After Bebop A Lula: Utica Bands 50's 60's

[bobbbiez]

Jon, it's about time you joined us again. Damn, it's just not the same without ya sweetie. Welcome back!

[Clipper]

Jon, you truly are a pillar and very important cog in the machine that keeps the forum going. Especially this particular area of the forum. We did miss you very much. It is much more interesting to wander down memory lane with your pictures, posters and playbills to add to the interest. Welcome home my friend.

Let me know if you would consider that proposal I offered up in the PM the other day. If not we will simply go on as we do now and take your advice when it is offered. You ARE the back bone of this thread, along with Dave and the others that started it and carried it along for all these months and years. The thread has been active almost daily for two years and 5 months here at Clipper's Corner, and I don't know how long you and Dave had it going on Joe Mezz's old forum. Congratulations to all of you who bring it to us and keep it interesting and alive.

[kit]

See there, John? Bass players RULE. Don't we?

[bobbbiez]

Special event today............IT'S JPLATT'S BIRTHDAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
"OUR DEAR JAY,"
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU........................love ya, kiddo.

Wishing you joy, good health, happiness and plenty of love on your special day and always. ;D

[drider]

I'll tell a quick (I'll try) Gene Kipper story, but it does require a little set up. I was getting nowhere with the Four Issues and the Nitecaps as I kept loosing personnel, except for John
DePalma and was having trouble finding work. Well I finally got something happening with
Dave Tucci on guitar, Vinny Zamillio on drums, Chicky Vennera and Johnny DePalma on saxes.
It was a pretty good unit with the dueling saxes on either end of the bar and two dance
routines by Chicky (tap to Baby Elephant Walk from Hitari & jazz to the Pink Panther).
We were after Gene to book us but he wouldn't because we were under age. John told me
he was booking Ralph & the Royals and they were under age. So I hit Gene with that and he
finally gave us a gig at a club in Rome (don't remember the name) and on the way we got into an auto accident. I flipped the truck over trying to avoid T-boning a drunken lady who had
pulled out in front of us blocking both lanes. Got her anyway, but missed her door and hit the front corner. She was sited and we got insurance $. Now for the bad news. The next day it was in the papers with our names and ages and where we were going. Gene dropped us like a hot potato! Well time went by and he finally picked us up again and we had a good run
until I found out the guys wouldn't travel. I managed to get a Gene's Inn Watertown gig out
of them, but when a Vermont gig was booked all but Vinny quit at the last minute. Ended up
doing it with Gary Flag with his dutch wife in tow and (dare I say)a sax player of sorts we picked up on the way in Albany arranged by Gene. That was the last of that band and I was
up there at a real low when Gene called and said "forget about it, you're going with Eric."

[bobbbiez]

Hey kiddo, we're doing well. Just been very busy working on the new house. I pop in here and there to see what y'all are discussing. Don't want to miss anything.

Everyone must be getting ready for the holidays cause it's been kind of quiet around here. That might be a good thing. ;D

[bobbbiez]

All the same back to you and yours, dear friend. Enjoy the holidays.

Woe is me. Be my very first year without a Christmas tree. Can't find it with all the packing and even if I could wouldn't know which house to set it up in. Bummer!

[chris]

Just grab a saw and go out side and cut one down. I saw plenty outside your house. ;D

Too bad your so far away.....I have a spare that I have been trying to get rid of and no takers. It's a beautiful tree and who ever winds up with it will hit the jackpot with this one. (its getting too much for me to handle so last year I went out an got a smaller one) No storage in my apt besides. *<{}:o{{{{{{}

[dgriffin]

Nov 16, 2010 23:12:42 GMT -5 @jplatt said:

Clipper, Jon, Dave ,Bobbiez how are we all doing? I miss the chats hit me with something please that goes for Tony, Sonny and a few others.

Hi Jay! I've started a Bebop COMMENTARY Thread! That way we can shoot the breeze to our heart's content without putting a lot of personal stuff on this historical thread. See the Bebop COMMENTARY thread and the note of explanation in the first post.
Thanks,
Dave

[Clipper]

Great idea Dave. Thanks. I had been in a quandry and had sent Jon a message wondering how we could keep this thread more or less pure and on subject without hurting the feelings of anyone wanting to reminisce about anything that might not fit the more or less "historic" theme of the thread.

Now we have TWO threads to read and the other thread may become quite interesting if all the "adventures" of a 60's band and their gigs comes to light. Will we have to institute a rating system to protect any young readers??? LOL

[bobbbiez]

Sorry guys but gonna have to disagree (nothing unusual) about separating the two. Seeing the distant between days when anything is discussed I see where the small talk and even wishing a band member a happy birthday usually brings more people back on to discuss the bands. Jogging people's memories of where they played and things that happened and people they know is all part of being "historical" to me.

Trying to separate the two or monitoring what they discuss might make two topics now with less to talk about and make it uncomfortable for anyone to want to jump in on either. Just my opinion. Can't see fixing something that isn't broke.

[jplatt]

Thank you Dave I'll try to keep it to the Thread.I did not mean to step out of bounds.Thanks for the forums help on the reunion signing off. Jay

[Clipper]

Bobbbiez, I think the object is one of keeping the original thread as an "archive" of the bands and the band members that played. More or less historical and informational. When we go off wandering, as you and I are especially noted for, it detracts from what has the potential to be a really significant Archive and history of bands and musicians without the drivel that we tend to add to the mix.

There is no problem with anyone adding significant comments about bands and gigs and newly rediscovered old friends etc. As for the shenanigans or adventures on the road, not related to the band, band members, or old venues that they played, why not have a place for the funny or the more dastardly deeds of those that made the music fun and entertaining back in the day.

Dave started the thread and Jon Hynes and others have brought it along and made it the longest running and most read thread on the forum. I recently asked Jon for suggestions, and I am sorry Dave that I neglected to ask you at the same time. Thank you for the suggestion and for starting the new thread. This subject matter is the highlight of the entire forum for many, and we need to preserve it's personality and integrity.

I don't think having a separate thread for commentary and joking around will have any negative effect, especially among the musicians who should be the first ones to want to preserve the quality of the original product for posterity.

For anyone wanting to grasp the real historic value of the original thread, there is 194 pages of history and wonderful memories that one can go back and read. It is truly a treasure. Not too many forums can boast a thread that has held the continuing interest of the members for as long as that thread has.

[dino]

Dale, I just had coffee with Freddie "Squeaky" Faccioli today and told him your Gene story. He told me about getting into the band when he got home from the service. You guys were in the music scene at a great time. I remember seeing Eric and The Chessmen for the first time with my friend Dave Roberts at The Hullabaloo in Utica.To all a Happy Thanksgiving!!

[oldnewhartfordboy]

On another thread Dale Ryder's sister came up. Diane was a "looker" and was into those little British Cars. She got me into them, too. I'll never forgive her for that! Last I knew she moved to Mexico (the country) and living on the beach. That was back in the 70's. I haven't heard from her or about her since.