Get Out The Way, Ol' Ben Tucker

[JSngry]

Can you say petty bickering?

http://www.ejazznews.com/modules.php?op=mo...order=0&thold=0

Hall of Fame All-Stars missing a star

Long-running dispute keeps Ben Tucker off ticket.

John Stoehr (Savannah Morning News)

Bassist Ben Tucker will be absent from tonight's ( 9/26 -Saturday’s) performance by the Savannah Coastal Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars. That's the elite group of musicians elected to the Hall of Fame by members of the Coastal Jazz Association for their contributions to jazz. Members Teddy Adams, a trombonist; saxophonist Eddie Pazant; and drummer Ben Riley are all confirmed to appear, but Tucker will again be absent as he has been for six years.

Why?

According to Teddy Adams, co-director of the All-Stars and the person responsible for booking the Jazz Festival, there are two reasons.

In 1998, by all accounts, Tucker left the stage during an All-Stars performance at that year's jazz festival. Tucker claims he left to honor a 6 p.m. gig and had informed Adams of this commitment

The All-Stars were slated to play at 3 p.m. but were delayed for two hours. As 6 p.m. drew near, Tucker signaled Adams that he had to leave. At that point, Adams informed Ike Carter, president of the Jazz Association, of Tucker's situation.

"Ike threw up his hands in disgust and the whole concert stopped," Tucker said.

Adams agrees he was aware of Tucker's situation, but said he warned him of delays.

"Ben knows that festivals don't start on time," Adams said. "Everyone knows that."

Adams also claims that Tucker had assured him that he had a substitute lined up for the other gig in case he could not leave.

"That is not correct," Tucker said in response. "I asked the bass player from the Air Force band to stick around to cover for me in case I had to leave. I had to figure out how to leave without hurting the All-Stars."

Tucker whose career includes recording credits with Benny Goodman, Shirley Horn and Johnny Mathis, never received another invitation from the All-Stars and said he's still unsure why.

What's certain is that from this communication breakdown arose bitterness and anger. "He stiffed us," Carter said.

Carter says he discovered later, however, why Tucker left the stage. At the time of the incident, Adams alone knew of Tucker's time issue. Both Adams' and Tucker's accounts support this fact.

"No one was privy to that information except Ben and me," Adams said.

The second reason for Tucker's estrangement from the All-Stars came one year later when Adams learned that Tucker booked an engagement on the same day the All-Stars were to play.

"That was disrespectful of the Coastal Jazz Association," Adams said.

Therefore, Adams said, the other All-Stars voted to ostracized Tucker. "We jointly decided he obviously wasn't interested in playing with us," Adams said. "So we didn't invite him back anymore."

But two other All-Stars do not corroborate that a consensus vote was taken.

"I'm not privy to that," said Ben Riley. "I don't live here." Riley said that he is not a voting member of the Jazz Association.

"I don't know anything about that," said Irene Reid. "I haven't seen Mr. Tucker in years."

When told Riley and Reid admitted ignorance of a consensus vote to oust Tucker, Adams said the Jazz Association's then board of directors approved the measure. However, he could not provide officials' names, except Carter's. Carter could not be reached for additional comment.

Tucker says he was unaware of a ban, but admits he took a gig on the same day of the All-Stars' performance. "I took it because no one invited me to play [with the All-Stars]," Tucker said. "If you want me to play, you have to call me."

Moreover, Tucker says he waited for Adams' call until September, which is late in the year for securing performers for the fall festival.

Tucker's befuddlement over the jazz association's poor planning is not isolated.

"The jazz festival is not a tight ship," said Rob Gibson, artistic and musical director of the Savannah Music Festival. "I'm interested to see if [tonight/(Saturday)] starts on time. This is a Savannah problem, not a festival problem."

As for Tucker's absence, Adams says there is hope. "We might revisit the issue," Adams said. "The door is not closed."

But for Tucker, it's water under the bridge. "I've put it out of my mind, heart and soul," Tucker said

[DTMX]

The second reason for Tucker's estrangement from the All-Stars came one year later when Adams learned that Tucker booked an engagement on the same day the All-Stars were to play.

They're saying a bassist had two gigs on the same night? C'mon - if they're going to make up a story, they should have at least made it believable.

(I kid, I kid - always wanted to be bassist, couldn't handle the intonation.)

Edited September 28, 2004 by DTMX