[Dixielandjazz] Important to all members of DJML

[Steve Voce]

That explains  something. I sent a collection of stories to the list, 
but it never appeared. It would have been too long.

The one below is just one of them. I hope this time it fits.

Steve Voce

A priest, Father Pocock, went to hear Duke Ellington at the Rainbow 
Grill in New York in December 1973.

He recalled:  I sat at the bar to wait for Duke and the small band to 
arrive. Sonny Greer joined me at the bar and we chatted. Ellington 
eventually arrived and approached me saying things like "Father Pocock! 
How wonderful to see you! You look wonderful! How have you been? We must 
get together!" and so forth. Ellington didn't say a word to his old 
friend Sonny Greer who was sitting next to me. Ellington eventually 
excused himself, saying that the band needed to start its set.

Sonny Greer was understandably miffed; how could his old friend ignore 
him like that? Ellington and the band started to play, and at some point 
in the set Ellington said to the audience something like:

  "Ladies and gentlemen, we recently traveled to Ethiopia, where we were 
presented to their king, the man who has more titles than the Pope, His 
Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie. [According to Wikipedia, some of 
Selassie titles included Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, King of 
Kings of Ethiopia, Elect of God.]

We were ushered into his his large royal chamber. We were on one side of 
the room and Selassie was at the other side, on his throne, with an 
assistant standing at either side. Selassie turned and whispered 
something to one of his assistants. It was very suspenseful.

The assistant walked all the way across the room and said to us: 'The 
emperor would like to know . . . . . . what the hell is Sonny Greer up 
to these days?'

Sonny Greer fell about laughing.

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