[Dixielandjazz] Philadelphia Orchestra Brass Quintet Swings

[Stephen G Barbone]

This information is from an email by Tubist and list mate John  
McClearnan who sent it to the local musicians in Philadelphia. Thanks  
John.

Some of the brass guys on the DJML, especially tubists, may be  
interested in checking out the below website. It features a brass  
quintet CD made by members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, circa 1960.  
They had their own swinging group (well before the Canadian Brass).  
However, conductor Eugene Ormandy went ballistic when he heard about  
it and forbade them from selling their CD as well as playing that  
"awful jazz". He actually had Columbia pull the CD from distribution.  
So the music was not available until now and is a bargain at $5.97.  
The tubist/leader  is the legendary Abe "Torchy" Torchinsky, Principal  
tuba with the Philadelphia from 1949 to 1972. A short clip is also on  
the below website.

http://www.tubagear.com/torchyinfo.html

Our former trombonist, the late Glenn Dodson joined the Philadelphia  
Orchestra after the Quintet CD was made, but Ormandy was still  
conducting and Glenn would tell us many stories about how the  
dictatorial Ormandy prohibited Philadelphia Orchestra members from  
ever performing and/or recording jazz.

When Barbone Street played a Jazz Vesper service at the Old Pine  
Street Church in  Philadelphia, circa 2004, Glenn pointed out  
Ormandy's grave there in the old graveyard. We stood there and said  
graveside, "How could you not let this man play jazz when you were  
conducting the Philadelphia?" Right after that there was a peal of  
thunder and a heck of a storm broke out. . . Spooky.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband