[Dixielandjazz] Good Story - Re: Important to all members of DJML

Robert Ringwald rsr at ringwald.com
Thu Aug 31 12:04:51 EDT 2017


Steve, good story. Tell us more, one at a time.

-Bob Ringwald
DJML Moderator


From: Steve Voce 
Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2017 2:22 PM
To: Bob Ringwald 
Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List 
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Important to all members of DJML

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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