[Dixielandjazz] Charlie Ventura

[Stephen G Barbone]

> <alevy at alevy.com> answered Marek Boym's post
> 
> Thank you Marek for helping me to remember.
> As for my part, I tried to buy all of the recordings by this group.
> My special favorites were the vocal sides featuring Jackie (Kain)
> and Roy (Kral). I was luck enough to hear the Charlie Ventura
> group live, many times during their stints in Birdland from 1949
> through 1955. From what I understand Jackie and Roy are still
> recording.
> In my opinion, Ventura always had a great sound and sense of style.
> At live performances he often switched from Tenor to Baritone sax.
> I never heard him try to compete or try to play like Bird or Stitt.

Dear Marek:

I second Al's thank you. I also say Ventura both at Birdland and at the Band Box which for a short time was next door. I especially remember the Band Box gigs as his quartet included Krupa, Chubby Jackson on bass and Teddy Napoleon on piano. I also remember Ventura wheeling his Bass sax out on the stand and playing some thrilling chorus's on it. To hear how that monster sounded go to:
(The intro is on tenor, then he switches)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_Kzz8dj3co

The bass player in Barbone Street, Ace Tesone was with Ventura on and off from about 1949 to about 1955. He recorded with him circa 1951 with Jimmy Wisner on piano and Chuck Keeny on drums. Wisner had a local Philadelphia trio and Ventura, also a Philadelphia musician, took some road trips with them, recording with them as sidemen and playing with them a a local club he owned

Ace, now 82, tells wonderful stories about his time with Ventura.Like when they were booked in Chicago at the Blackhawk. Wisner, Keeny and Ace arrived together at the club after leaving their hotel. There was a line of fans outside waiting to get in. "Damn" said Wisner to Ventura inside the packed club,  "I wonder whose here that drew this crowd" thinking that there must be a headliner at the club. Ventura laughed and said, "Hey kid, we're the attraction, there is no other band."

Ace also did the driving on those road trips and after the Chicago gig, they had to drive a long way to make a Canadian gig in Toronto the following night, in those days a 575 mile trip of about 10 hours. They left at 4 AM and Ace told Ventura he was tired and would Ventura stay awake to talk to him. Ventura reached into his pocket and gave Ace  a couple of pills telling him that they would keep him awake. Needless to say, they were uppers, probably a bennies, and Ace stayed wide awake for the drive. In fact he still couldn't sleep for the next 24 hours. 

Ah the magic of touring.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband