When you're smiling (2) Climax

  • 17 years ago
When you're smilin' Climax JB/ Spiegle Wilcox 1988

Climax Jazz Band in 1988 in Syracuse New York.
The band did a concert gig for the Syracuse Jazz Society. It was in a old theater where Bix had played with the Goldkette Band in 1927. I would swear that the heavy-duty curtains behind the stage were still the same.
We had two special guests sitting in. Spiegle Wilcox who remembered the room and the 1927 concert, and yes, he recognized the curtains as well.
Then another guest came in. He was drummer George Reed. George had recorded in the early sixties with Henri Red Allen, he had been a member of the Wilbur deParis Band and I had first heard him several times in Toronto's famous Colonial Tavern where he played with the Saints and Sinners in 1968 or so with Herman Autrey tpt, Gene Sedric clt/ts, both from the former Fats Waller Band, Vic Dickenson tb, Red Richards pno/ldr, Danny Mastri bass and George Reed drums. Both Danny and George eventually moved to Toronto and we have been able to play together on many occasions. Then George moved back to New York State and we lost contact. So it was darn good to see George again.
In the clip we have invited both Spiegle and George to join our band for a few tunes. We had just purchased a big Sony video 8 recorder and my wife Ilse filmed this clip.