Since 1949, I have enjoyed jazz. It started before 1949 but got me rolling with first the music of Charlie Parker n Dizzy Gillespie n delivered Miles in a cool format which I enjoyed because at my age, around 17 ot 28, I thought I was cool.
At first I got thrown out of jazz clubs in Brooklyn where I lived because I ordered scotch n bourbon st the same time as something to drink. Kenny Durham was embarrassed one night when s customer broke a glass loudly by mistake during Durban’s solo. LTer hr complained about the lack of venues for jazz. I did got to Birdland n listened to Bud Powell, MJQ, Cannonball…and others before I joined the US Army n got stationed in France…
In Paris, I saw everybody who came to Paris from 1955 thru 1957… at Camelion, St Germain des Pres, Club Tabou, Mars Bar…and had to leave Paris to go to college which was why I joined the army.
College, grad school, wife, kids, overseas assignments, but still jazz at Bradley’s or other clubs in the Village…and then when I came back from Hong Kong, Gordon David n Diane Coffee had s breakfast n I met this young musician. Wynton Marsalis. He stuck his hand out at the buffer table n introduced himself to an old banker at that time.
I love jazz n the elegance of the notes, the history of its musicians n the impact on American culture.