[Dixielandjazz] Terminal Performances

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

As I understand the narrative, the poor man drank water not unlikely to have been polluted with cholera.... 
As I understand the symphony, it's not far off being a suicide note. 
Musicians should be discouraged from attempts to emulate this. 
Indeed even Leroy Carr's SIX COLD FEET IN THE GROUND is not to be emulated, at a session during which according to one story he fell out with his pugnacious guitarist Scrapper Blackwell, and thus performing solo and being well recorded delivered the most interesting piano playing on any of his discs. 
Almost certainly Carr was already not long for this world by that time, his death a few days later being a result of drinking not least the sort of Prohibition period non-water Wild Bill Davison once reminisced about on camera. 
"Christ! Why am I still alive?"  Bill bellowed within earshot of his eightieth birthday. 

--- On Sun, 20/9/09, dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com <dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com> wrote:
From: "Dave Stoddard" <dhs2 at peoplepc.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>

Dear Listers:
On October 28, 1893 Peter Tchaikovsky conducted the premiere of his Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique."  He died nine days later, ostensibly of cholera, although other causes were also suggested.  The Pathetique was one of Tchaikovsky's masterworks, not a bad way to go out.
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