OLD PALS ACTS


what's the racket?

OLD PALS ACTS

April 17, 2008 — by Pete York

In the South of Germany there will be several gigs where I shall have the pleasure of playing with old friends. Ron Hills, a most lyrical trombonist and chum for over forty years, will play with Claus Koch, Martin Schrack and I in Rechberghausen and Fellbach at the end of May. These are jazz gigs but we now use the word Swing to describe them. It’s a sad fact that jazz is not very interesting for younger listeners, but swing seems to be acceptable. I don’t like labels anyway, it’s either exciting and fun or it isn’t. I do my best to entertain the folks and I try to swing my butt of at all times.

Ron will bring in some little-heard tunes which we will improvise on and the audiences will be delighted to hear us jazzing up „The Wizard of Oz“ for example.

At the beginning of June we go into one of my favourite halls, the Schlossberghalle in Starnberg. I have played here several times over the years and we have always been full. But I’m incurably anxious and hope that our seven piece band with Ron, Claus, Stephan Holstein and Annette Neuffer in the front-line will bring in the fans. I shall have to think up some publicity stunts involving a daffodil, two hermaphrodites and my Admiral Nelson costume. Watch the Press!!!!