Biggest news of the moment is a gathering of the clan scheduled for Saturday afternoon in the Lowell House Common Room from 4 to 7 o'clock. Charley Vinal's Rhythm Kings will be there and "Mezz" Mezzrow is planing in from New York where be is currently featured with Art Hodes at Ryan's on 52nd Street. Those who attend the Bates game in the stadium are cordially invited to drop over after the last whistle and hear Harvard's first big-time live jam session since last September.
A Saturday in Gotham: Dropped over to Commodore Music Shop to protest the issuing of "Mop Mop" and picked up some new dises ... Best of these were "Clarinet Marmalade" with Bill Davison, Ed Hall, and Brunies; "Squeeze Me" by Yank Lawson, Miff Mole, and Cless; and the same tune recorded by Cliff Jackson, and Pee Wee ... For lovers of boogie there is a new "Streamlino Train" by Cripple Clarence Lofton on Session label ... Next to Condon's Town Hall broadcast featuring excellent Butterfield, Kaminsky, Mole, and Muggsy along with poor Krupa and indifferent Haggart ... Saw Haggart in the bar next door afterwards and he admitted that his work in the C.B.S. house band is financially remunerative but artistically sterile...
Then to Julius' for dinner and the strongest sloe gin fizzes in New York... Dropped over to West 4th, where Sterling Boso and Rod Cless room together... Bozo, an old New Orleans man himself, insisted that Louie played the river with King Oliver on the Capitol before the King went to Chicago, despite the statement of many critics to the contrary ... Caught the dinner show at Nick's, where Pee Wee comes out at night and Miff Mole looks at his watch every five minutes to make sure that he doesn't play overtime ... Then to Cafe downtown for a word with Josh White ... Benny Morton's band just moved in with some tasty clarinet by Prince Robinson ...
Uptown local to 52nd Street, where Billy Holiday and Red Norvo are featured at the Downbeat, the Onyx has Lips Page and Stuff Smith, and the Eddie Heyward band alternates with Slam Stewart and Johnny Guarnieni at the Three Deuces, and of course Art Hodes with Mezzrow and Danny "Sister Kate" Alvin at Jimmy Ryan's ... Art says the Jazz Record is new in the black and continues to be the best magazine in the field ... We agree ... Ran into George Lugg and Vic Dickerson who is still with Eddie Heyward ...
Back down to the Pied Piper, where Maxie Kaminsky, Jimmy Johnson, Willie Smith, et al, still play the best Dixieland in the City and pack the bistro nightly ... Frankie Newton was bending an elbow at the bar and we adjourned to his apartment to admire his paintings ... No kidding, Frankie is doing some fine stuff and the Southern Comfort was fine... Newt has left George's but plays every Tuesday at the Pied Piper.
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On the Road in New Hampshire