[Dixielandjazz] More memories of George Avakian and comments about Satchmo Summerfest

[Jack Mitchell]

George Avakian, as a master sergeant in the US Army in 1942 or 1943, was 
posted to Melbourne where he heard the early Graeme Bell Band and met 
many of the local jazz community. When he was posted north to New Guinea 
or thereabouts he wrote, from memory, a series of 8 articles for the 
Australian magazine Jazz Notes. Overall the series was called BACKDROP 
TO JAZZ, and they gave us a valuable insight into the US jazz scene of 
the time. They still make interesting reading.

Jack Mitchell