I was doing the door at a JNE concert at the Corner House. A figure appeared and, without looking up I said, "£2.50 (or whatever) please". "I don't usually have to pay to get into my own gigs!" came the reply - Stan Tracey.
Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis played several sessions at the Corner House and I took photos. At a return session I showed him a photo and asked him if he would sign it. "Sure" he replied "but, did you take any of me?!"
The Maine Street Jazzmen had a regular Thursday lunchtime session at a bar in South Shields. One day, who should walk in but Eric Delaney. He didn't sit in that day but we became friends and, whenever he was in the area (his dear friend Eileen - pictured - lived in Whitburn) he would call and ask me if there were any gigs around. We once went over to the Porthole in North Shields where he sat in on Cute. Very sad when he died.
Still in North Shields, I fell hopelessly (and platonically) in love with Daryl Sherman when she played a gig at the Saville followed by one in Gosforth the following night. I attended both gigs and bought a CD. She insisted on signing it to "Lance-a-Lot". If anyone else had done so they'd have needed police protection! However, as it was Daryl... Somehow, in future emails, she always managed to work it in!
My wife, Marlene, was having lunch in the Post Office Tower in London with some friends. Buddy Rich was sitting at a nearby table and Marlene thought I'll get his autograph for Lance which she duly did only to find out that he'd signed it Mickey Mouse!
Lance
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