Shreverport Arranger Jam Update

It's getting close! We have everything set up for Sunday, April 30. I have put up a map on my web page and more information is also there. http://www.donmasonmusic.com/legionmap.html
PLEASE let me know if you plan to come. There is plenty of room for everyone.
Crawfish Boil starts at 3:00 P.M. and we have the use of the Legion as late as we want to stay. It's a private club, so closing times will not affect us.
I know Boo, Tom C., Riceroni and friends, Joe Richards (who will videotape everything), and several others have committed for certain, in addition to my fellow hosts, HankB and Bill SemiliveMusic. There are others who are trying to make it, including Bill C., who was kind enough to send me the MapQuest map which I posted.
Also, I have invited a few really talented local musicians, including my friend and Nursing Home partner, Dean Mathis. Dean was one of the Newbeats, who had several top hits in the 60s, including "Bread and Butter".
I can't promise James Burton will be there, but he knows about it, and only lives a mile away, so I'm hoping.

Looks as if I misspelled "Shreveport" in the topic header!
Thanks,
DonM

[This message has been edited by DonM (edited 04-17-2006).]

Sounds like a great time to be had Don, wish I was there also....hope we can buy a copy of the video/DVd etc .....?

Thanks Don... I think I can find it now! See you there.

Still no news on Hank's wife? Hope she's okay.

All my best,

Rice

Message from DonM:
I just talked to Hank. Linda had the surgery this afternoon and is doing fine, although she is still in ICU of course.
Hank wanted me to thank everyone for their good wishes and/or prayers. I know Linda will feel much better when they get through this.
DonM

http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum37/HTML/013066.html

t.


[This message has been edited by tony mads usa (edited 04-17-2006).]

Don,
I'm gonna wait on the Crawfish eating until about 3:30 or 4:00. When we quit eating, I don't want my pile to be twice as big as everyone else's pile of shells. Penny doesn't want me to embrass her!

Is our friend who was running the Best Western on my last trip going to be there? I can't remember the nice lady's name. Maybe you should call her? She probably would bring a bunch of folks too, if we need to boost the crowd.

I've been practicing. All I'm doing is country. The closest thing to jazz that I'm gonna do is Yakety Sax and Honky Tonk. You ain't gonna show me up this time. I even bought a cowboy hat to gig with, and I'm dying my hair black so as to look like George Strait. Or maybe I'll go for the Garth look. I might even hold a guitar while singing.

Watch out! Here I come! If I can find 4" heel cowboy boots, I'll be 6' tall. If I can find some 9" heel cowboy boots, I'll be as tall as you.

Boo,

When are you going to arrive? I'm going to arrive late on Friday afternoon. I'm planning on playing "Green Dolphin Street , Wave, Meditation, Tuxedo Junction, I Can't Get Started, Don't Get Around Much, Satin Doll" and others with YOU. Someone has to bring a little class to this event. I'm going to leave the country to the EXPERTS.

Don I hope Hank's wife will have recovered enough that he can be there some of the time. What are we doing on Saturday golfing? Do you have a gig on Saturday evening?

Tom

Tom,
We can play golf Saturday. So far, I've avoided working Saturday night, but might have to.
I'll be at Ernest's Friday night. http://my.calendars.net/donmasondates/d01/04/2006
Anybody else wanna play golf? Let me know.
DonM

Country? I think all DonM has ever heard me do is country. I might surprise him. I can't play worth a lick but thanks to my Yamaha mama, I can fake it pretty good.

I'll go out on a limb and say that if you let me play, I will play a song that is not country.

------------------
Bill
Yamaha PSR2000

Tom I'm aiming for Saturday afternoon. You forgot Desafinado, Ipanema, All the things you are. We're gonna bore Don to death.

I hope one of the VFW guys are from Michigan or New Orleans. I don't want to play just for me and you.
Man life is hard on us Jazz Standard guys.

