[Dixielandjazz] This night's jazz evening

[John Petters]

Hi Marek,
On 16/06/2011 23:44, Marek Boym wrote:
> At our weekly jazz evening, we played a CD by Kenny Davern Big Three -
> "Playing for Kicks" (JCD 197) .  In addition to Kenny, the trio are
> Martin Litton on piano and listmate John Petters on drums.  What a
> wonderful CD!  At less than 50 minutes, it was over much too soon!
> John really is an excellent drummer, who matches the other two members
> - and with Kenny Davern on board, that's saying a lot!

You are very kind. I well remember that session. Not an easy date. We'd
been having some great gigs leading up to this one. Kenny was in a
strange mood that day. He didn't want press rolls or 'lumpy' Jelly Roll
Morton piano. Not the best way to relax two young inexperienced (as we
were in 1985) musicians.
We did 'Sometimes I'm Happy'. I laid out while Kenny and Martin swapped
4s or was it 2s. It was in the penultimate chorus and six takes went
wrong. On the seventh, it had gone beautifully. Then someone opened the
door and started to come down the stairs. The recording engineer jumped
up, tripped over his headphone lead and pulled the jack out of his
monitor amp. This led to a big burst of feedback just as the last chorus
was finishing. Kenny put the clarinet down and said,"that sure as hell
got all ******b up!.

Next day we did a concert at the Royal Festival Hall and Kenny was back
in top form digging press rolls and Morton style piano and really soaring.

"Where's goddam numbnuts with his microphones today" he asked.

Wish we'd recorded that one instead!



John Petters
www.traditional-jazz.com
Amateur Radio Station G3YPZ