[Dixielandjazz] Stan Rubin and The Tigertown Five

[Stephen G Barbone]

>
> From: "M J (Mike) Logsdon" <mjl at ix.netcom.com> asked
>
> This band appears on Ernie Kovacs' NBC evening show of July 30, 1956  
> (viewable via the recently released INCREDIBLE DVD set,http://tinyurl.com/64dougy) 
> .  They play Saints.  Not on Youtube yet, or I'd provide link.   
> Here's Stan's link:  http://www.stanrubin.com.  Any thoughts about  
> his dixie playing in the mid- to late-50s?

Dear Mike:

The Dixieland Band was VERY popular around the NYC/Philly area while  
Stan was at Princeton. Ed Polcer, another Princetonian was also in  
that band and played MANY gigs with them. Then they went on to bigger  
and better things. A Gig at Jimmy Ryan's, a gig in Bermuda, a gigging  
tour of Europe and some sponsorship by legendary party giver Elsa  
Maxwell. But the gig that made all of us jealous was when they played  
at the wedding of Prince Ranier and Grace Kelly in Monaco.

Seems he had previously met and danced with Grace Kelly at a party in  
NYC.  A few months later just before her wedding, Rubin wrote and  
asked if she would like his band there. She said YES adding that both  
she and the Prince were fans of his.

Solid band, Good contacts and Stan was a superb front man. As you  
know, he then went on to big band swing.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband