Dan Gould

Yeah that worked thanks! (of course this isn't really made up, except for the fact that there is only one tune, not a full set, but I figured if the theme was "WTF?" then this fit in just fine.)

Percy, Wild Bill & The Housewives Never broadcast complete performance by the Wild Bill Davis Quartet featuring Percy France from the set of Carousel, a German-language Swiss TV show which featured cooking segments, modern art exhibits, audience quiz segments, and swinging performances by modern jazz groups.

Sorry to hear about your friend's aunt. Its truly horrific and I have to say that until I saw that article I hadn't appreciated how large a section had collapsed. I thought it extended about as far as the opposite side did. The surveillance camera footage is horrifying to watch ... and the way it came down in two sections makes me imagine that the victims in the first collapse never knew what happened but anyone in the second section would have been awakened to the incredible noise so close, wonder what happened before their section fell. Tragic.

Well thanks to board member Flurin, it looks like this hit by the Wild Bill Davis Quartet featuring Percy France was a one-off. I was hoping it was the kind of show where they record different segments in a single day and put them together for broadcast in post. But it turns out that the show did a single musical segment at the end of each program and that was it, apparently. Still cool to see Percy on video though. And did anyone notice A) how huge that guitarist's hands are or B) the fact that he was playing his guitar upside down?

The Dead End Kids Our Gang Chico & The Man

Anyone in Switzerland help a brother out? I am dying to know if that link is the entire show and includes more performances or not ... (where's the begging smilie when you need one?)

Definitely a cool cat who is missed.

You both bring skills that most of us wish we had, and in wider range than most of us could ever aspire to. Even if Thom sometimes talks himself out of an ID or ... just .... can't ... quite ... get the track out of the recesses of his still-young mind.

ARGH - I just looked up "Atlantic City" its the same track as on youtube. OTOH, here's a link to "Karussel from November 9 1987" - the broadcast date. If this is the whole show I might be in bidness. https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/karussell/video/karussell-vom-09-11-1987?urn=urn:srf:video:5aba7e6e-040f-48e1-9787-0fa04251b469

I think I just need some help from someone a Suisse: https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/karussell/video/wild-bill-davis?urn=urn:srf:video:9e55de65-d64b-4e3b-8aeb-7e3daf036d97 A google search brought me to that page, it says "unavailable outside of Switzerland" but the screen grab on Google is clearly a track, Atlantic City, from the same set. Looks like November 1987 production/broadcast, too. Is it possible the rest of the tracks are on that site too? Can someone with access please help? Thanks in advance!! Of course, with my luck that could be the same tune as what we already have, but length is 3:31 so probably not? Edit to add: Further searching suggests this might have been from a program, International Carousel Organ Festival.

I don't know if that Jazz Detective is that interested in my obsessions but I think that the more people who click on the youtube video the more likely it is the uploader realizes he has something people want and he'll upload the rest of the show. So can anyone else help me astroturf this guy into giving me the rest of it? It's already his second most played upload and by tomorrow, I'll have it at #1 with a bullet.

I saw that CD and ended up finding a download on Amazon IIRC, it's quite nice. At the time I had no idea that Percy gigged with Wild Bill or that the whole recording could have been France instead of Clifford (and you are right on the group, BTW). Anyway gonna have to keep fingers in a permanently locked state to hope that the uploader has more tracks or the whole TV show to share at some point. I thought I had a connection to Swiss TV but am told that the video can't be accessed.

So here is a screen grab from the end of the video ... am I right that this would be a broadcast from the German-language Swiss TV? That would make further sense in the context of being in Bern for the Festival. I know that there were club dates by the Price trio alone, maybe Percy lined this up while he was off. Thanks.

Not thinking of Burns specifically ... other "popular music" writers who take a shot at a jazz book or bio that just betrays their ignorance.

+1 (And if he has no serious prior knowledge of jazz I'd be even more disinclined. Those are the kinds of books that perpetuate a lot of horseshit.)

And just like that, I went to youtube to check the stats on my uploads and discovered new totally unknown Percy France video! Credits at end indicate 1987 production, weird video effects for that era but on the other hand I know he went to Switzerland for the Bern Festival that year as part of the Sammy Price Two-Tenor Boogie. This is so cool, time to edit the web page.

Hadn't thought of those specifically ... I have used FB friends with wider reach, especially into jazz community, to drive the word thru FB. I have to wonder how many would jump up to join a page dedicated to a guy who had one CD as a leader that hardly had distribution, and three LPs during his career (not counting Doggett LPs that were never exclusively France on tenor). Anyway, my current thought about promotion is regular uploads to a Percy France channel on youtube. I've put up two tracks a year or so ago, one a complete ballad performance and the other a compilation of audio book clips. Both are at nearly 200 hits overall, I think. Regular uploads of partial, or sometimes complete tracks from the voluminous holdings with a link to the page in the comments might drive some traffic. I also think a youtube presence could be the best way to get contact from a family member.

I heard back from Michael and he promises a plug on the email/Gazette soon. Will be interesting as visits are down to single digits per day so with no planned promotional effort at the moment, I'll see the effect of the Gazette in pretty stark terms.

None of our heroes (well virtually none) were regarded as without fault at the time their careers were in full swing. But Weeds isn't writing back then, he's writing in 2021, and with 60 years of hindsight does anyone think Hawes wasn't talented? In researching for my Percy France website I found so many reviews of great albums that didn't just denigrate players we adore, but also said things like "with so many recordings to choose from, this one just doesn't make the cut," and that in the context of what a lot of people would call stone-cold classics.

Maybe his fingers tripped over "underappreciated"?

Maybe he reprised his role in some new show? Not concerned about that.

An under-appreciated gem of an episode (and one of the single greatest casting decisions of all time) was Bert Parks as Herb's dad. The look on Jennifer's face when she realizes the salesman at her desk is Herb's father was priceless and hysterical. Edit to add: and the Junior and Senior have a lovely scene at the end that touches on fathers and the sons who love them/need their respect. That's how I'll think of Frank Bonner. RIP.

Someone of taste and sophistication, not to mention an interest in music, not just sound reproduction.

Stouffer Kellogg Tony The Tiger

and on top of that, a grand total of one person has come from Hoffman to my Percy France website.