patricia

That's OK, but thank you for asking. German history is only of passing interest to me. At this time of year, you might want to discuss the origins of the tannenbaum though. BTW, my name is PATRICIA, not "PAT". I'm sure that the thread will carry on, even though I am only carrying one end of the massive log that the originator of the thread, my conscience, my nemisis and my editor has entrusted to us. So, let's keep this light, fun and civil.

OK. G-A-U-L-E-I-T-E-R. You're pretty sharp for an old fart. I hope I'm still as eagle-eyed as you when I am 78, as you have often said you are. I believe that the term refers to someone of pure German origins, for the purposes of recruitment in the Reich, the SS, or the German Army of the time. I'm no expert in German history, but it clearly was no compliment. Tough was wordy and quick on his liguistic feet, much like you. People, permit an old fart from France to correct. GAULEITER was the term used in Nazi time for the governors who were ruling the provinces under Third Reich juridiction. And rule they did. Gauleiters were EVIL.

Patty, That's all well and good, and we're all happy for you. NOW....please spell the word correctly and tell us what it means. Is that a difficult task for a sober woman of 64 years of age? DEEP OK. G-A-U-L-E-I-T-E-R. You're pretty sharp for an old fart. I hope I'm still as eagle-eyed as you when I am 78, as you have often said you are. I believe that the term refers to someone of pure German origins, for the purposes of recruitment in the Reich, the SS, or the German Army of the time. I'm no expert in German history, but it clearly was no compliment. Tough was wordy and quick on his liguistic feet, much like you.

Patty, I think you're cloaked in the fog of inebriation. What is the word you're actually trying to state? (Maybe you better team up with a dictionary) DEEP No. If I were enebriated, I would be doing a solo tango on my coffee table instead of posting. I'm not vocabulary shy, just spell-challenged, not an indictable offence, as far as I know. I was actually quoting Tough who was using a term born out of the Nazi era in Germany, referring to the process of voluntary recruitment. I assumed it wasn't a compliment, but it isn't in my dictionary, so that wouldn't have helped. I knew how to spell it, but decided to mis-spell it.

I team up with nobody, especially in a discussion of a sitcom about a fictional bar in Boston, and no offence to Rachel. I'm surprised that you missed my egregious spelling error, later on in my post, in which I spelled gauleiter, G-A-U-L-E-T-E-R. I am cloaked in a fog of shame at my illiteracy. Baggin the Dorsey thing. Your wish is my command. DUH.

P-U-R-T-I-L-L...PURTILL...DUH!! DEEP Sorry. I corrected the it. You corrected the "it"?? WOW!! Now you really have lost me. DEEP WOW. You're lightening fast. I had edited at the same time as you were puzzled and confused about my unedited post. But, you are picking nits, which is fun to do, but frustrating for the pickee.

P-U-R-T-I-L-L...PURTILL...DUH!! DEEP DUH yourself. Sorry. I corrected the spelling. You know I can't spell. I speak quite well though.

I'm not watching "Cheers", so the illegality is out of my realm of expertise. I'm listening to a totally kick-ass version of "My Heart Belongs To Daddy", by Dizzy Gillespie, recorded live instead. However, I think you are right about Maurice Purtill, although I also found mention of Dave Tough as being a drummer with Tommy Dorsey's band in the period in question. So, half marks for you. Tough was a scary, but very interesting character, who went on from Tommy Dorsey's band to play with many other bands, including Herman's in the mid-forties. Apparantly he was given to fits and also a heavy juicer. He was quoted as calling Georg Brunis and Wild Bill Davidson "a clown and a gauleiter", respectively. In 1948 he had just completed a long term with Muggsy Spanier and he fell, while drunk, cracking his skull and checking out to Vermont in December of 1948 at forty years old. Too bad. Apparantly he was a hell-damner of a drummer.

Drat. I guess that whoever it was had a really short sojourn with Tommy Dorsey then, since Rich left in '41, I believe and Krupa became a regular member, in 1943, after guesting with the band, several times in the interim. Curious, that there I could find no mention of anyone who took the drum duties regularly until Krupa was hired on. Given what you said about Purtill being the drummer in the film, "Girl Crazy", he certainly seems to be a good candidate.

From what I can find out about the Tommy Dorsey band's drummer in 1942, Gene Krupa guested many times, after Rich left, but didn't become a regular member until 1943. So, the band seemed fairly fluid, ebbing and flowing, with many guest musicians, Krupa being the best known. In 1953 the brothers Tommy and Jimmy combined their efforts, until tragedy struck and Tommy choked to death in his sleep in 1956.

