[Dixielandjazz] A Death in the Family. Tony Pappas. Gil Roberts & the New Orleans Jazz Doctors

[Stan McDonald]

Tony Pappas, cornetist, passed away on February 13, in his home town of Springfield MA. His obituary is at  www.nefcc.net,  Tony and I were co-leaders of a group we formed at UMass. Amherst, in 1954, the New Orleans Jazz Doctors, featuring Gil Roberts on banjo. Among our superb players over the years were trombonists, John Phillips, Cliff Carr, Gil Poyton, Stan Vincent; pianists Robin Verider, Paul Waldron; drummers Harry Gittes, Jimmy Parker (later with pianist Toshiko and Charlie Ventura). Dick Hurlburt, clarinet, filled in for me during my stint with the 25th Infantry Division Band, 1958-60. We played the New England college fraternity circuit and traveled as far as Renssalear Poly Tech and Penn. State., We were active as such until about 1964, when Tony quit playing, but Gil continued to make guest appearances with and recorded with the New Black Eagle Jazz band during my tenure with them from 1971-1981, after which I formed the Blue Horizon Jazz Band: www.,bluehorizonjazzband.com. 

Gil last played with us on June 6, 1987 (wth Walter Miller on trumpet, who died in 2004) at my 30th UMass reunion -- on my son's 20th birthday. Andy was very fond of Gil, who died at age 106 in 2002. Andy loved Walter and Tony dearly also. They never failed to send him birthday and Christmas cards. Tony and I stayed in close touch until about a year ago, but the cards kept coming. God rest your soul, Tony! I first got the news of his passing from his goddaughter, Christina, cc'd above.  We told Andy only yesterday on a visit with him at his group home. With tears in his eyes, he asked, "Is he going to the right place?" We assured him that he is -- with Louis and Sidney, and all the greats. RIP.

I go into this history partly in response to recent questions raised in the DJML by Richard Flecknel as  prompted by Dave Radlauer's excellent Jazz Rhythm site in which he recently featured yours truly:
www.jazzhotbigstep.com. Much more information about 50 years of my musical history, Gil Roberts, et al, is there, both in musical selections and the complete biographical article about me by the late George Borgman as written for the Mississippi Rag, Feb. 2003. As for Richard's question, "Funny Fumble" (singular) was written by Harry Dial, and I believe was recorded by his "Bluesicians" in the 20's or 30's. Tony Pringle introduced it to the New Black Eagles and we recorded it in 1978 on an LP, "Classic Jazz' by Philips. 

To come full circle, I have news from an old fan, Jim Irvin (in New Orleans) that he has an 8mm film of the Jazz Doctors taken at Dartmouth College in the 50's that he is threatening to put on Youtube. Regrettably there is no sound. I do have some old tapes but they were of too poor quality for Dave Radlauer to put on Jazz Rhythm.