Buzz

It just may turn out that BUZZ and I met-up some one-half century ago after all? We almost certainly met at the MAPLE LEAF BAR and CHESS CLUB up on OAK street in New Orleans in the mid-late 70’s. The LEAF opened in 1974 and I entered its doors pretty soon thereafter as did BUZZ.

Jacq and I ran IMAGES GALLERY 81 blocks off Canal Street, the LEAF is 83, and the McKENZIE’S was 81 and JED’S was 83. The LEAF and JED’s were pioneers of the live music uptown clubs often being the first place to play for new talent and yet another place for the established ones.

BUZZ got all ‘buzzed-up’ with the thought that she might have ran into me and the other late afternoon regulars in days of old and probably ran into their offspring on Friday, July 19th this year!

When we arrived around 7PM, we chatted with Tommy (Tommy and Charlene), entered and bee-lined (skeeter-lined?) to the stage area.

The BAR area did NOT include the likes of Angelo ‘the Wreck’, Sonny the Brain Guy, G.P. Charley, Chesstie John P., Urban-Loft Bill Strat, a certain German Language teacher, the snappy photog Judy, Tom & Charl, Rhett the poet, various authors, musicians, the English Lads, Fiona, Brandy, many others and, the lawyer holding ‘court’ C.O.B. himself (with LUNCH license plate), Jacq, me and all black clothes wearing Black Alice…who made HISTORY on the Bowling Machine one night.

In those days one contributed via the Tip Jar or hat and saw the Fess, Booker, various Nevilles, Marsha Ball, an Oriental Fox Trot Orchestra or a young Andrew’s Society Jazz Band…and later, Clear Jon and his Monster Gentleman (absolutely), Dean and Amy’s Family and sooo many others…

BUZZ recalls the burritos and popcorn while waiting for her ‘landry’ to dry and seeing the ‘Maple Leak’ flow out the front door near the bike in the window.

Some years later my kids ‘did the LEAF’ and the youngin’, her hubby, J.C. and Roy Fritchy were there with BUZZ to see ME finally take the stage with my fellow KAZOOERS in tow.

Roy warned the audience that we only ‘practiced’ for 3 seconds and later stated “WE PLAYED THE LEAF”!!!

NOTE: Dean, Amy and their families ‘backed us up’ by actually playing a song and the ‘back-up’ kazooers/dancers did their thing. It has got about a thousand hits on you-tube so far…and counting.

The stay over in Metairie at Roy’s was enjoyable…it was he who explained to BUZZ that she was a girl.

BUZZ slept during the whole rainy ride back home to New Iberia.

Ritchie, BUZZY, Amy, Deano, Paige, Chris, J.C. and them there Kazooers

New Iberia