AJ just called me and he is trying to arrange a flight so he can be at the Jam Sunday.
He will bring an SD1, SD5 and Midjay to demo.
It looks as if Rice won't be able to make the trip from Texarkana because his mother is quite ill.
Tom C. is arriving Friday. I think Boo will get in Saturday.
Joe Richards will be here Friday.
Of course the local guys are already here.
I think several of the Yahoo Ketron group are planning to drive over from the Dallas area.
We will be having hamburgers and hot dogs at the legion. They are supplying the cookout free of charges for participants. It will be open to the public but they will have to pay.
If want to eat Crawfish we will plan to go to a local place. The South Louisiana crawfish farms took a hard hit from the hurricanes and the price prohibited us from doing it ourselves. It would have cost several hundred dollars to assure having enough for everyone, so I decided against it.
HankB's wife is doing much better now so Hank is looking forward to being there.
If anyone needs help finding a motel room let me know.
DonM

That's cool, I hope AJ can make it with the Ketron stuff.

------------------
Bill
Yamaha PSR2000

DonM, Bill, Boo, Tom, and all attendees. . .
Man I'm really disappointed I can't be there to participate in what looks to be a not to be missed event, but scheduling conflicts & tight finances this year means I'll have to wait till (hopefully) next years SZ Louisiana Hayride jam. Any chance that Hank Thompson might be there? I've just recently added an old classic song of his, "Most Of All", to my set list.

Rice (Dave): Really sorry to hear that that you won't be able to attend the jam either. Perhaps we'll meet up at next year's Louisiana jam?

Ok, to the rest of you attending, please take plenty of pictures, and video. I'm especially anxious to catch DonM in action emulating the pedal steel in auto accomp mode. Yeah!

Scott

I'm headed out in the morning. I hope to be in Shreveport Saturday late afternoon.

Take lots of photos guys and gals, post them on the Zone. I'm leaving for Louisville, KY at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning, playing Saturday night, and headed back home Sunday. Got a job Monday and sailing the remainder of the week.

Have fun,

Gary

------------------
Travlin' Easy

Here's what Joe Lee Richards posted on the Yahoo Ketron group:

Ok Don, I'm all set for shreveport. Leave here around 9 am and get there around noon. Got your map and will see you there. I will bring all the camera equipment to video most of the shindig. Hope to make dvd copies of the music on hour long dvd's for anyone that wants one.Take care.....JOE LEE

We're going to do it right, ya'll! There's still time to come!
DonM

Tom C. arrived today. We went for some Chinese food and then he spent a little time at the Casino and later came by where I was working for a couple of hours.
We're playing golf tomorrow afternoon, if it doesn't rain.
Sunday is the big day!
I haven't heard back from AJ, so don't know if he is coming for sure.
DonM

Friends.

I am sorry I will have to pass on this trip due to some projects that are due YESTERDAY. I do hope to have another chance like this where many SZ members can meet.

Sorry for the last-minute changes in plans.

Thanks,

AJ

So Don tell us how did it go at the jam......inquiring mins want to know EVERYTHING

