Dizzy and Me

When I was 10 years old I got it into my head to learn the string bass. My school had a great music program and they taught me well. The first year I was eligible for all-state I was first chair. But when it came to playing jazz, well the less said the better. Every year my high school paid a well known muscian to play with the band and jazz band. So one year I played with Doc Severson, another the Herb Albert from the Tijuana Brass, and finally the last year was Dizzy Gillespie. Usually the people would come in, practice with the bands, give a short master class and disappear until concert. Dizzy had other things in mind. He practiced with both bands, gave a master class, and then he insisted that my drummer friend George, his pianist, and I spend the rest of the day just jamming with him. He was very gracious with the mediocre bass player and taught me several bass riffs. At the end of the day he had to be pulled away to go to a planned dinner. He was a class act through and through.