© -Steven
Cerra , copyright protected; all rights reserved.
One of the great
things about hanging out with Jazz musicians is that you’re never far from a
laugh.
Whether it’s a
play-on-words in a song title, a nickname, or the telling of a yarn, Jazz
musicians love a good chortle.
Playing Jazz takes
a lot of concentration, and humor is a great way to relieve the pressure that
builds up during a performance, a recording date or even a rehearsal,
especially when reading through new music.
Whether you are a
Jazz musician or a fan of the music, if you like the transformational feeling
that laughter brings on, you can’t do better than a perusal of the funny
stories in Bill
Crow ’s Jazz
Anecdotes [New York: Oxford University Press, 1990].
Here’s an example.
© -Bill
Crow , copyright protected; all rights reserved.
“Not having
[trumpeter] Clark Terry tell this one robs it of some of its charm. You have to
imagine the devilish look in Clark ’s
eye as he sings each song!
A guy walked into
a pet store looking for a Christmas gift for his wife. The storekeeper said he
knew exactly what would please her and took a little bird out of a cage.
"This is Chet," he said, "and Chet can sing Christmas
carols." Seeing the look of disbelief on the customer's face, he proceeded
to demonstrate.
"He needs
warming up," he said. "Lend me your cigarette lighter."
The man handed
over his lighter, and the storekeeper raised Chet's left wing and waved the
flame lightly under it. Immediately, Chet sang "Oh Come, All Ye
Faithful."
"That's
fantastic!" said the man.
"And listen
to this," said the storekeeper, warming Chet's other wing. Chet sang,
"O Little Town of Bethlehem."
"Wrap him
up!" said the man. "I'll take him!"
When he got home,
he greeted his wife:
"Honey, I
can't wait until Christmas to show you what I got you. This is fantastic."
He unwrapped
Chet's cage and showed the bird to his wife.
"Now, watch
this."
He raised Chet's
left wing and held him over a Christmas candle that was burning on the
mantlepiece. Chet immediately began to sing, "Silent Night." The wife
was delighted.
"And that's
not all, listen to this!" As Chet's right wing was warmed over the flame,
he sang, "Joy to the World."
"Let me try
it," cried the wife, seizing the bird. In her eagerness, she held Chet a
little too close to the flame. Chet began to sing passionately, "Chet's
nuts roasting on an open fire!""
