[Tradjazz] IMprovising - George French - Sing-along & Trad Jazz

Tue Nov 14 08:09:33 EST 2006

As I recall, the "Originator" of the Beer pitcher chugging act was trombonist Sonny Helmer. He was able to do it during the 2 bar break in the middle of "Tiger Rag" and never miss a beat, except for the time, in his haste, he grabbed a pitcher of coke. You guessed it - it bounced right back up again to the great delight of the sophisticated audience. Sonny was master of the "open throat" technique which enabled him to down a pitcher in in 2 to 3 seconds, depending on the tempo of "Tiger Rag".
          The Mustache used to cut the beer a bit with carbonated water, which enabled one to drink a lot of it without getting too plastered. However, there were many members of the sophisticated audience there who managed to overcome this obstacle.I played there every sunday with the "Southampton Dixie Racing & Clambake Society Jazz Band" for many years. One time they didn't cut the beer and we all got pretty looped. The only time I ever saw Stan Levine drunk. Of course, with the others, it wasn't too unusual.
          Sonny is still alive - after many years with Disney he retired and became an antique dealer in the Atlanta area, I believe. I ran into him at a regional flea market in Florida several years ago.
                                                      Bill Barnes
  To: tradjazz at list.okom.com 
  Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 12:15 PM
  Subject: Re: [Tradjazz] IMprovising - George French - Sing-along & Trad Jazz

  Hear Hear (where where?).
    I'm with ya Henry (and not just because you said nice things about my band).
  A sideman once told me about one of George's chug a pitcher of beer routine.  He said that there was a packed house and George had a pitcher of beer.  Turns out that he had the bartender make it very foamy, so it wasn't really full, but there was a lot of amber juice in there anyway.

  He did his usual routine: "Who wants to see me chug this whole pitcher of beer?"  The crowd cheered.  "I can't hear you!  {Then shouting}: How many people want to see me chug this pitcher of beer?"  Huge cheer.

  Then he chugged it to wild applause.  At that time, he turned around and, visible only to the poor musicians, he threw up.  Then, he turned back to the audience and launched into "When You're Smiling."  How those guys could play without laughing, puzzles me.

  What sophisticated and charming lives we lead.

  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  I think that I've mentioned before how I morphed my band from a strictly old-time jazz band, to a combination of banjo/sing-long, and trad jazz.

  My immersion by fire, was at the Red Garter in New York's Greenwich Village.  It was in the mid 1960's when the club was about to open.  I dropped by and pitched my band for a Sunday Dixieland gig.  I got the gig and was also offered to join the house band on banjo, doubling on sop sax and drums (yup).  

  For about 6 months I played 7 nights a week there.  I was amazed at how the college-age audience simply went wild for the old-time Pop tunes.  Trouble is, the band consisted mostly of banjos, one trombone and one tuba.  They also had orchestra bells.  EVERYONE played the melody and it was quite a cacophonous sound.  To make matters worse, on the last chorus of most up tunes, they accelerated the tempo wildly.  I think the term is accelerando.  I called it disgusterando! 
    Let me add that some of the banjo men were very very good.  Bill Rutan was one of them.  So was Dave Marty who was absolutely amazing.
  It was at that gig that I learned not only the complete sing-along repertoire, but I also learned many things I did NOT like.  When I introduced that repertoire into my band, I steadfastly retained the old-time jazz sound and feel.

  To me, the name of a song does NOT make it a jazz tune, or preclude it from being one.  It ain't whatcha do, it's the way thatcha do it.
    Now there's a subject that might garner some comments from you list-members.
  ~~~~~~
  Henry Newberger (whose posting prompted this one from me) happens to be a very talented fellow.  He plays powerful bone in the Turk Murphy - Ward Kimball style and he seems to know all the trad jazz tunes (common and obscure).  Beyond that he knows the complete banjo/sing-along book AND most every tune anyone can ever think of.  I've seen him field requests from left and right, from every genre one can think of.
    Henry is also a fine tuba and piano man and a downright hilarious entertainer.
  ~~~
  Banjo man, Joel Schiavone, single-handedly spread the banjo/sing-along concept around the country and beyond.  He created the "Your Father's Mustache" night club chain (an outgrowth of the Red Garter).  Peanut shells on the floor, pitchers of beer and high-energy entertainment.
    Although I am not a fan of those types of banjo bands, I am pleased that they brought the public's attention to old-style music.
  In the 1960's a buddy of mine and I, visited Joel at his back-room office at the Greenwich Village Mustache club.  We pushed our way through the packed house amid the aural assault of the banjo band.  As we entered his office, I heard "Sweet Georgia Brown" by the Castle Jazz Band, playing on his audio system.  Right then and there, I knew that I liked this guy.

  Joel, by the way, is the long-time banjo player and front man with the Galvanized Jazz Band - a very special group based in Connecticut.
    What I'm attempting to point out here, is that one can't always tell a book by the cover (now that's an original thought).  A guy such as Joel, has his heart in the old-time jazz, yet some may not guess it.
  ~~~
  McN

        To: tradjazz at list.okom.com  
        Subject: Re: [Tradjazz] IMprovising - George French  
        Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2006 17:53:57 EST  
        From: Henred at aol.com   

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        Hello!

            George French was not a fraud. He knew he wasn't the greatest banjo player, never represented himself as a jazz player,but he knew how to charm an audience. If the audience was there to drink, sing-along, and have a good time, George was the man to have leading the band. If the audience didn't mind seeing the bandleader chug a pitcher of beer (and the bandmembers didn't mind seeing him turn around and throw it up in the back of the bandstand) so much the better. George worked hard at what he did. He was also fun to work with-either as a leader or a sideman.
             George was a "sing-along" guy. I get the sense that some tradjazz guys look down on the sing-along players as being less musical and lower class than themselves. I guess some people just have to feel superior to somebody else. There was even mention that some of the lead banjoists at The Mustache couldn't cut it in tradjazz. I started playing at the Boston Mustache in 1964. The lead banjo player was Carl Lundsford, fresh out of Turk's band. Many of the lead players and the side players knew the traditional tunes and played great rhythm. Rhythm is where it is.
            One of my favorite bands is "The Smith Street Society." They play great jazz and sing-along. They also have fun doing it. All good.

                                                                                                        Henry Newberger

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