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Song o' the Day-"When You and I Were Young, Maggie"
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New Orleans JAZZ NHP’s Song o’ the Day:
“When You and I Were Young Maggie”
July 7th – Willie Gary “Bunk” Johnson left us on this date in 1949. And, although it seems more fun to acknowledge entries than exits (today is Ringo Starr’s birthday, if that helps), previous “departures” of this early Jazz Great significantly affected the course of music history. As an adolescent he played gigs for Buddy Bolden’s Band, and, by 1905, was a top trumpeter in New Orleans. In 1915, though, he failed to appear for a Mardi Gras parade job, and the Krewe’s resultant ire induced him to relocate to New Iberia. Then, while playing at a rowdy dance in Rayne, La., he lost his trumpet and his front teeth in a scuffle. This precipitated his complete departure from music for years until renewed interest in his work inspired admirers to fund a new horn & some teeth, enabling him to play again.
After that, though, another Bunk disappearance on the final day of a 1944 recording session, necessitated several changes of plans. One of those alterations, as intriguingly recounted in the booklet accompanying “The Revival” CD, was bassist “Slow Drag” Pavageau’s suggestion they record one of the world’s oldest popular songs, “When You and I Were Young, Maggie”! And here we are today, commemorating the passing of Willie G. Johnson by listening to the Arrowhead Jazz Band perform a version of the song that was previously recorded by Bunk’s bandmates because he wasn’t there! Ain’t Jazz great!
From: The Revival: A Chronology of New Orleans Jazz, Volume 2
Produced by: Arrowhead Records
Written by: George Johnson & J.C. Butterfield
Performed by: The Arrowhead Jazz Band, featuring Chris Tyle (trumpet), Tom Fischer (Clarinet), Freddie Lonzo (trombone), Lawrence Cotton (piano), Walter Payton (string bass) & Barry Martyn (drums)
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Public domain image, wikicommons
NPS photo: Eric Waters, graphics by Diana Thornton (crescentmusic.com)