AND we're so poll-rules-abiding that everyone who voted [including me, for Lansing] only voted once. As for St Louis being more likely, because it's bigger, we can only take up so much space, no matter where it is. Errr, Patty, the board software only allows us to vote once. I would have voted a dozen times for Lansing if I could get away with it. If you can still vote on your screen, then YOU HAVEN'T VOTED YET, Patty!! You know, I didn't try to vote more than once, because I am a poll-rules-abiding poster. I'm assuming that you know for other reasons??

AND we're so poll-rules-abiding that everyone who voted [including me, for Lansing] only voted once. As for St Louis being more likely, because it's bigger, we can only take up so much space, no matter where it is.

August in Chicago, assuming that Organissimo gets the gig would be good for me. On checking my atlas [yes, I do have one], I see that it is just below Manitoba, which is two provinces over from where I am. I'm looking at around 1500 miles or so. I'm not sure what the logistics are, airwise, from here to Chicago. Usually they have us flying all over hell's half acre, making connections, increasing the chances of this humble scribe wandering forever in some airport. But, that would happen no matter where this thing ends up being held. So, assuming that Organissimo is successful in the Chicago bid, we're looking at late August?? As for the heat, don't be such a wuss. There are worse things to be than too warm, believe me. If they, God forbid, [as my grandmother used to say] don't get the gig, is there a tentative Plan B??

Joe, you have to understand that I had barely heard of Lansing, before I started posting on this board. Lansing sounds a lot like Calgary, except for the blues part. We have sports and country bars and clubs, out the ying-yang and maybe a half-dozen or so clubs which feature jazz [now that Kaos closed] and that's only once a week or so. VERY depressing for me, as you might guess. There are some local jazz musicians and singers who interested me and I am gradually composing a photo essay of them, performing, using available light, which is slow going, but gettin' there. So, whatever is possible from your end, with regard to what form this hang will take would be terrific. You're right. Meeting the posters is the main thing and I have been known to drink the odd beer, although my tipple is medium priced wine, for medicinal purposes of course. I will have to pass on the chasing chicks aspect, for obvious reasons. Creole Gallery sounds like a great starting point. We will make this happen because it IS a good idea.

Or Calgary in July when there is a great Jazz Festival?? I was interested in seeing Lansing because it is the home of Organissimo. If the band doesn't want us to hear them play, have the hang on a non-gig day. I understand the feeling that they are not performing bears.

Thanks Dan, I was beginning to wonder if I had missed something... Don't get me wrong, I love seeing board members in the audience at a gig, but working a performance into the proposed hang adds a whole new layer of logistics to deal with. Joe, I understand what you mean about the hang not being a busman's holiday. I suppose it could be, from your standpoint, like a doctor being asked for a diagnosis of somebody's skinrash, or a lawyer being asked for a legal opinion at a social gathering. I know that I'm a little annoyed when attending events where I'm automatically assumed to be the one that immortalizes the event on film, just because I'm there. I guess that some of us were just interested in seeing the band in it's natural habitat. Presumptuous, perhaps. Are you saying that Organissimo wouldn't be interested in showing the posters who attend the hang what they are about, musically???

Great!! Thanks Joe and Jim.

Count me in. The gift certificate thing makes sense, since we don't know what the various posters already have. I know that it's not as personal as an actual CD, but it still makes sense, unless you know the person, happen to get their name in the draw, and know what they have and like.

This has probably been asked before, but, is there an airport in Lansing??

I agree with Chris on the appropriatness of Lansing for the first hang, if only to tip my dress beanie [the one with the multicoloured propeller] to our gracious web-hosts.

So, looks like we're narrowed down to late May, June, July or August, if we want Chris to be there. Sounds good to me if it's after June and before the winds and horribleness of winter are visited on us.

Lots of people will be at the IAJE in NYC next month, but I thought we were talking about an Organissimo hang, not a trip to New York which has nothing, aside from the jazz aspect, to make it uniquely Organissimo related. I'm assuming that you were already making plans to go to the IAJE and if you go, have a good time.

That would be great for me. Late summer or early fall, after everybody has their babies and has done whatever it is that they've already committed to for the spring and summer. Fall is nice in the midwest, but winter, for me, is like being in the waiting room to Hell. I still like Lansing, home of Organissimo, the reason for this thing is even being considered. I know that there is a certain reluctance for some people about a hang not being in a major city, but we can always go to a major city, for other reasons. This is a specific event and it's home base seems to me to be a fitting tribute and a great rallying point. I guess I'm big on symbolism.

Late summer, early fall would be best for me. I like the midwest, Lansing, or St Louis and Texas or anywhere on the East Coast would not be easy for me to do.

My first choice is Lansing, for the reasons I've already mentioned, that the band is based there and it's the first hang, of I hope will be many more, maybe other places. Also, that means that the arrangements would be centralized around the band and around the hang itself, rather than simply another sight-seeing trip. I'm sure that there are interesting things in Lansing and the Organissimo guys can hip us to what they are.