My good friend Frank Sinatra...

(By Russell)

The heyday of Jazz North East's Corner House concert promotions included several appearances by Harry 'Sweets' Edison. In 1982 the great American trumpeter performed with the Malcolm Saul Trio, in 1984 'Sweets' returned, this time working with revered guitarist Willie Payne's band, and four years later played to a packed house in the company of the region's first call piano trio, the Billy Harper Trio. Such was the popularity of the genial American he appeared again the following year (1989), this time with the Ronnie Pipe Trio.

At one of these engagements - which one is a little vague, a guess would be 1988, at times the memory fails! - the Corner House function room was, as usual, standing room only. The gig was going swimmingly, your correspondent standing at the bar. Immediately to my right stood a Jazz North East regular. Our 'regular' liked a beer, then another and another. The man shall remain nameless but this is what happened next...

Edison was in fine form. The ever-courteous 'Sweets' introduced a ballad. You could hear a pin drop. A few bars in our 'regular' bellowed: That's jazz, Harry! Mr Edison stopped playing. The silence was deafening. Laser-like, our American guest picked out the miscreant at the bar. In measured tones Edison said: Sir, I am privileged to be able to call Mr Frank Sinatra a good friend. And sir, had you interrupted Mr Sinatra like that, those would have been your very last words...

Wow! If ever there was a time for the ground to open up, this was it. Yet, so inebriated was our 'regular' he responded with applause, clapping seal-like at Edison's rebuke. The phrase 'You couldn't make it up' springs to mind.        
Russell