2009-04-23

What Pee Wee Russell said [1]

Ralph Berton, from WNYC radio, promoted Pee Wee Russell's appearance at the Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street program on January 6, 1941. The radio program featured Pee Wee playing two blues numbers accompanied by Joe Sullivan, Eddie Condon and Dave Tough. After the show, a 15-year-old clarinet student who had been in the audience approached his hero for some technical advice and, according to Ralph Berton, this was the conversation:

"Mr. Russell... I've always w-w-wanted to ask you - how do you manage to g-get that wonderful dirty tone on your instrument? I've tried everything. I tried soaking my reeds in water overnight". Pee Wee, hunching and twisting as he finally glanced at his tremulous admirer, advised: "Why don't you try soaking your head in whisky?"

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Ralph Berton, de la radio WNYC, promovió la actuación de Pee Wee Russell en el programa Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street el 6 de enero de 1941, donde Pee Wee, acompañado por Joe Sullivan, Eddie Condon y Dave Tough, tocó dos blues. Después del show, un estudiante de clarinete de quince años que había estado entre el público, se aproximó a su héroe buscando algún consejo ténico y, de acuerdo con Ralph Berton, ésta fue la conversación:

"Señor Russell... Siempre he querido preguntarle... ¿cómo consigue sacar ese maravilloso tono sucio de su instrumento? Lo he intentado todo, incluso poner las cañas a remojar en agua durante toda una noche". Cuando por fin Pee Wee le echó una mirada a su tímido admirador, se retorció y encorvó para aconsejarle: "¿Por qué no pruebas a poner tu cabeza a remojar en whisky?"

1 comentario:

  1. Although on first reading that sounds like a dismissive comment, "Hey, kid, soak this . . . !" I will bet that PeeWee, gentle at heart, really meant it ruefully: "To play like this, kid, you have to be drunk a lot of the time -- not a course of action I can entirely recommend." Have you heard the two performances from that radio show: BLUES and MONDAY NIGHT SPECIAL (the latter not a blues)? I don't think they have ever appeared on CD, and my vinyl record is long gone, but they are wonderful -- what a quartet!

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