| Title |
No Sittin' In
by Billy Bauer as told to Thea Luba |
| Date |
9- ,
2007 |
| by |
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The following is an excerpt from Billy Bauer's autobiography Sideman.
Sideman, published by Billy Bauer in 1997, is the story of his life in jazz as told through anecdotes and pictures.
Billy re-visits the early years with his own small groups and his years with Woody Herman and Lennie Tristano. He tells about his personal life and his interaction with the other great players of his time.
Sideman is full of wonderful pictures, stories and Billy Bauer wisdom.
This excerpt is presented here courtesy of Billy Bauer.
No Sittin' In
| Jack McGurl owned The Sherwood Inn in New Hyde Park, Long Island. It was a small neighborhood bar with a few tables and a tiny kitchen. I found an old menu: Hamburger 50 cents, Shrimp Cocktail 75 cents. Chicken in the basket $1.50. There was no minimum, no cover. Drinks were 80 cents. Jack was a ladies man who loved gambling. I give him credit for having jazz in his place as a policy. In 1961,62, there wasn't much work for Jazz Musicians. When I got talkin' to him, Miff Mole and his band were getting through. Jack gave me the reigns. I told him 'I'm gonna bring in different players.' I don't think he understood I was going to bring in a different band every night! It was a quartet. I'd invite a horn or piano, vibes, bass and drums. We'd play tunes everybody knew. Milt Hinton told me my idea of having a different band each night ‘goes down in the books!’ Nobody did that, especially at that time. |  |
Each night we had plaques on the wall so everyone would know Panama Francis was on drums or Bob Wilbur was on saxophone. The music was all improvised. Once in awhile we'd play the lines. Instead of me playin’ chords or compin’, I might play a line against another instrument, obligato style. Sometimes the drum and another player would go at it. It was spontaneous-whatever would happen at that moment. That is the object of Jazz. One night might be Gus Johnson with Bobby Hacket or a dixieland drummer like Buzzy Drootin or Morey Feld with dark Terry or Phil Woods. I didn't care what type music they played as long as they improvised. Once I invited a French Horn player. Another time I had a Tuba instead of a Bass. With Jimmy Giuffre there was a different kind of scene. Jimmy could play straight ahead jazz if he wanted to but this was a ‘Freedom Train’. He would play way-out- so far out Jack McGurl would say 'The snake charmer is here!' Jimmy suggested a drummer who played percussion instruments. Odd things would happen.
I figured a no sittin' in policy was the best for this kind of operation. I'm not a sit-in guy. I don't care for the quibbling, playing in odd keys, playing very fast, playing tunes you didn't know type of cutting session to hurt each other. Once, at Kelly's Stable Charlie Christian was sittin' in with Coleman Hawkins. Coleman gave him a big introduction ‘Benny Goodman's guitar player!’ Coleman was known for picking difficult keys. I remember the song was 'Rose of the Rio Grande'. Charlie Christian didn't know that tune. After one chorus, Coleman said ‘Go Charlie!’ He watched Charlie scuffling chorus after chorus. I felt odd. Coleman was a bad man in that way. Barry Galbraith, the guitarist and his wife lived nearby. They would come once or twice a month. Jack McGurl said ‘I'd like to hear Barry play. Why don't you let him sit in?’ I asked Barry and he said 'No!' Barry didn't have that ‘sit in’ type personality. Imagine all the good guitar players who came to The Sherwood Inn- I'd never get a chance to play!
Roy Haynes was the drummer one night. We're playing along and I felt something was not right. I look out at the people and Roy is sitting at a table looking at the band. I turn around and there's another drummer there. I looked back at Roy ‘What the hell are you doing?’ He said ‘My friend wanted to sit in’. I stopped the band. I said to the drummer. ‘I hired him to play’. Roy came up and played. Another time Morey Feld started the night. The second set somebody sat in for Morey. The third set somebody else sat in for Morey. It come to the end of the night and Morey only touched the drums for one set. Drummers like Roy and Morey had to bring their drums only to turn into band boys for these guys. The musicians I invited were only there because they wanted to play. I wrote 'No Sittin In at the Sherwood Inn' as our theme song. Several very good musicians dropped in and were surprised they weren't invited to jam. Bobby Hackett when he first come out said 'What crazy policy is that? No sittin in?' After a year, he told me ‘Billy, you're right’.
 | I think the band was Milt Hinton, Gus Johnson, Bobby Hackett and me. We were playing when Jack called and asked 'How many people are there?' There were twelve customers. He said ‘Why don't you and the guys come? Coleman Hawkins is playing at the Cork and Bib. Tell the guys to pack up and have a drink on me’. I asked the guys but everyone said ‘We want to stay and play!’
A woman was talking very loudly while Al Cohen was playing. Al stopped and said ‘Lady, can you hear me? I can hear you’. One time Al called to say he couldn't make the gig but he'd send in a good sub. He did. It was Zoot Sims. |
Excerpted from:
Sideman
© Copyright 1997 William H. Bauer, Thea Luba
All Rights Reserved
ISBN 0-9657237-0-4
William H. Bauer, Inc.
Post Office Box #270
Albertson, New York 11507-0270
All Pictures above are the property of William H. Bauer.
Excerpt and pictures used by permission of William H. Bauer.
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