[Dixielandjazz] Jazz Quotes & Al Hirt

[macjazz]

I had the nerve to call Al Hirt one night about 10:00.  I was recommended 
for the same intestinal by-pass that he had had.  It was a very unusual and 
highly experimental surgery at the time.

He not only took my call, he spent well over an hour on the phone with me 
talking about the issues and events of his surgery, then about my having 
lived in New Orleans etc. and could not have been nicer or more gracious.

I asked him once about playing and was told "Oh, they'll get along without 
me a set or two.  This is important."

I am much in his debt.

Mart

Martin D. McKay, Designated Listener.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "jazzdude39" <jazzdude39 at att.net>
To: "Martin D. McKay" <macjazz at comcast.net>
Cc: "DJML" <Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 3:36 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Jazz Quotes & Al Hirt


> John,
>
> My stint in New Orleans from 1966-67 allowed me similar experiences as you 
> state, with Al Hirt. On many occasions I enjoyed sitting in and listening 
> to Al and Pee Wee with other young musicians who dropped in to enjoy the 
> hospitality and encouragement Al presented. He said on more than one 
> occasion that he thought his playing was more technical than tasty, but 
> proved he was capable of many approaches to playing and seemed to enjoy 
> meeting the younger players and sharing idea's. Danny Barker was the first 
> to take me to Al's late retreat and often Connie Jones, George Finola, 
> Irving Fazola, Cougar Nelson and Jim Haislip and would be there along with 
> players from some of the big bands playing around town. The booze was 
> always flowing and humor abounded as Al had a great sense of humor. I 
> learned a lot from him and will never forget those great times back when. 
> I rarely heard the Al Hirt on records that I heard then.
>
> Dave Hanson
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "John McClernan" <mcclernan1 at comcast.net>
> To: "Dave Hanson" <jazzdude39 at att.net>
> Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 3:13 PM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Jazz Quotes & Al Hirt
>
>
>> Just to play devil's advocate....
>> I worked for 6 months across the street from Al Hirt's NOLA club in 
>> 1971. When we finished work, many nights we went over to his small bar 
>> on the side street (Saint Louis St.?) and sat in with Al's combo. He  was 
>> always gracious, encouraging to young players, and very musical in  his 
>> own playing. He also knew a ton of tunes. The commercial Al Hirt  (a la 
>> "Cotton Candy") was nowhere to be found in those jam sessons. I 
>> certainly enjoyed those sessions with Al much more than the ones with 
>> Pete Fountain.  (Duck! Here come the brickbats!)
>>
>> Cheers,
>> John
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On May 14, 2009, at 8:37 AM, Marek Boym wrote:
>>
>>> I can identify with that!  I tried listening to Hirt's records on
>>> Audiofidelity, and didn't like even one.
>>> Cheers
>>>
>>> On 14/05/2009, ROBERT R. CALDER <serapion at btinternet.com> wrote:
>>>> Charles Mingus was not the only musician who did not like Al Hirt's 
>>>> music.
>>>> Humphrey Lyttelton was very friendly with Buck Clayton, and  remembered 
>>>> that Buck's preferred manufacturer of trumpet  mouthpieces sent Buck 
>>>> free mouthpieces every so often. Into each of  these was cut a 
>>>> facsimile of Al Hirt's autograph.  Once Buck had  his new free 
>>>> mouthpieces he took them to be modified, which meant  simply having the 
>>>> Hirt signature gouged out.
>>>> Ouch!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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>>
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>
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