Dreams do come true. Sometimes the impossible is possible, and available.
Recently I posted the raw video footage of the CBS News coverage of the party above, which you can see here. Then, a surprise. A collector, Jacqueline Purvis, found me and asked if I’d like to hear the music from that party, the tape recorded by Goodman scholar Russ Connor. I’d been hoping to hear this since 1973 or so when I bought my copy of BG ON THE RECORD, so I said YES immediately. She sent it to me: more than an hour of the best sounds. Some days later I politely asked if I might share the music with you, not expecting a positive outcome. But Jacqueline said YES. So here we are. Don’t say I don’t do things for the JAZZ LIVES audience. And YES, it’s only the audio.
It’s Benny, with Jess Stacy, piano; Gene Krupa, drums (George T. Simon fills in at the start while Gene’s drums are being set up); Ruby Braff, cornet; Lionel Hampton, vibes. Audience chatter and drink orders free of charge.
SWEET LORRAINE (Benny, Ruby, Jess, Hamp) / I WANT TO BE HAPPY (add Gene) / IF I HAD YOU / AVALON / SOMEDAY SWEETHEART / ROSETTA / BODY AND SOUL (Benny, Jess, Gene) / I WOULD DO MOST ANYTHING FOR YOU (Ruby and Hamp return) / DON’T BE THAT WAY / STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY:
Ornamenting this with a photograph of young Benny is my whimsy.
And, in the spirit of the holiday, any ungracious carpers, nit-pickers, complainers, and Corrections Officers will receive assignments for JAZZ LIVES’ mandatiory community service.
Thank you fervently, Jacqueline, Benny, Jess, Gene, Ruby, Hamp, and Russ.
And because very little is truly irrelevant, this 2016 article describes that Benny’s penthouse apartment was up for sale at $8.6 million. I don’t think that someone standing on the street can still hear the faint sounds of scales and Mozart, but it’s worth a visit.
May your happiness increase!
JAZZ LIVES 
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