[Dixielandjazz] Zeke Zarchy

[Robert Ringwald]

As many of you know, Zeke Zarchy played in my Great pacific Jazz Band While I lived in Los Angeles.  

When I first moved to Tinsel Town, Pete Daily invited me to a twice weekly noon-time jam session that took place on Stage B at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank.  There I met most of the guys who I eventually invited to join my newly formed GPJB.  Zeke was one of them.  

Also in the band was the great trombonist Bob Havens, Ozzie Nelson's brother Don, Ray Templin on drums, Jim Turner (recently from the Jim Cullum band) piano and me on banjo, yes, banjo...  

Through the 16 years (1979-1995 that the band was in existence, Zeke and I developed a close, long-lasting friendship.  Zeke had almost total recall of every band and location that he ever worked and he worked with some of the greats.  

He was a fascinating guy to talk to.  I remember one night after a rehearsal, he kept us enthralled with stories about playing lead trumpet in the Glen Miller Army Air Force Band during WWII.  Zeke was the first musician that Glen asked for when he went into the service and formed the band.  

You can see the recording that we did at:

www.ringwald.com/recordings.php
   
I just came across a video of Zeke that I had not watched for a while.  I thought that some of you might enjoy watching it.  Unfortunately, it is heavily edited, obviously for time.  I'll bet, knowing Zeke, there were several more hours available.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQKbffBqJv8&feature=email 


--Bob Ringwald
www.ringwald.com
Fulton Street Jazz Band
530/ 642-9551 Office
916/ 806-9551 Cell
Amateur (Ham) Radio K6YBV

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