Nothing more needs to be said, except that this is the second set of reedman / composer / bandleader / inspiration Bob Wilber’s eighty-fourth birthday celebration at Smalls (183 West Tenth Street, New York) where he was accompanied by his own “favorite rhythm section,” pianist Ehud Asherie — with a guest spot for Bob’s wife, Joanne “Pug” Horton. Bob played some wonderful jazz classics — as if summoning up all his heroes, mentors, and friends in an admiring ring around the bandstand.
For Bix, Bechet, and Bobby — a sprightly I’M COMIN’ VIRGINIA:
For Fats and Louis (dig Ehud’s beautiful playing here!) — BLUE TURNING GRAY OVER YOU:
Edgar Sampson’s BLUE LOU — with the second chorus given to Bob’s own line on the chords, which he calls LOU’S BLUES:
Bob then invited his wife Pug to the stand to sing “a little eight-bar blues,” that hymn to defiance, ‘T’AIN’T NOBODY’S BIZ-NESS IF I DO:
And — appropriate for a birthday — AS LONG AS I LIVE:
Bechet’s lovely SI TU VOIS MA MERE:
And the bunny jumped over the fence and got away — a briskly moving COTTON TAIL:
Many happy returns of the day to Mr. Wilber — with felicitations to Mr. Asherie and Mrs. Wilber, too!
May your happiness increase.
Thank you, Michael, for bringing me to Smalls. I was supposed to have been there for Bob’s birthday but a Mezzrow/King Jazz liner note assignment interfered.
I have a feeling that new generations of music lovers will one day pay visits to the Steinman Archive of Visual Jazz. Or they might just go pub-crawling on their iPad29
Oh how I love to hear these fella’s play!! Simply great!! I enjoyed the vocal too,,Bob and his beloved are delightful!! What a treat this is! Thank you NM,