While I may be in the same decade, I have a best and worst from a lesser known band from a bit different genre - but this musician was like GOD to me!! As a young aspiring trumpet player, I went across the Windsor tunnel in the summer of 1974 to hear a jazz/rock group called "Chase" headlined by master high-register trumpet player Bill Chase. His group had a top chart hit in 1971 called "Get It On" you may have heard.
I had heard Chase in 1972 at Cobo Hall in Detroit when they opened for Ike and Tina Turner. However, this concert in Windsor was at a small college (I believe it was called St Clair College) in the cafeteria so I was geeked about possibly seeing the group in a more intimate setting. My best friend and I show up, are ten feet from the stage and Chase (both the group and the man) played their living asses off - I was simply awestruck at the power, majesty and talent of the group. However, everyone else ignored them and chose to get hammered and socialize instead. It was incredulous to me that all that talent was ignored!! We went back to hear them the NEXT night - same thing. This time we talked to the band and Bill Chase was so gracious and appreciative it was amazing. As an impressionable young trumpet player I felt God had just descended and spoke to me personally. THEN, he invited my friend and I to be his guests that weekend at a dinner club in Kalamazoo called Mr. T-Bones. MY IDOL asked ME to be his guest!! I thought I was dreaming!!
Sorry for the long post but hang on with me a bit longer.
My friend and I make the 100 mile trip to Mr. T-Bones - and just as he said, the maitre de escorts us to the table in front of the stage and tells us dinner is on Mr. Chase and we are his guests. We eat a wonderful meal, hear a FABULOUS concert from the front row and he sits with us during the intermission and talks to us. You could have killed me right then and there and I would have died happy!
WORST STORY?? Tragically, ONE WEEK LATER THAT INCREDIBLE MAN AND MUSICIAN WAS DEAD - he and 4 of his band members died in a plane crash in an Iowa cornfield in August 1974 on the way to a gig.
He was a classy man, a fabulous musician/composer and the world lost a true monster of a trumpet player on that terrible day. I will always fondly remember those precious concerts, his grace and class and his music!!!
I had heard Chase in 1972 at Cobo Hall in Detroit when they opened for Ike and Tina Turner. However, this concert in Windsor was at a small college (I believe it was called St Clair College) in the cafeteria so I was geeked about possibly seeing the group in a more intimate setting. My best friend and I show up, are ten feet from the stage and Chase (both the group and the man) played their living asses off - I was simply awestruck at the power, majesty and talent of the group. However, everyone else ignored them and chose to get hammered and socialize instead. It was incredulous to me that all that talent was ignored!! We went back to hear them the NEXT night - same thing. This time we talked to the band and Bill Chase was so gracious and appreciative it was amazing. As an impressionable young trumpet player I felt God had just descended and spoke to me personally. THEN, he invited my friend and I to be his guests that weekend at a dinner club in Kalamazoo called Mr. T-Bones. MY IDOL asked ME to be his guest!! I thought I was dreaming!!
Sorry for the long post but hang on with me a bit longer.
My friend and I make the 100 mile trip to Mr. T-Bones - and just as he said, the maitre de escorts us to the table in front of the stage and tells us dinner is on Mr. Chase and we are his guests. We eat a wonderful meal, hear a FABULOUS concert from the front row and he sits with us during the intermission and talks to us. You could have killed me right then and there and I would have died happy!
WORST STORY?? Tragically, ONE WEEK LATER THAT INCREDIBLE MAN AND MUSICIAN WAS DEAD - he and 4 of his band members died in a plane crash in an Iowa cornfield in August 1974 on the way to a gig.
He was a classy man, a fabulous musician/composer and the world lost a true monster of a trumpet player on that terrible day. I will always fondly remember those precious concerts, his grace and class and his music!!!