Just a congenial musical group in the corner of a clarinet player’s apartment, playing a familiar composition from their collective past.
Yes, Mister Goodman, Hampton, Stacy, Krupa, and Braff. I’d heard an audio tape of this but hadn’t known this video was on YouTube — in color, no less. Thanks to the inimitable Superheidi for pointing it out.
May your happiness increase!
Posted in "Thanks A Million", Bliss!, Generosities, Hotter Than That, Ideal Places, Irreplaceable, It's All True, Jazz Titans, Pay Attention!, Swing You Cats!, That Was Fun!, The Heroes Among Us, The Real Thing, The Things We Love, Wow!
Tagged Avalon, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, JAZZLIVES, Jess Stacy, Lionel Hampton, Michael Steinman, Ruby Braff
You know these Masters: Count Basie and Joe Sullivan. Time, date, place, and photographer unknown:
I think that Joe’s caught-by-surprise expression might be due to the photographer’s flashbulb going off. Or, perhaps it was, “Can it be? Can I be sitting at the same keyboard with Basie?”
I wonder if this was New York, 1940-1 (a Village Vanguard jam session or one at Cafe Society?) or — less likely — taken during the 1939 “From Spirituals to Swing” end-of concert frolic on LADY BE GOOD, or a 1941 jam session at Carnegie Hall.
Whatever and wherever, it’s a tribute to the power of the camera — to capture such moments that would otherwise merely be the stuff of legend.
May your happiness increase!