Well it's 8:00AM in Benton La. That's really where DonM lives. He’s still asleep. That’s the sign of a true musician that makes a living at music. Me I’m up between 5 & 6 AM every day. That’s the sign of a real working man. Ha! Ha! We played from 4:00PM yesterday until about 10:PM. We got out about 11:PM.
I kept telling Cavanaugh to get out of there but he stayed and helped pack. What a great friend. He had to drive to Dallas for a 7:AM flight this morning. That's a 3-hour drive at 11:PM
They let Tom and me us play Ipanema, Don't Get Around Much Any More, among other standards and it looked like the country folk enjoyed the variety.
Tom gave us a CD of his Big Band. He said it was 16 pieces. It sounded just like Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey, and the Woody Herman Band.
Times like this is the only chance I get to play blues in A, D and E. It's always a new discovery.
Dean Mathis of I like Bread and Butter is a fine musician. He plays Fiddle, Piano and just recently got a Steel Pedal Guitar and Hank said after a month Dean is now a very good Steel Pedal player. He also played some Electric guitar. Pretty talented I'd say.
Tom helped me make it through the night. He does stuff in Eb, F, Bb etc. Man I like Tom. He'd make a good Cajun.
Hank and I couldn't hug enough. Man I like that guy too. By the next trip if one of us doesn't go on a diet, we'll need longer arms. He says his wife is progressing which was nice to hear.
Don is the king of country on a keyboard. He plays better guitar licks on the keyboard than most guitar players. And Susan looks great. I'm surprised how positive and happy she is with all she's been through. Penny and I love these folks.
I’m off to Hattiesburg in a bit. That’s where all of my in-laws reside. I like Hattiesburg a lot. It’s where I lived for about 3 years and where I met my wife Penny.
There were many other guitar players and a keyboard player named Dickey T, or was it Dickey D? Everyone had a very good time. I had more compliments from the patrons than I’ve ever had. It’s mostly because people really don’t get to hear a real sax anymore.
I recommend everyone that has the Glenn Miller Band or the Tommy Dorsey Band giving a concert in their town to pay the money no matter what it cost to attend a show like that. There’s nothing like sitting in a live audience and listening to a real Big Band. What a thrilling sound whether you like Big Band or not you’re sure to get something out of it. Nothing swings like a good Big Band.
I’d better leave something for Don, Tom and Hank to say. Oh, Oh it’s 8:45 and Don just hit the kitchen. He’s up early. Maybe I must have been typing too loud.
I forgot about Ray Logue. Man this guy could do shows for Willie Nelson. He naturally sounds just like Willie without even trying.




[This message has been edited by brickboo (edited 05-01-2006).]

