[Dixielandjazz] More on Adele Girard

[Don Ingle]

Stan Brager wrote:
> When I delved into jazz history as a young man, one of the groups which I
> encountered was that of Joe Marsala and his Hickory House band with Adele
> Girard on harp. It was quite an interesting band playing very good jazz and
> the harp added a unique sound to the mix. Joe and Adele were married. Later,
> in 1992, Arbors issued a recording featuring the Bobby Gordon Quartet with
> Adele Girard Marsala. Floyd Levin's liner notes declared "when I heard these
> ethereal sounds, I thought I had died and gone to heaven." This afternoon, I
> played this recording and searched the internet for information about Adele
> Girard Marsala and found her story which had also been published in the
> Mississippi Rag.
>
>  
>
> You can find it here:
>
>  
>
> http://tinyurl.com/mg6g3n
>
>  
>
> Stan
>
> Stan Brager 
>
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>   
Bobby Gordon was menoted by Joe Masrsala and you can hear a bit of Joe's 
influence in Bobby's playing today.
I was fortunate to have worked a season in Aspen with Joe and Adele in a 
strange combination of Joe, Adele on harp, a bass player, and myself on 
valve trombone. In spite of what seems an ungainly mix, it was one of 
the more pleasant jobs I ever had. We would play some decent jazz 
standards, augmented at times with sit ins by pianists or a drummer; but 
even without the augmentation it swung along very pleasingly.
Then we would lay out and Adele would solo on a French vocal on some 
Debussey, Ravel, or other "art song" gem, accompaning herself of  harp. 
Those were what I'd call "magic moments." Had more fun that a fellow 
ought to have - good jazz and fine music pro arte'.

Last saw them in Chicago,where they'd returned, in the 60's when I was 
in the Jazz Ltd.House band. Joe passed later but Adele continued to 
play, and the Bobby Gordon connection was another example of just how 
much talent was in this lovely lady. She was a beautiful player and a 
beautiful lady in every sense.
Don Ingle