[Dixielandjazz] Maxine Sullivan

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

Oh, the pain! I remember in 1987 Bob Wilber telling the audience at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh that he'd last been in the building thirty years before, by an odd coincidence also with Humphrey Lyttelton,When I bumped into him the following day I was able to tell him he'd been there in I think 1975, as part of the World's Greatest Jazz Band, with the wondrous Benny Morton, and on piano Dick Wellstood, who was at the time doing various Eubie Blake things, and there was also Maxine Sullivan, not to mention another lady who having accepted my invitation alas did not share my enthusiasm for the music... Bob was very gracious and apologised for failures of recent memory and more distantly as a romantic asset. I hope he saw the funnier side. 
Seeing the videoclip of Ms. Sullivan ten years after that evening it's quite delightful to observe an extent of rejuvenation between the two gigs.  The first time I saw Benny Morton he was I believe accompanying another singer, the student exchange which had taken me to New York included an evening at Radio City Music Hall and he was in the symphony orchestra which arose from below and also participated in the scene from Madama Butterfly which preceded the film... Very versatile and technically accomplished musician, Mr. Morton.  And a strongly idiomatic jazz soloist who soon thereafter came to Scotland in duo with Doc Cheatham, on a bill with Messrs. Brookmeyer and Terry, who were as I gather on the verge of a personal divorce. Thanks  for the reminder of Maxine and associates!
Robert R. Calder 
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