1957-05-21 — Page 1

column Hongkong

THE CHINA MAIL TUESDAY, MAY 21, 1957.

Chapter 9

of any denomination to say anything On tour with the Count

they wish about anything they like. Clerical Comment

EVERYE

VERYBODY knows the reason for the popular new Interest which has been aroused in ao many countries, including America, in "Do it your self-in being your own handyman, as it were..

trained to it.

ON'T over think success

it has arrived it maintains itself. Touring--such an im should be done which is likely portant part of any band's to male redundant in any life is one of the most at or calling-ong worker exacting, forms, of work. Hadio, televialon' and records will not suffice. The kids In short, the line of

must meet the band. And craftsmen is that, although

It's tough to think a reputa- industry may be declining, must support the same number tion can crash or mount of trained workers contention depending on how you which, of course, would be The first is the high costs fatal to any economy in a world sound after some 16 hours that prevail these days. A of changing demands.

Fin a coach. second

is reason

the

frequent inconvenience of Superfluous

having minor domestic re pairs and decorations done by professionals.

There is a third reason-in the availability of ready-made paris easily fited in place, and of paints which anybody can put on satisfactorily.

A fourth reasons, of course, is the instinct of so many men for making things.

Legions Of Wrath

The legions who follow

theks ME

Let me take you on a tour with the Count and his boys. The time was Just before and perhaps tho most important his per- formance for Princess Margaret.

Craftsmeny nailed for Britain

The harsh truth is that, where performance ever, craftemen become superfluous for any reason to existing netda, they must change their jobs, Unskilled workers have always had to do this.

fro

THE

TITLED

CAT

his arranging · staff, a Royal Suite in three moverenie.” One "low-sbrug from the Count, *

•

And Sonny Payne finding kis name spelt Cum Johnson, with odulated toon-age yells of "Go Gus, Go," whenever he took m break, llo was quite unmoved.

Or maybe It's Boston good old Boston where anything can happen and normally doca.

Horo at Icast, In Boston'e loading hotela, the band con catch up on sleep and chores liko sowing and mending. Not that all can cow, and, mend... After all a musician has his limitations.

But though Basie is reputedly a quiet wizard with needia ond thread and though Puppa is rated not 50 good, there's always tha hotel stan to oblige-and the youngeT the staff the more willing they aro to perform tho necessary cfxres

Bread and butter

and candy syrup

One predominant feature of touring is discomfort. Almost constant travelling, eating and sleeping in a bus. Dozens of Jordan, comes the one peculiar roadside cafes and drive-kas rite of every coachtrip "The easiest trip of all. He can sleep la 15 minutes those instruments ended and the bandemen collect the top of their form in places

In any event, it is idle to pitifdirty or clean, it's Hobson's Order of Husbands-in-law."" - timpt to prevent pouple doing what they feel they have choice much of the time. on inalienable right to do for

The sightseeing at the oddest thesolves,

hours; no work or friends out Would the painters and de-side the immediate circle of the band; the welcome sigh as you mochanic's argument that they collapse into bed when you're should be forbidden to do odd lucky enough to get one. repairs to their vans and care?

the Coratora

"Do it yourself" maxim will all

be wrathful and inclinant ot any spread of a campaign which has been touched off in Lon don, where organized painters and decorator in one district have asserted that the tenants of flats owned by the muni- not be allowed vipality should to do their own drporating.

These craftsmen feel that the livelihood of many. of their number is threatened by che couragement of tenants to their own decorating.

do

The craftàmen's fear is plain by not groundless.