The Shreveport Arranger Jam is now history. I was a little disappointed that more guys
from out of town couldn't make it, but all I can say is that it was their loss!
We had an absolutely wonderful time.
We had nearly a dozen arranger artists there, although a few didn't actually play their
arrangers much. I'll try to describe the evening the best I can.
Tom Cavanaugh brought his Ketron SD1, I had my Midjay, Boo had the Korg I30, Dickie Turner played the Yamaha PSR2000. Bill Pittman (SemiliveMusic), who also plays a 2000, sang and played his flat-top guitar. He did Johnny Cash's "Big River" and "Folsum Prison Blues", plus a couple of hilarious original songs.
Henry Levy, who along with his cousin, Paul Morgan, has a wonderful trio using Ketron XD3. Henry and Paul both played guitar at the jam and it would be hard to find better players. Paul did a tremendous guitar instrumental of "Spanish Eyes".
My friend Dean Mathis brought his fiddle and also brought the house down with "Last Date"
on Tom's SD1. Dean sang a couple of songs as well. He is truly a multi-talented "young"
man, and a member of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. He's probably best remembered for
his work with the Newbeats ("Bread and Butter"), but also produced and recorded music in Nashville for many years. He currently has a recording studio near Monroe, LA.
Of course Boo was an audience favorite on his sax. He and Tom did some wonderful arrangements of jazz-swing-standards and we did a medley that started with Dickie and me
singing Good-hearted Woman and ending with Boo soloing on Yakity Sax.
Tom has quickly conquered the SD1 that I sold him, and safely weaned it from most of its
Country history! Tom and Boo were doing chord progressions that would have made Scott Yee
charter a jet to come and join in if he had heard them.
Hank Bowman, who controls a Ketron Midjay with a Yamaha PSR3000, thrilled the ladies with his vocals on such songs as "Suzie Q", "Fanny May", "That's All That Matters To Me", and "Sunday Morning Coming Down". Hank has just returned from an out-of-town job and with his wife in the hospital again, didn't feel like setting up his rig.
As Boo mentioned in his post, there is an entertainer by the name of Raymond Logue who
does Willie Nelson better than Willie does! He sang "Always On My Mind", "Angel Flying
Too Close" and several others. One of the best was when he sang "All of Me" with Tom and Boo playing the music, a great example of Country Meets Standards.
My friend Dickie Turner, who does a one-man show with the PSR2000, did quite a few songs
and had the 2000 really kicking. Dickie sings wonderful harmony and added so much to the vocals that Joe and I did, in addition to the songs on which he sang the lead. I had
really forgotten how great the 2000 can sound. Dickie visits the Synthzone occasionally
but has promised to join up now that he has met some of the members.
One of the most important people there was a man that I can not thank enough for all he
did. Joe Lee Richards is an immensely talented vocalist who appeared with many of the top country stars in the 60's and 70's. Although he can sing anything, his specialty is country swing. I "met" Joe over at the Yahoo Ketron group. Since he lives in Benton, Arkansas and I live in Benton, LA, we started talking and I found that he comes to
Shreveport quite often. He always comes to where I'm working and it's a pleasure to have
him sing a few with me. Joe sang Ray Price's "Heart Over Mind" and "Crazy Arms" plus a couple of others, and also played guitar on a couple of songs. He normally uses a Ketron module to accompany himself as he plays guitar and sings. We didn't get to see and hear Joe nearly enough because he brought a video camera and recorded some five hours of our Jam. Joe produces a television show in Benton, Arkansas and will air segments of the Jam there after he edits it. He will also make DVDs of the evening available at a nominal cost. You can imagine that there is quite a lot of work ahead for him in going through all that tape!
Another really talented ex-professional vocalist was there and we coaxed Susie Loar into singing "Summertime". The entire "band" played behind her and she got a standing ovation.
I know I'm going to forget somebody, but as I think of more, I'll add it.
My job was mostly to keep everything going. Remember that almost every single performer
could have carried the entire show alone. It was so difficult to give everyone enough
time to show their stuff, and several of the guys, like Hank, Dean and Bill (Semilive)
really took back seats. And I could sit and listen to Tom C. for hours.
It was so interesting to observe the various ways that arrangers can be used. Tom and
Boo's styles are a little similar, generally using full background accompaniments and
playing intricate chord progressions and more structered melody and lead lines. Both sing
really well. DickieT's strong point is hard-hitting rock n' roll, using styles he has tweaked on the 2000 to provide all the background parts, then vamping on organ or piano with the right hand. Although Hank didn't play his arrangers, he does it differently than most of us, playing right-hand chords, sometimes left-hand bass and singing. He often uses guitar players to compliment his performances. Hank also plays bass guitar and organ with a couple of really great local bands. His cohort and my friend, guitarist Dale Weaver, injured his knee Saturday and couldn't make the jam, but we really missed him.
These two were a big part of the early music scene around here, playing on the original
Louisiana Hayride and backing and touring with such icons as Dale Hawkins, Farin Young,
Nat Stucky and others.
I must also say how grateful we are to the Shreveport American Legion Post #14, that
opened their doors to us, fed us freshly-grilled hamburgers, sausages and chicken at no cost and provided a large, enthusiastic audience. At first they sat and watched the show, but as the evening rolled on they couldn't stand it, they had to get up and dance. They applauded and cheered for every song, even though there were a fair amount of mistakes. (Not nearly as many as you might think though, considering most of us hadn't even met one another). They even helped unload and load equipment. You can't imagine a more beautiful setting, overlooking the lake and completely private. They had food ready at 3:00 p.m., and continued cooking for several hours. The grilled it outside and you smelled the aroma as you drove up.
I probably need to sing a few praises for the Bose PAS while I'm at it. I sat up a long
power cable with outlets every four feet. We plugged the various keyboards into that. I
ran stereo cables from each keyboard into my Behringer 1224FX Pro mixer. I also ran three
mics into it, plus Bill's guitar and Dean's fiddle. Tom and I ran our mics through the
Ketron processors so they didn't take extra channels. I used a wireless adapter on my
Sennheiser 855. Tom uses an EV, Dickie a Sennheiser 845. We also used Hank's Sennheiser 835. Anyway all this went into the mixer. I then routed the monitor send to Joe's camera. In order to get the guitars and sax, Joe also set up a mic. He ran my monitor send in mono into one input on his camera and the mic setup into the other.
I then took balanced outputs from the mixer into channels one and two on the Bose PAS. I
basically ran EVERYTHING flat, adding a little reverb and e.q. to the mics. No much
though, as we were playing into a room that had a glass window across the entire back
wall, which we were facing.
Bottom line was that you could hear every instrument and every vocal evenly throughout the entire room. I had a little trouble getting Tom's mic loud enough, as he ran it through the SD1 and had it wide open yet it didn't seem to cut through as well as I wanted. I could only turn up the entire keyboard and couldn't control the mic individually.
The PAS was behind us so nobody needed monitors. The sound level was virtually the same whether you were on the dance floor or seated in the far end of the room. I even went to the rest room and you could hear it in there! Not one person ever said it was too loud or not loud enough.
I can think of several ways to make the Jam better. We should have set aside a few hours
without an audience, so we could exchange ideas and try each others gear more. Tom and
Boo and I did that Saturday evening before going out to eat and I know I enjoyed that a
lot and I'm sure that they did also. But overall, I feel it was a huge success.
For our closing number, we did an extended version of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", with everyone singing. I hope the video of that one comes out good!
We were asked by the Legion to announce that this was the first of the ANNUAL Arranger
Keyboard Jams!
I took a few photos, but Joe took a lot. I'll be posting them asap.
All I can add (until I think of something else) is a private message to AJ, Eddie, Vince Ramos, Scott Yee, Rice, Gary D., DonnyNJ, Uncle What's-his-name, Fran, Tony, and some others that I forget right now, all of whom expressed a desire to come, but just couldn't work it out: YOU SHOULDA BEEN HERE!
DonM



