 5 to 9 PM playing Christmas Jazz and 20s music..  
We'll be there" they said. "You make an old man very happy" I  
eplied. "Yes" shouts one of them, pumping her fist high in the air.  
I need a cigarette" I laugh. "Me too" she replies." Oh how I'd love  
o be 25 again.
No young audience? Sure there is, All around us in joints like this  
ith $8 bottled beer. Most of us old folks just don't know where to  
ook and/or how to interact when we are among them. One way to get  
here? Find a young band leader and play the old pro jazz man role in  
is/her band. You'll be amazed at what transpires.
Cheers,
teve Barbone
ww.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband



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