It's time for another Mystery Photo

[Christiern]

The Silver Rail, a harlem bar, 1963. Who is hanging out on a Sunday afternoon? You might ID 3 of these guys.

[Don Brown]

I think that's Chris Albertson second from the left.

[Jim Alfredson]

Kinda looks like Horace Silver on the far right, but I know it's not.

[Christiern]

Don's got one right. B3er batting zero, so far.

[wesbed]

The guy in the middle, a young Lyle Mays?

Edited February 7, 2005 by wesbed

[slide_advantage_redoux]

Attila Zoller on the right?

[catesta]

A very long shot, is one of the gentlemen Howard McGhee?

[Jim Alfredson]

Don's got one right. B3er batting zero, so far.

Well, I recognized you but figured that would be stating the obvious.

[Dmitry]

Alfred Lion on the far left?

[mikeweil]

Is that George Shearing on the left?

[Chuck Nessa]

Seems that Louis Nye is about to get an earfull.

[catesta]

Seems that Louis Nye is about to get an earfull.

I think this is a winner.

19??

(1960)

[Christiern]

Chuck is right, that Louis Nye. I don't expect anyone to recognize the guy on my left (whose birthday we were celebrating), but who's the guy on my right? Need a hint?

[catesta]

Need a hint?

Yes. B-)

[Guest Chaney]

Peter Sellers

[Randy Twizzle]

Moe Green?

[Chuck Nessa]

I don't expect anyone to recognize the guy on my left (whose birthday we were celebrating),

Geez, I didn't know Wilbur Sweatman looked like THAT!

[Christiern]

• First hint:
  

[catesta]

I'm waiting for the second hint.

[Randy Twizzle]

William B Williams? (a DJ on WNEW AM)

[Christiern]

Bingo, Randy!

At the time when the photo was taken, Louis and Willie B were co-hosting the ABC-TV night show. The birthday celebrant is Tom Tracy, who was an audio engineer at WNEW, where I also worked.

[Chuck Nessa]

Thanks for posting stuff like this.

[Christiern]

Do you still keep in touch with him?

I think that's a different Tom Tracy--but maybe not. Anyway, I haven't kept in touch with him. I left WNEW to go with WBAI and, soon thereafter, when I became general manager of that station, I brought Tom over to be my chief engineer. I also stole Willie B's secretary, Joan Henry.

[Randy Twizzle]

My father was a dedicated WNEW listener and fan of Willy B's. He always had the station on in his car and that's where I mostly heard Williams. He had a great voice, but didn't really say much that interested me. He seemed to always be claiming deep and lasting friendship with Steve and Edie, Buddy Hackett etc. I know he was also supposedly a great pal of Sinatra and may have been the first to name him "The Chairman of the Board." When I was in high school I remember reading a passage in the "Happy Hooker" where Xaviera Hollander describes some kinky sex with a famous DJ she called something like "Tommy B Thompson". I almost told my old man about it...

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Is that bar the place Bessie Smith first sang "Gimme a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer" ?

Edited February 8, 2005 by Son-of-a-Weizen