[This message has been edited by DonM (edited 05-01-2006).]

WOW, this is so great. After reading those posts I feel like I WAS THERE. Thanks so much for sharing guys. Put me down for that dvd when it is released too.
Best to all,
BEBOP

Don great review, can't wait to see the photos and if you put out a DVD, I'd be interested in getting a copy.

Boo, Don....
Great reviews. I GOTTA have the DVD...if for no other reason than to hear TomC sing. (He's been holding back on me.) Hey Tom...no Beatles?

With DonM producing this get-together I knew it was going to be good. Hope you got to play and sing some, Don.

Sure wish I could have been there.
Eddie

Wow! What a great time you guys had. If I had not already contracted to do the job in Louisville, KY I would have been there for sure. Maybe next year. I'll be picking up a new van next week and a trip to the sunny south would right in line with my wife's retirement plans. Just give me a date early enough so I don't book anything during that week.

Thanks again Don and Boo for the report,

Gary

------------------
Travlin' Easy

Boo & Don: Great report of what sounds like a terrific time had by all. I can't wait to receive the DVD so I can at least get a taste of your "Big Band meets Country" jam. As you probably know, I made a special point to pay my respects to you guys at my saturday gig, dedicating: "Blue Bayou" to y'all.

I can't wait to see pics, hear the music, and especially, receiving the DVD.

Scott

My report:

As the lyrics in the Beatles tune "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite" said "A good time was guaranteed for all". I can't speak for the others but I was not disappointed. Simply put, I had a blast.

All the performers there have a lot of talent. That talent covered keyboard playing, singing, guitar playing, lyric writing, and sometimes all of the above going on at the same time. Music is such a broad art form and the talent there covered many different areas.

Boo and I were the token jazz/bigband era performers. One incident I remember was Boo was grooving on a Ray Charles like version of "Georgia On My Mind'. He was soooo HOT he blew the circuit breaker. We were outnumbered by the country and western folk by a margin of 9002 to 2. Boo and I did have an impact on the 3 chord bunch. When we started they were playing progressions like (G C and D7). We expanded their horizons by 50 percent. By the time we left, they were using the progression (G Em Am D7). There is hope yet. Next year we will introduce 6th chords.

