I remember wandering around Amsterdam, late at night, as one does in Amsterdam, and hearing some beautiful piano playing from a pokey little bar.
I went in.
It was Cab Kaye who, apart from a few singles on Esquire in the 1950s, had somehow faded from view and was now resident in Amsterdam. I was knocked out by both his singing and his playing and the generous measures of Bessenjenever (a blackcurrant flavoured gin) to which I was now totally addicted - there were worse things in Amsterdam that I could have become addicted to...!
On another occasion, back in the 1960's, Marlene and I were looking for somewhere to stay in Rawtenstall - a town in Lancashire. We were having dinner in our chosen hotel when, from an adjoining room came the sound of a tenor saxophone - it sounded good! I said to the waitress, "What's going on in there?"
"Local jazz club, some fella up from London - Don Rendell or somebody!"
Don effing Rendell! I didn't hang around for dessert! I was in there toot sweet!
The point of all this is to ask our readers to recall any of their unexpected jazz surprises. Lance
1 comment :
1968 I was in Berlin and on my first night in the city was dropped off at a jazz club in the early evening. The place was empty apart from the barman and one guy sitting on a stool at the bar. There was a small stage set up for a gig so I asked the barman if there was a gig that night. He said yes so I asked who was playing. Carell Jones he told me. "Carmell Jones!" I said very surprised. "You mean the American trumpet player?" Yes he said. I still could hardly believe this but I asked "What time is he on?" "I'm not sure" he said"you better ask him, he's sitting next to you.
Post a Comment