Re: [Harp-L] Review of Thierry Crommen's La Nouvelle Donne

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Mar 28, 2005, at 6:47 AM, Planet Harmonica wrote:
> Indeed. I was very sad when I heard the news. He's one of these guys I 
> would really have liked to see live.

> Ben
Back in the late 50s, early 60s, Jimmy was almost a fixture in Pgh. ALL 
the great B3 players were. It was a GREAT jazz town with a penchant for 
B3 players (+ Kenny Burrell). There was the Hurricane bar & the 
Crawford grill.

There was Jimmy, Brother Jack, Jimmy #2 (McGriff), Groove, Shirley. We 
had a couple local guys of our own that weren't too shabby, (Gene 
Ludwig was one). Gene had a teen age guitar player with him named 
George Benson. George went on to greener pastures. I used to shoot pool 
with George's older (hustler) brother Harold (schoolboy) Benson. I miss 
the old days. Lots to do back then. I would sit in with the Harold 
Betters quintet, Ludwig trio and once with McGriff (on spindletop).

You would have liked Jimmy. He was as funny as he was little. Never a 
snob. Never let it go to his head. Watching his feet was a show in 
itself. Jimmy got sick the same time as I did back at the end of Jan. 
He hadn't felt well up till then. Too bad I made it and he didn't. You 
would rather have Jimmy back instead of me...you say?...fair enough, I 
understand. :)

smo-joe