[Dixielandjazz] Small World

[Stephen G Barbone]

Dear Norm:

Yesterday I got a call from a 77 year old lady in California. She is  
trying to track down Charlie Parker's son Baird and got my contact  
information from an old post on the DJML about how I reconnected with   
Baird in Lansdale PA during a Barbone Street Concert.

We started chatting and it turns out she was a "homeless Jewish  
girl" (her words, not mine) from Brooklyn when Charlie and Chan took  
her in at their Greenwich Village pad. She remained friends with Chan  
for the next 50 years and still has about 100 letters from her.  Then  
we started talking about the jazz scene in NYC during the 1950s and  
she described her friendships with Al Cohn, Zoot Syms, Gerry Mulligan,  
Stan Getz and a host of other modern jazz musicians.

Turns out she had been engaged to Al Cohn when she met Bob Brookmeyer.  
Bob was enthralled with her and Al was a bit unsure about getting  
married. So they talked about it and Al broke off the engagement and  
Bob started dating her. Turns out she became Bob Brookmeyers 2nd wife  
and still goes by the name of Joyana Brookmeyer, though they were  
divorced years ago. Her birth name was Norma Becker. Fascinating lady  
and we talked for an hour and a half reliving our youths.

Funniest remembrance was when I mentioned a loft party that I attended  
where Zoot Sims played for almost 24 hours before all the other guys  
either fell asleep or left. She said OMG, I was there too. No doubt we  
met then, but neither of us has much recollection other then Zoot  
pleading for the last remaining pianist not to leave.

Anyway, if you or anyone knows where Baird Parker is these days,  
please let me know. Joyana would like to contact him and tell him some  
things that he probably does not know about his dad. All positive  
stuff which may help Baird resolve some of the problems he has had in  
past, if not still..

While many people only know of the musical, or drug habit side of  
Bird, he was also a loving father who just could not get straight.  
Those who saw that side of him know what I mean.

Again, please let me know if anyone has contact information for Baird.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband