My opinion: Bechet was probably one of the first Klezmer clarinetists.


Bix never could read music. He was simply a "natural" musician who could play just about anything just by jumping in and playing by ear pretty much. Because he couldn't read music, he wasn't allowed in the Union. That meant no cabaret card in New York--and without the card, he wasn't allowed to play. It drove him nuts for years. 'Twas one of the reasons he drank.

Red Rodney (white) was playing trumpet in a be-bop combo of Charlie Parker's when they toured the southern bars. To have a white guy playing with blacks was verboten down there then. So Bird told the cops that Rodney was an albino----and it worked. Clint Eastwood directed the film biography of Charlie Parker ("BIRD") and featured this incident prominently. Forrest Whittaker played Bird.

I listen to more jazz than not these days. Too many memories in folk stuff I guess.

Just some interesting snippets.

Art