DJ Hairy Larry presents Joneseboro Jazz Society Big Band with Dizzy Gillespie playing “Manteca”.

From The Archives Of Something Blue August 7, 2022

DJ Hairy Larry presents Joneseboro Jazz Society Big Band with Dizzy Gillespie playing “Manteca”.

01. DJ Hairy Larry Presents Joneseboro Jazz Society Big Band with Dizzy Gillespie

02. Something Blue – Season – 29 second spot

Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a bebop legend playing with the Jonesboro Jazz Society Big Band.

Before Joe Lee passed I used to go to his house in the afternoon to digitize songs he had dug out of his archive. He always had a story about the musicians and the shows so I got my own personal From The Archives done Joe Lee style.

One week he told me about the time the Jonesboro Jazz Society brought Dizzy Gillespie to town to play. Before the show Joe was talking to Dizzy in the green room and Joe said, “We’re playing one of your songs tonight and we’d be glad to have you play a solo.” He told me that Dizzy demurred saying that he had his thing with his band and he wanted to do that show. Joe told me it was a long shot but worth the try.

The Jazz Society Big Band was hot that night and they were playing great. They started Dizzy’s composition strong and while Joe was playing his solo the crowd exploded. Joe thought wow and when he turned and saw Dizzy he laughed out loud. Dizzy played a great solo, of course, and then you can hear an inspired Mike Overall playing the drum setup into the shout chorus.

I mean how many times do you get to play with Dizzy Gillespie?

So, here we go with the Jonesboro Jazz Society Big Band featuring guest soloist Dizzy Gillespie playing “Manteca”.

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And that’s the Jonesboro Jazz Society Big Band with guest soloist Dizzy Gillespie playing “Manteca”. Don’t miss Something Blue Saturday night at 10:00 to hear Dream Syndicate, Claypool Lennon Delirium, and Psychedelic Guitar Circus.