[Dixielandjazz] Mike Hart

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

Picture, if yese wull ...  
A prominent Scottish thespian was booked to drum (his alternative Schtick) in an Edinburgh ensemble associated with Mike Hart,  but he found himself taken suddenly employed. 
His billing included the assertion that the famous Maestro X......  would attempt to deliver a long and longtime celebrated & illustrious drum solo recorded once in a New York theatre, Theater, by a Mr. Krupa.Lucky as we were told we were to have the services of a very competent alternative percussionist, we found (as Stanley Dance used to say) that the individual in question lacked that experience so dear to so many of us, of actually having heard the aforesaid recording of Mr. Krupa. 
The noble Hart attempted to remember this recorded performance, and deliver the equivalent of an accurate running commentary, but of course speaking rather ahead of the pedalled thump and cascade-resembling cymbal. Sotto voce. 

The Hart features modulated into a smile, since although success was anything but assured there were prospects of uplift (how else bring down a stick on Mr. Zildjian's brasswork?) and of opposing any tendencies of pulse to flag.  It wasn't exactly a triumph, except ...  Although not exactly what had been hoped for when the posters were printed, it was a thoroughly delightful and appropriate delivery and experience, as one hopes the man at the gate will be saying to Mike as the man is ushered through the Gates of Light,not forgetting the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (as performed by Dickie Wells, arranged in part by Roy Eldridge), which I heard in at least one impressive Mike Hart band performance, the late Francis Cowan on bass.

Long live what Mike encouraged and enabled !
Robert R. Calder 
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