With all their dedication to country music do you know what really got them going? My rendition of "Bye Bye Blackbird". These CW people sounded like the Mills Brothers. They weren't singing about trucks, prision, whiskey, dogs, women or shotguns. They were also doing something unheard of in the CW music arena. They were doing vocal harmony. Yes, you heard it right hear friends, vocal harmony. Imagine that.

Everyone I met, and there is not a single exception in this statement, was gracious and hospitable. The folks at the Legion made us feel right at home and the fellow performers did also.

Congratulations to Hank, Don and all their friends for making this a success.

Tom



[This message has been edited by Tom Cavanaugh (edited 05-01-2006).]

Fess up, Tom, you were saying "Ya'll" by the end of the night. I think I heard him hit a Floyd Cramer grace note on the piano too.
You also have to tell how you heard me play a few standards and jazz tunes Friday night. It's not that we can't play that long-hair stuff, it's that we get paid more for playing Good-old-boy music!
DonM

Don, Boo, Hank, Tom, Bill and everybody else that attended:

Man, I wish I could have been there to see and hear all the sounds. Thanks ever so much for the informative posts. Needless to say, I'll do my darndest to attend next year.

Scott Yee, start making plans now. This thing sounds too good to miss. Donnie, you too! Now if we could only get Uncle Dave and a few of the other Synthzone Stalwarts to show up next year.

So glad to hear that everyone had such a great time.

All my best,

Rice

To all-ya'all that did your thing at the Jam
congratulations and thanks for the posts...
I likewise would love to see and hear the great time everyone had...I always knew you southern-boys know how to throw a party....
with all of that talent you folks should have started sooner and stayed later...would
also love to hear Tom's 16 pc band....
TR

It sounds like everyone had a great time! Will the DVD's be available to anyone, or do you have to know a secret handshake or something LOL! I would like to check it out....

I talked to Joe Richards yesterday and he has begun editing the footage for the DVD. He said it will probably take a couple of weeks because he has other projects pressing him as well.
He will make the DVDs available at a nominal cost for anyone who wants to buy one.
DonM

I can't wait for next year when I am retired, and the schedule becomes a little more flexible ....
t.

Thanks for the info DonM!

We're going to set the dates for next year WAY ahead to give everybody time to schedule. It will be bigger and better!
DonM

I am sure some of you guys think I am a jerk. First, I did not know you would start when you did. I showed up at 4 o'clock and was flabbergasted that it was about to start! It's a miracle I did not show up MUCH later. I had zero time to set up my keyboard and even if I had time, there was no room.

Second, my aunt had just died. My mother, who is 80 years old, was bawling on my cellphone. I was not in a normal state of mind. I spent the next two days in Dallas with the family.

Point being, I enjoyed hell out of it, but I was not in a normal state of mind, so, before you accuse me, take a look at yourself.

JUST KIDDING, it's just a line from a blues song I often play.

It was very good. Everyone was excellent! I apologize, I am normally very gregarious.

EDIT: I just wanted to add, I enjoyed everyone so much. Musicianship was STRONG. Very talented people. Don and EVERY local guy and all of the out of town people. Very good, indeed. The people loved it.

------------------
Bill
Yamaha PSR2000

[This message has been edited by SemiLiveMusic (edited 05-05-2006).]

Bill, I THOUGHT you were a little withdrawn, but you did a great job anyway. I tried to call you several times but now I know why you didn't answer. Please except my sympathy for your loss.
I really thought we would have a couple hours before anybody arrived, but when I got there at around 3:00 the place was already packed with people!

