Adventures in Pair of Dice (Paradise)

[the Leones <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

>  There are 10,ooo,ooo stories in the Naked City, OR in the case of the
>"Buckeye", a couple of hundred. This has been one of them.
>
>  So we left So. Fla. early Wed and drove. (and drove & drove). Arriving at
>Columbus noon Thurs. I was happy to see that all the people I DON't like
>weren't there, and all the people I DO, were.
>
>  Suffering from jet lag, I just tooled around the hotel and caught all the
>action. There was jamming in the halls and lobby and I got to see a lot of
>old friends. I will probably forget to mention people (I always do) but
>it's not because they aren't important or I'm not thinking of them.
>
>  There was the ever cheerful Laddie Pispecky, and his wife the
>effervescent Dottie. There were the Michelins. There was Stan Bowe. Ernie
>Lakatos. Judy & Al Smith. Jack Ely. The Monroe Bros. (Marv & Rodg).
>
>  Thurs nite show was a surprise. Jim (agent oo9) Tonn (131 Connection) and
>his great selection of tunes. My buddies from Va. Beach (Harmonichords),
>who were stunnung. Then our friends (Hotshots). The wife, who isn't a
>really keen harmonica fan thought the music was SUPERB,
>which is saying something coming from HER. I KNEW it would be swell.
>
> Got to meet Chris Bauer. I had met his dad but never knew Chris. I arrived
>at the Jazz club a little late (12:15 am) and found him, Jim Lohman, and
>Bob Beck trading "licks" to Carol Beth True's piano renditions. Truely
>masterful. At the "prodding" (insistance would be a better word) of Bobbie
>Tallahassee Lassie Giordano, I joined in. We all did a couple hrs of good
>good stuff. Chris Bauer can play just as big as he is...which is large.
>
>  Of course I was way out of my league with all these heavy hitters. I
>ALREADY knew that Lohman was a master at Jazz and I had heard Chris Bauer
>enough around the hotel so I was not surprised, BUT Bob Beck caught me
>unawares. I thought he was just another pretty face piano player.
>
>  Near the end of the Fri nite Jazz club, we got to do some stuff with Lee
>Oskar. Since I was familiar with his style from when he was with the band
>WAR, I had been influenced by him. I couldn't believe I was playing with
>one of my heros.
>
>  Friday nite show was Allen Holmes, whom I had heard before. He has one of
>my favorite styles/sounds/tones. Very relaxed, laid back, sweet, clear,
>crisp and containing NO hash or muddy stuff. Chris Bauer also blew my mind
>with his "Jazzified" standards. My wife was glued to the edge of her seat
>THAT night. The Society Boys, ahh
>what can I say..mind-boggling, can't describe in mere words.
>
>  Sat, got to do a little background for Bauer,Caltebellotta,Lohman. I was
>sitting next to Shelly Lulov (chord man). Not only is Shelly a true
>gentleman but so open and friendly. I also heard that he has only been
>playing chord for a short while (like 2 yrs. or something) Hard to
>believe..incredulous. It was really fun watching Shelly show my friend Al
>Data a couple alternate chord runs (AND vice versa). Naturally, I didn't do
>much more than background because I was intimidated. >

>  Sat nite was too good to even talk about. I was prepared for Sandy German
>to make his usual mistakes, BUT he never did. He was excellent. The wife
>fell right out of her teeth on hearing Filisko, and IMMEDIATELY fell in
>love with Doug Tate.....what a sound. We were a little annoyed that people
>would come to a convention and then leave right in the middle of the show
>(ostensibly to get some sleep due to an early flight).

  I mean...(I) wouldn't..I would take a later flight..go figure?
>
>  Went to the Blues Jam to find Joliette Joe & Buzz Krantz with the lineup
>of 17-18 great harp players all "In the round". Didn't get in on the first
>tune but DID after that. There was MUCH talent in thet room. I was honored
>to be there. THESE are the very people I have been talking about for
>years. Yes, it's good to honor all the "Greats" of the past who gave us a
>foundation to build upon, BUT PLEASE, let's support all the great players
>of TODAY also.

>Eventually Lee Oskar showed up and as the group was thinning out, we did
>some of the type stuff he is noted for. GOD, I get to play with Lee TWICE.
 Ran a continuous 12 bar "boogie-woogie" back-up for his wailing D harmonic.
>
>  Bob Beck was AGAIN tickling the ivories, and managing to make 19 minute
>long blues tunes interesting..not an easy task. Got to meet a whole bunch
>of Harp-L guys who I can NOW put a face on. Nother astounding piano/harp
>player took over and we went until after 3 am.
>
>  Went to Pgh after Columbus to visit my sisters and got to play at my
>friend Bobby Cardillo's "Club Cafe". BTW, IF you're in Pittsburgh on 6/7
>you can catch JOHN MAYALL & The Bluesbreakers at "Rosebud". On 6/8 Delbert
>McClinton will be at the "3 Rivers Art Fest". I'm sure they BOTH will be
>making the rounds.
>
>  Got home Thurs, took a nap, then went to play at Punta Gorda Best
>Western. BOY oh BOY talk about "die-hards"...us'n harmonicorn players MUST
>be crazy? eh wot?. Well gotta go, it's time to head for the Punta Gorda
>Holiday Inn Harborside. Hmmmm, women/harps/booze...ya gotta love it.....
>
>  Sorry for the war & peace length post, I just HAD to get it off my
>chest.....smokey
>
>==^================================================================
>This email was sent to: leone@xxxxxxxx
>
>EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a2i0XY.a5WRNC.bGVvbmVA
>Or send an email to: slidemeister-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxx
>
>TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE!
>http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html
>==^================================================================