[Dixielandjazz] Johnny Guarnieri

[Robert Ringwald]

Johnny was a phenomenal player and a great guy.  

If you want to hear something listen to him playing the Maple Leaf Rag and the Tiger Rag in 5/4 time.  

Another gimmick he used to use was to ask the audience for a ballad to play.  Someone would request one and he would begin to play.  If the audience didn't notice right off the bat that he was playing only with his left hand, he'd reach up with his right hand and adjust his glasses, or do something so that people would notice.  

The first time I saw him do this was sometime in the 70s.  I hired him to be our featured guest star at the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society's monthly Jazz Sunday concert.  

By the time he finished the song, half the audience was standing up, watching him play remarkably with only his left hand.  Unless you were a musician and listening very close, you'd never know that he was playing with only one hand.  

--Bob Ringwald
www.ringwald.com
Fulton Street Jazz Band
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