[Dixielandjazz] Bob Romans' account of meeting Louis and playing Satchmo's horn

Sat Nov 22 06:38:46 PST 2014

To:  Musicians and Jazzfans list; DJML

From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

Bob Romans our trumpeter and listmate of Lodi, CA relates his story about meeting Armstrong and playing Satchmo’s horn.  Remarkably similar to other anecdotes we hear and read—Armstrong’s universal graciousness.

Thanks, Bob.  Ricky Riccardi, Armstrong biographer and researcher at Armstrong house is on our list.  Your story will likely be added to the numerous examples of Armstrong’s good will to all comers.  

I have previously mentioned the friendship of Floyd and Lucille Levin to Louis and Lucille Armstrong.  Floyd was instrumental in sponsoring a concert in LA in celebration of Louis’ 70th birthday.  In acknowledgement, Louis sent Floyd a mouthpiece wrapped in notebook paper.  Written in pencil by Louis was “ I would have written sooner but I’ve been as busy as a one-armed paperhanger with crabs!”  This was donated by Floyd to the Jazz Museum at the Old Mint in New Orleans.  Presumably that  exhibit survived Hurricane Katrina.

Floyd used the proceeds from that concert,  supplemented by a $10,000 dollar donation by Bing Crosby, to finance the Louis Armstrong statue, sculpted in Mexico.  This was presented to the city of New Orleans on July1, 1976 and now stands in Armstrong Park in NO.

From: Bob Romans [mailto:cellblk7 at comcast.net] 
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2014 10:25 PM
To: 'Norman Vickers'
Subject: RE: Ringwald meets Armstrong x2

Hi Norm…I was teaching band in Boulder, Colorado in 1964 and I met a man who had a collection agency and didn't have very many friends in town. He was about 60 years old, short, fat, and rather obnoxious. His name was Dick Good…we both owned VW's that we had imported from Germany and weren't available here…that's how we became acquainted.

We were having coffee one morning and he asked me what I did for a living. I said I taught band…then he asked me what instrument I played and when I said trumpet, he told me that he had played drums with Armstrong in Chicago in the 1920's on the radio every day. WOW! I thought!

Then he said the next time Louis came to Denver he would introduce me to him. Several months later Louis and his all-stars came to the Denver Civic auditorium and we went an hour early to hear him and meet him. We went backstage, and there was Trummy, Peanuts, Sid Catlet, and others waiting around to go on stage. They all recognized my friend and told us he was in the next room. There he was sitting in an over-stuffed chair next to a table with his trumpet case opened on top of it. He jumped up when he saw Dick(called him "Fats"), hugged him and old times were discussed for a moment or two. Dick told Louis I was a friend, Bob, and that I played the trumpet. Louis so graciously shook my hand gently, had a very genuine and warm smile, handed me his trumpet and said…his words!  "Here Bob, play my trumpet so someday you can say you played Satchmo's horn"…VERY humbly I played a C major scale, wiped off the mouthpiece, and put it back in its case. He autographed a picture and gave it to me. I DIDN'T REALIZE AT THAT TIME THE HOLY GROUND I WAS WALKING ON! I knew who he was, and new he was very famous, but the older I got, the more I realized he was THE man! 

One month ago my wife and I were at his museum in Queens, and I saw that trumpet…they told me the year his trumpets were played…

B. Romans

From: Norman Vickers [mailto:NVickers1 at cox.net] 
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2014 5:29 PM
To: DJML
Subject: Ringwald meets Armstrong x2

To:  Musicians and Jazzfans;  DJML

From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

This note from Bob Ringwald, bandleader,pianist/famous father and gentle moderator of DJML is a result of some posts about Louis Armstrong and the Jack Bradley exhibit at Armstrong House/Museum in Queens, NY.

I have permission from Bob to post.  Too good not to share.  There’s another to follow about trumpeter Zeke Zarchy meeting Gen. Eisenhower toward the end of the European phase of WWII.

\

Thanks, Bob.

From: Robert Ringwald [mailto:rsr at ringwald.com] 
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2014 1:44 PM
To: Norman Vickers
Subject: Re: Ringwald meets Armstrong x2

First time I met Louis, it was a concert in Sacramento around 1958 ‘59. PR didn’t get out and there was only about 30 to 50 people in a room that seated 2,000. Instead of sitting in chairs, we stood at the foot of the stage looking up at Louis. He put on a show as if there were 2,000 people there. 

Trummy, Peanuts, Billie Kyle, Thelma, Danny and a bass player who I think was sort of just a pic up guy. 

