Sometimes people and their music survive against all odds. The Jazz Pharaohs and other local bands keep entertaining in spite of the slim odds that they can make a living or keep big (seven players usually for the Pharaohs) groups together. After decades of old-school swinging jazz under his belt, Stanley Smith got pretty sick. Kidney failure. But you'd still see him out blowing his clarinet or playing guitar, a bandage covering the dialysis port. The other day we got an e-mail from young Liz Morphis announcing that Stanley had gotten a transplant. Imagine a musician surviving that financially in the U.S.A.? So last night on what was, I believe, Stan's 65th birthday [ed. Note: Liz says he's only 62], the Elephant Room turned into a big birthday bash with musicians donating CDs to sell and everyone passing the tip bucket for Stan. I'm sure it's literally a drop in the bucket for Stan's finances, but the music was great and the place was packed. FFP and I got there early, secured a great table for the first set, enjoyed the music and the comparatively cheap drinks for downtown and donated some spare cash in our wallets to the waitress and to Stan. I heard Stan say to one of his friends before playing, "My tone isn't what it used to be for the last four or five years. I don't know. Well, I got sick." I couldn't believe he was out there wailing away, but he was.The Pharaohs usually handle the happy hour on Wednesday at the Elephant Room for those of you who find yourselves in downtown Austin seeking jazz. Fact is, the Elephant Room has a show every night and, save Sundays, usually two.
Nice thing fellow musicians did on his behalf. It may not of come close to meeting his financial needs, but bet it helped him in knowing others cared enough to extend such kindness to him.
ReplyDeleteLiz says Stan is only 62. I was going on having thought I hear him say he went to Wrigley field on his tenth birthday in 1952. (He is wearing a Wrigley Field shirt.) Might have misheard. And I only know Stan from his playing. He definitely told us he went to Wrigley for a birthday when he was a kid. He said he remembered where he was that long ago and we probably barely remembered where we were last week! He's right there. And I couldn't even get his story straight a few hours later. So it goes.
ReplyDelete