The Grim Reaper snatches the sounds of youth

Fats Domino has died! Is it possible? Could it be? Why then is the world still turning, how could tonight’s six–day-old moon still reach its meridian with such perfect timing? How could such an influence in my youth no longer be part of our world?

What a large part of my life was his music, only I should confess that this important musical guide from the formative years hasn’t actually surfaced in my thoughts for many a long decade.

Once, though, his music seemed more important than oxygen, and was analysed constantly by the inner me and passed to the lips and blasted in as near a replica as a trumpeter could manage.

A DANCE BAND

As a youth, I played in what in those days was termed a dance band. Now we’d be a group. Basically we were piano, drums, and trumpet, and occasionally joined by a very accomplished violinist. I was the youngest, and very influenced by music of the time.

We played at old fashioned dances – and our music was already very old-fashioned back there in the middle to late fifties.

Our repertoire was decidedly what had been popular in WW2, and earlier. And it seemed the others were happy for it to stay that way.

However, when I heard Fats, real-name Antoine Domino Jr, I was a changed being and rock’n’roll became the Number One musical big love. Looking back, it hadn’t turn me away from serious music, but it certainly became the sounds that I wanted most to play.

Many arguments followed in the band, and it took some time before my passion won additions to our repertoire. But it did and Ain't That a Shame and Shake, Rattle & Rock!, and The Girl Can't Help It became familiar notes blasted from the Boosey and Hawkes’ flaring bell.

DRAMATIC SUICIDE

A locally-famed dance band trumpeter, Harry Strang, a very unamused fellow, had been my music tutor. I played a few notes of a Fats Domino tune to him, having assured him that it was the music of the future. He couldn't have agreed less, and so strongly that I was soon no longer invited back for tutoring.

Like modern groups, the band broke up after two or three years. Continues on the blogs for my ocean adventure book Sailing to Purgatory, >>> here SailingToPurgatory.com