They offer Bone spacious orguments -ogalnut the "Do it yourself” Trend, but their real case is that such work traditionally their and that nobody else should be permitted to do i

accopl a carage

Do painter and decorators lying in their own houses al- wayd pond for plumbers 10 At new washers on lenky tapa, or for carpentem to repair fallen sections of garden fence other deficiencies?

and

That long

do nothing

ride

Do It Yourself ways to this hazardous aspect of

"Pull'ax everybody on" taking everybody off, as we say in the old country is the habit of whimsical Frank Wess. Some think he ought to go into bust- 41859, The Count sees to it he stays as he is.

hard enough to dream away the

his

to

Baale's boya

sro always

on

the

Thad Jones has perhaps the instruments. Either way, with- oasis in the desert of travel, is again outside their streamlined anywhere, generally does just are being warmed up.

liko Boston, where they have And then "Hit that stage, conch, that Freddy Green, mis-nemed

They're During this incomprehensible "Pep" because of his tactumity, boys" rape the Count.

quarter of an hour the chance to rest, and where And the business of music, Jate of their departure schedule the Count himself has change ceremony a strip of white, blue- and Henry Colter, always deep

that can ceremonially in thought, aro other players who the business

unite and the driver is cursing at the to zip quickly back to his striped cloth is

of different tempera- meed he will have to make up native Katsas City. presented each new member. As have travelled long enough and millions

us the ceremony is

in the an

ments

peace of one on the route.

But after such treats soon

(and poetry, is on.

"Don't ask me t' keep death even these can be marred by his death mask in a Bash and

ounced by the boys, Joe loses hours in peaceful silence.

"Poppa" Jack Caster has been Count's practice is to tap that, off the roads," he growls to the the endless demando of charges up the aisle with strict the Count's badboy for the last beat with his right foot. You manager, who grows to Poppa, recording studios), early start ly non-vocal velocity to

assistant 15 the order of the day. It toko 18 years. He always site on the can hear his catchy voice shout who growls to his part.

all the late may be Buffalo, it may be Lo other side of the bus at the front ing out those chords us ho who growis

nd no one would dream of manipulates

different arrivals, prominent among whom Angeles, actions. Before long the crowds in the Count himself stall busy Yet ask any member of the usurping his patrinchal chair.

a handful of band and he'll tell you that he Behind him is the "rm's" own of swirling dancers surge for as he munches

For ward in a tight band to away maple syrup flapjacks and shut- likes it IVa part and parcel· photographic department. Wendell Culler must have taken and murmur to the message of fles to the couch.

of his life, Touring is bread · At last the mighty deisal roars and butter, radio and television Different boys in the bend

so many pictures of the passing the band. scene by now that he could open After the date comes the brief into ite and the coach (and the candy and nyrup. adapt themselves in different

again to take his own gallery. They even say spell af recreation and the boys springs) begin Lead trumpeter Reunald Jones, he can cut out gines distortion split up into the groups of their their toll on energy. their work. Trumpeter Joo his voice quiet and utterly self- from the coach window with a rivate choice for whatever oc- Newman always carrica bla meals contained, is, as it were, the last 35 milimeter lense facing the ivity they want. with him on the bus. The Count, man of the crew to blow his own sun at 45 degrees. Certainly, if

Fortunately there is no jeal- Marry the Jane who sits behind him, is quiet.

instrument.

ousy or pettiness with the Basle, But for all that, he can't, no one else cant He's had so many years of all

outit. The Count won't stand and go to music like all veteran troopers, he this. Marshall Royal, behind his cannot resist the temptation to

it. So if you want a jug of Old Gold and a round of crap, you buss, can talk preity wall non- blow his son's. Often he will be A fresh gag and

team, with the man who has the stop on every subject you care heard talking affectionately about decorators to think up.

his offspring. That is when he

together must learn to like cach the amateurs

not looking niter all those

other like brothers or, war-time until their work is of a quality, Another quiet traveller 13 little business cries, smooling

buddies, And, achieving, that and is done with 03 celerity, singer Joe Williams. His face, out all those little irritations of which the

state, there is always somo cannot immobile as a mask, makes you mon who have to spend too wonder whether he's saving his much time together. When the

"family" matter to keep the ppi- ki the business. They say (but sleeping room and write the Thad Jones is sottling down bolling, always some volce or just damned tired.

no one has ever proved it) that letter in bed, the paper propped blues start on the coach' instead

to sleep with the profound humour to add the music ! jo- of the stage ho takes over with

lie's even cracked the poker face up on your instrument case.

does the

Sugar of Williams.

