[Tradjazz] Peronal impact recordings

[Ken Gates]

Here is my personal recollection of my early listening days.  I didn't take up actually playing
any instruments until late in life---guitar at age 50---clarinet at age 70---I did have the mistaken
belief that only the very "gifted" should even attempt to play.  But all through my life beginning
at an early age, I was an avid listener.

At about age 13 I first heard "Mood Indigo" by Duke Ellington.  I wasn't permitted to listen to
popular music in my home.  This record appeared at the home of a friend.  The other guys
were playing football in the street outside---I played this record over and over---WOW.

At age 15, I think, at a forbidden "necking" party---oh how innocent we were---I discovered the
Tommy Dorsey record "Well, Git It" --the opening bars by Ziggy Elman (I'm pretty sure)--just
knocked me out.

At age 17, I discovered the wonders of the piano due to a Herman Chittison record of "The Song
is Ended" ----- oh, what a wonderful sound.

A couple of years later, after being overwhelmed by the constant barrage of high trumpet sounds
at a Stan Kenton Hollywood Bowl concert, I searched for a more pleasant sound at the famous
JazzMan record shop in West Los Angeles.  There I was steered to the Bunk Johnson set of
recordings from New York---the George Lewis configuration.  That really clicked---I think the
big one for me was "You Always Hurt the One You Love".

I was then a "Mouldy Figge" for a while--still am---but now I can branch out to enjoy most of the
jazz styles.  Did visit the George Lewis band during the 50s when he came to town (LA).  It
was then that I determined that in my next life I would play the clarinet---which I do now---well
enough to not cause a lot of pain.  My current hero (well there are many) but Bobby Gordon
plays in Southern California quite a bit---love his tone and elegant ideas.

Ken Gates 
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