Joe Lee Richardson, who video-taped our Jam, sent me this email. I can't wait to see the end result.
He also sent quite a few photos, and I will try to get them posted on my site soon.
DonM

Don I emailed nigel the other day and he said he would register me himself, and has sent me the password. I just havent gotten around to using it yet. I been real busy with city council meeting comming up tonight, and finally got through with listening and logging all the songs we recorded at Shrevport.
We had 62 songs all told, and finally had three pages of finding the start and finish of each song and used the tape player to show footage in time, and then had to find the dead time between songs, and then had to time each song so as to fill up a two hour dvd, and leave time for credits on the end.
It looks like I can get 28 songs on the dvd. I am going to get every one on the show. Dickie had several that were over six minutes long so I had to cut one of his songs and one of mine in order to have enough time within the 2 hour dvd. If I am succesful in putting together this thing I think later on I will try to use the remaining songs for a second dvd. A few of the songs had some skips in them. Dont know what caused that. Take care.....JOE LEE

Well people I'm working on the dvd of the arranger jam. Hope to start recording and editing the first parts this week. I've already got about 14 hours in and just now ready to start to doing the setting up the machines and editing. I think it is going to be great. Thanks to Don Mason and all the people that sang and played on the jam, you pepple were great.

Joe (gitzit), I'm glad you finally made your way to the best forum on the internet!
Welcome aboard.
Now get to work on the DVD!
DonM

I got email from steve on solton group wanting a copy of jam dvd. I may go buy a 3 or 4 dvd recorder from musicians friend so I can do a lot of copies. And you don can make some at your house. Charter cable channel 95 had a repsenative talk to me yesterday, they are also a local cable channel, and they may want to run this dvd on their channel. they even offered help in editing this lam. Good thang may happen yet people. JOE LEE

This was a good nite. I was able to get the famous Danny Fletcher, professional recording engineer, and an expert man on the editing machine to work with me. We got 12 songs in the editor. Only 16 more to go. The sound is pretty good. We will bring up the volume level at the end of the editing. The only bad thing is the guitars were not miked and they are really on the low side.The balance is good. Next time I will Mike the guitars and stick a mike in boos mouth to bring up his volume.Wont be long people till it's completed....JOE LEE

Great news, Joe! Let me know if I can help.
Got your email.
DonM

I hit New Orleans Thursday afternoon. The Secretary of "The Westbank Musicians Hall Of Fame" called that morning when she heard I was coming to town.

I asked her to get me a gig. She called back 20 minutes later and said you can play with Ronnie Boudreaux, Hector, Skeeter and others Friday night in Crown Point at the Welcome Inn near Lafitte La. You can also play Saturday night with Ricky Hanks (my Cousin who plays tenor sax), Duane Sherb and others at "The Max" off of Clearview Ave in New Orleans. My whole family just about showed up at The Max. Even my 87 year old mother danced an up tempo tune with my brother-in-law.

Sunday I played on Charters Street on the street corner at a friends Art Gallery in the heart of the French Quarter.

Monday night I played with a Tenor Sax buddy from 1957 or there about. He's never had a day gig. He played at the "Spotted Cat" on Frenchman Street in the heart of the French Quarter.

He could be in the top five or ten Jazz Swing genre living Tenor Sax players alive today. No kidding, he scares the hell out of me. I just did maybe 4 or 5 tunes with this guy and then sat down and listened.

You won't hear any wrong choices of notes from Jerry Jumonville no matter what tune at any tempo. He's great. I'm going to go listen to him tonight Wednesday. He called to tell me where he's playing.

I'm gonna bring my horn in case he invites me to play. Maybe I'll do 5 tunes tonight. Maybe I'll be so terriffied I won't even play one tune. This guy is a musician's musician. He plays too many notes for the common folk. Ha! Ha!

Go Get Em Boo!!!!!!

Kick Some NOLA Butt Baby!!!

Let the Good TImes Roll!!!

To all here. The dvd's for the Shreveport Jam are now ready to be copied. The price is 8 dollars per copy plus 50 cents for the case and 4.00 dollars for shipping. There are two two hour dvd,s , either the first or second dvd, they feature the same people performing but doing diffrent songs. Each has the credits at the end to tell you who was singing and what they were playing. both dvd;s for 21 dollars and one shipping cost.If you are interssted, let me know I will give you address....Joe Lee