[Dixielandjazz] More on festival distractions--Bobby Van Deusen

[Norman Vickers]

To:  DJML and Musicians& Jazzfans lists

From:  Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

 

Bobby Van Deusen is a talented pianist now living in Pensacola. I tell
people that Bobby's Senior Recital  at Ohio State was substitute pianist
Sammy Davis, Jr.  Davis was performing in Columbus, OH when regular pianist
became ill.  Bobby filled in  that evening and then Davis persuaded Bobby to
complete the tour with them.  Bobby has worked in Nashville, on the
Mississippi River steamboats and  as a guest-artist  performing Rhapsody in
Blue for various symphonies. He is a "first-call" jazz pianist in the
Central Gulf Coast area.

 

Van Deusen refers to his work with Joe Occhipinti, local saxophonist and
big-band leader who also works as a musical booking agent.  In some
instances, as most musicians know, there can be an ambivalent relationship
with one's booking agent.

 

Bobby relates his own "gig from Hell!" story!

 

From: Robert van Deusen [mailto:mrpiano at cox.net] 

Subject: Re: More on festival distractions--

 

Many years ago i was working a "Joe-job" at the airport.  (I can hear the
local musicians' eyeballs rolling already)  An airline

 

had inaugurated new service in and out of the area and wanted to show off
their latest and greatest aircraft (it was called a 

 

Dash-88, I have no idea why I remember that).  So we're set up in a corner
of a hanger on the flight line at PNS on a cold and

 

rainy evening, playing tunes.  What nobody told us was that ocasionally the
door would be closed on the aircraft and the #1 engine

 

would be fired up to allow guests to oooh and aaah over the pretty screens
on the flight deck.  The #1 engine was also conveniently

 

located about 30 feet from where we were set up.  So I can now say from
personal experience that it's impossible to play

 

'out of nowhere' with a turboprop  running nearby.

 

 
--end--