Ray their soula Some jokers get And how

Count statement the quiet, austere efficiency of a wearisome, but Billy Gracen retex? His room in his business Robinson will have 10

After the long hours judge and the blues fade.

keeps everyone smiling (when offee, big or small. Experience headache than him if he goes journey, a township date is lika coming into port and the boys they are sufficiently awake) and has told him the smaller the back to the ring. "Poppa" comes in for special room the bigger the backstage And so the first hours of the really let off their high spins.

trip work to be done. allcation all the timo.

are taken up with a con2- Like the time Toad and Hilly, Just listen to that room versation which becomes more who bad been Maybe it's the fact that Billy:

a minute It freshi has a

aro desultory as the minutes flickor impromptu overy for gog for

enough occasion. More likely, however, herole

a by.

Where there is obvious dan- per, of course, as in electrical wiso house. and gas filings, holders will not guess or ex- periment.

But professional will not deter

handymen

Let us see where that leads approach. At present, the order logically.

is too frequently reversed. and the amateur handyman puts more into the job than the pro- fessional.

Initially, and most important, the basic claim is that nothing

Then, just when you think he's been enried back over the

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never too far

the

Marshall Royal's been before some idea. If you want to fall and knows the easy way through

talk with you

talkative downright to types. If you want to write to crowds, Every band has its Joker, and the wife you grab a Schillz and miss the traite. The the Count'ts rates among the best hamburger,

take it to your doesn't want to know.

you

to spare

is his knuck of pulling legs minute long past midnightt without ever gokig too far-- without ever hurting the feelings Fix it Alex

of men who, like it or not, live under perpetual strain.

He is helped in his ribald sorties by teammate Marshail Royal-who disagrees with every, serious thing he says just for thol priciple of it.

Trombonist Benny Powell is another sleeper, denles snoring with vehemare. His denials are greeted with cynjelm by Frank Poster..

-sweet and low

then

that

miss Icft

the

driver

And tour.ng makes guy travelwise, Musicians, especially

·Baste musicians, are just that, Little by itle, without them even knowing it, the stinle of and tho endless conches monotony of changing gears and stiffening backsides guts in the blood.

Men who play classically

#

of

giving an ciuot

small dive, decided to knock up an Films, taxes, books, funnies, oid irlend

After all the preamble, Old: the Glants, that funny little guy.

WES persuaded (20 Nasser whose half help, half Friend wind.

didn't need much urging) to and take them for

A Then dreamers dream

a drive. sleepers sleep. Up and down drive, they agreed, was the best the aisle you can hear the odd way to settle a heated argument,

Only this You

argument Was 80 Prize sentence "Riba?

heated that Old Friend insisted on driving with no hand-thay She wuz the zanjest character my mother ever saw. were too busy emphasising his

points, agents So I wedded the Jane

ended up in music."

And Old Friend had no But the sentences

Indeed become driving licence.

ho fewer and the sllences longer was on probation! "Now as I wüz sayin', Me unul, again in the night,

"Mr Basie, Mr Basie. Oh Mr Basie, long distance New York for you."

"Get, these daraned Jest forget how to sleep, Poppa, deal with that, will yur

never tasted ribs like these

off-boat

and

The Count's outôt can provide most everything as the inside men of the business will tell you, Even a full-blooded bookworm sloodfos, bul na drummer's Jest nol; but all ang parched and

Basler; true your stage ain't roadside diner looms into view. No destination

Broadway or the N.B.C.

Some are hungry, some are

In the person of Eddie Jones. gob to have more room up eager to stretch limbs they long but plenty of places

Eddie always boasts that he centre. Elevation, Buster, jest since thought had died. reads good literatoori. "Since hit that elevation. when has Li Abder been a classic" rebuffs Charlie Fowlkes

with the heat when he con-

manager horses

templates gome Puckish caper. Buster to git ma drummer

These then are the men. Hour higher on the stage.. after hour, mile after mile, over prairio and through canyon

to y

which

inlo

Enger locals fill the eating house by magle. The landlord "What's that, Poppa? Willard does his best

keep the Buslo Alexander? Damn, don't he Boys there just as long as ho Or there another madcap with a chuelde sicep too! Hello Will, No; no; no can. Well after

was Buffalo-the all trade's place where they played in aa that starts os low as Fatty Arbuckle and rises like that's alright. Sure, wero jest trade. And Basie's big trade, amusement parks after ou food sour dough flapjacks till it pops fine or will be if ah can git especially to the outback eating all day on Sunday,

this damned stage

Amusement park?

