The Gal from Joe’s/Riding on a Blue Note

LP Jazz Archives JA-12

I had the chance to hear Cootie Williams in Copenhagen sometime at the end of the 70s. He and Russell Procope were playing with a Danish group, including the fine tenor sax man Jesper Thilo. The two elderly Americans were quite tired, and the group only came to life during the solos of Thilo. But as a surprise, the door swings open, and in comes Benny Waters with a load full of saxophones. He happened to be in town, and now it became a happy party where the three reunited veterans totally dominated the swinging music.

Cootie often complained in later years about the constant touring in his life. When this radio transcription with Duke Ellington’s Orchestra was made, I think that the musicians had a good period since they had a steady job in New York at the Cotton Club. Johnny Hodges’ alto sax is in the lead on the first number, and Cootie Williams makes the major contribution to the second both with his specialty, the growl technique, and with his open horn. Hodges plays soprano sax here.

This was in 1938. How the evening in Copenhagen about forty years later ended, I cannot be sure, but in a happy mood, I guess. There was not the bridge between my home town Malmö and Copenhagen at the time, so we always had to leave abruptly to catch the last boat home. But before running away, I seized the moment to shake Cooties hand and thank him for everything.