During the intermission, we all hung out with the musicians back stage. 

The bass player was sitting at the piano plinking on it and Billie Kyle told him to knock it off that it wasn’t professional to do that. 

I’ve always wondered who that bass player was. 

But what a show Louis put on. 

Years later I talked to Peanuts about that show. He remembered it and felt like I did – He respected Louis for working so hard for so few people. 

I know as a musician, sometimes with a small crowd, you can tend to let up. I always remember that concert and never let myself slack off when there is only a few people there. 

In 1968, a friend promoted a Monterey Dixieland festival. It was supposed to be like the famous Monterey Jazz Festival. 

Unfortunately there was not a very big crowd and the weather was awful. Rainy and cold. 

I played on the same show as Louis. 

As I remember, he didn’t play much tpt, just sang and sat down during the solos. 

I was back stage when we heard a trumpet warming up downstairs. A guy said, “Do you know who that is?” “Its Satchmo.” It was Louis’ stage manager. 

My friend and I went over to the spiral stairs to go down and just at that moment, Louis was coming up. 

At the top he stopped and we shook hands with him and talked with him for a few minutes. He was the nicest guy. 

Neither time did I ever think about getting my picture taken with him. 

On my Louis Armstrong album with the Great pacific Jazz Band, see:

www.ringwald.com/recordings.php

on the back cover of the LP and inside the booklet of the CD is a picture of my trumpet player Zeke Zarchy with Louis. 

It was back stage at some TV show. Zeke who told me he never ever asked to get a picture with a famous person had one shot left on his camera. He handed it to someone and asked if he would take a picture of he and Louis. 

About that time, another trumpet player said, “Let’s get the whole trumpet section in the picture.”

Zeke was furious. 

When we recorded the album, Jim Turner and I took the picture and took it to a lab and had all the other guys cut out. 

We used the pic of just Louis and Zeke on the album. 

We took the pic over to Zeke and gave it to him. 

Later he called me and was so happy. He said, “I’m sitting here looking at the picture of me and Louis – The picture that I should have had all these years.”

Zeke, of course, after the 30s when he worked with Bob Crosby, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, etc, was the lead trumpet player in the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band during WW II. 

Then after the war, came to LA at Frank Sinatra's insistence and became a studio musician, playing all the radio and TV shows and the recording sessions for thousands of records. 

Zeke passed away at 93. 

I called him on his 90th birthday as I had moved back to the Sacramento area and disbanded the Great Pacific JB. 

I asked Zeke, “How does it feel to be 90?” He said, “I don’t believe it.”

He told Roy Brewer that of all the experiences he had playing music, playing with the GPJB was the most fun. 

He also told us many stories about his career including meeting General Eisenhower during the war. I can relate that story to you if you want to hear it. 

-Bob

From: Norman Vickers <mailto:NVickers1 at cox.net>  

Sent: Friday, November 21, 2014 4:44 AM

To: 'Robert Ringwald' <mailto:rsr at ringwald.com>  

Subject: Ringwald meets Armstrong x2

>> I met Louis twice and never thought about getting an autograph or picture with him. 

-Bob

Norman Vickers responded 

Right—We miss some wonderful opportunities as were concerned with the immediate rather than posterity.

Right—I was in college in Dallas without a car but friends, knowing my interest in music, invite me with them. I heard him 2x then. We were standing so close that he was well seen.  Wife was stranding by.  He had his box of handkerchiefs laid out flat so he could take a fresh one to wipe perspiration from his face.  But, because of configuration of room, couldn’t see the side-men.

This story about Armstrong has a recurrent theme.  I’ve been to all but 2 of the annual Satchmo Summerfests in New Orleans, beginning in 2001, his actual centennial year.  There have been repeated examples about how down-to-earth Armstrong was with everyone.  Couple of years ago an older British man told about the time Armstrong came to England and played at a boys prep school.  Narrator was about 12 , met Armstrong and told him that he lived in London.  Armstrong gave him date he was due to play in London and invited him to visit him in hotel room prior and then attend concert as Armstrong’s guest.  Imagine, a 12 y.old boy, anxious in meeting an American star.  Louis and Lucille entertained him, had him share a meal with them in the hotel room and then was special guest at concert.  Narrator indicated that this was beginning of a life-long association.

Late jazz writer/enthusiast, Floyd Levin of Los Angeles had similar experience.  Both their wives were named Lucille.  Floyd and Lucille would be invited to spend Louis’ birthday with them when he was in the area.  Floyd gave a report to Satchmo Summerfest about those experiences.

Thanks Bob for sharing!

Norm