Even the The Barla stay, however, is heavens were aroused, judging. limited to Tho minimum. by the deluge of rain "No, the New Jersey date's Usually the boys are ready to turned the Basic blues they Elt until, proverbially back for three weeks. Yes, like move by the time the coach has water music and the hypnowst been led up and the driver who compelled large sections of ah told yuh. Yes; yes, sure, we

agalit ready 10 depress the the crowd to shout Ramprod" go to England, Europe, in the

us they sat down, Spring April? Why not, Silly

Another dance,

Mord alcop, 'season? Wal ain't that jest the

Mending, washing, sightseeing, time to go? Fix it Alex; Ax R

club viditing, autograph signing. Then again the coach, and off sweet and low.

to another jam-packed dance hall, this time with the band in tremendous form

enough, they've earned the corns on their posteriors.

"MAN MY ULCERS

No

accelerator.

Ect.

AND SO

+

IS DOIN' WONDERFUL."

IT GOES "Now is that all yuh need, Mr Buster. Jest fine, Now use that And then, just when that sent

And so it goes on. Maybe the elevator on the way down an Crane Estate, Ipswich, Massa- spring has found so many soft

so it went, In Pitisticla, elevate the drummer for the spots that it just isn't true, the

chusetts, where the road is bad Massachusetts,, colour prejudice destination looms into view and mattinee.”

and the men manage to snatch cropped up, as it is sadly still And so it goes on, Another the coach, with its long-time-

A only a hot dog and a can be apt to do in many parts, and on-the road smell of oil and question, another answer.

to look for another hotel ben humanity, pulls up outside some other long distance phone call, fore swelling but no that arst three members of the band had

Bur- this time (as a merciful back street stage door.

Autograph huntets are part the management of the ono time for stretching the prise), from 13-year-old daugh and parcel of the game and the they had pre-booked discovered legs and sightseeing, no time ter Diane.

"When will you come home, Crane Estate bears the honour they were not white.

Buch But for a relaxing meal. If there's a Daddy" is her big question,

of the Basio's classic autograph

Fortunately, drug store handy (and there

plory

happenings are less ↑ fréquent When will he get home? May- usually is) hamburgers and

ap-than of old. It is men of the One of the teen-agers be he'll get to sleep by four,

Eddie status of the Count who are coffee or an ice-cold can of maybe he won't. But if he does ones on one ocasion and asked to be thanked for much of the

parently rushed up to la final thought will be ot

Fats Domino? breaking down of the ugly Diano

and when he will get him "Are you

bar, Porters and stage hands aro heme.

p shiver, colour Eddie, signing with

Wherever! Into the coach like a crowd of

that scare you band goes, white and coloured It is the question mark that replied: "Docs

fanu ars attracted, And In the ants, removing those precious follows all the famous through the way it does me?" Instruments, instruments which out the day and throughout the Other things happened at the common delight they share in will shortly make muzic

Like the Count- o "mude," they find their that right until the following dawn Crane Estate. will travel round the world.

Lrings with it Icca grapefruit socing himselt down on the differences are no more than Some bandamen are fussy, juice and more problems, more programme to play "several akiny deep." They miss the hamburger and mall and more worry.

specially wrkien and arranged "Jim Crow is a funny thing."

KITA Basic. Sho Schlitz because they won't allow

Hammond Baya Almost before they realise selections on anyone elso

to handle their what is happening the date, that organ" having composed "with up in some nut house,” –

Schiltz Milwaukee beer downed without a second lost.

Do

by

Noel Wain

180

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