The Zig Gazette

The Zig Gazette

Christmas 2008

Thezigsband.com  Myspace.com/thezigsband

Jim Ziegler, Bill Raffensperger, Frank McPeters, Jim Downing

Sat Dec 20 Tulsa Elks Lodge with special guest Mary Fowler King

New Years – Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill, Disney OK

Marco Ogden Benefit/Tribute

I can’t imagine that we raised a huge amount to help Marco out, but the thought counts for a lot. Exit 6C is not a big place, but it was wall-to-wall with connoisseurs of Tulsa Rock and Roll.

Scott Ellison just keeps getting better and was channeling Albert King, which few people can do. The mysterious John Galley was playing piano with Scott. Galley was Leon’s Hammond man for years. The Jumpshots did an energetic set. Few people can sing and play drums at the same time and those that can are usually very good at both; case in point is Mike Dragoo.

A rare treat indeed was Rockin’ Jimmy Byfield And The Brothers of The Night. Yes, Jim had original members Walt Richmond, Steve Hickerson, and Chuck DeWalt. Allen Ransom was on bass. He played “Little Rachel” (which you all know Clapton covered) and Big Legged Woman. Hey, where’s the horn section?

“Markham is on tonight!” said Bill Snow. Mad Dog, Dennis Adams and I nodded enthusiastically. He has that true Chicago tone and was running all over the harmonica. Junior’s son Chebon was on guitar.

Big Daddy did a strong set with his smooth bassman Doug and the ever-funky Damon Daniel on drums.

I got drafted to play with an otherwise A-squad line-up of David Skinner, Kevin Flint, John Hoff and Steve Pryor. We had to be dragged off the stage. That was a lot of fun. We could call ourselves The Bleepers.

Others in attendance included Tom Hanford, Rob Armstrong, Jon Parris, Rocky Frisco, Dick Sims, Rob Reynolds, The Sandmeyers, Polly Ess and a lot of familiar faces whose names escape this aged brain.

The gal with Sims mentioned old characters David Culpepper and Eddy Mullens. Glenna got a picture of me with Dick and Rocky. I’d like to have a copy of that – three ridiculous keyboard geezers.

It was mostly a boomer crowd, but there were some younger folks there, perhaps regulars who came in, dug it and stayed. That’s good to know.

“There’s a lot of talent in this room.” Noted Adams sagely.

Tulsa is known for a crop of great drummers and Marco Ogden is on the first-call list. Marco is a multi-talented, passionate, artistic guy with a sharp sardonic sense of humor. We wish he’d felt up to coming, but it might have been difficult. We salute you, brother.

JOHN LENNON

Some of you have already gotten this link. This piece has been rewritten a couple of times. Thanks to David Arnett for posting it and adding some good photographs.

Remembering John

Randy Cochran shared his story of being holed up in Colorado with a young Shelby Eicher the night Lennon was killed. Cass commented “It was one of those moments that you always remember where you were.” Ron Getman confessed, “Good piece. To this day I can’t count the intro to ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand.”

Sat Dec 20 Tulsa Elks Lodge with special guest Mary Fowler King

New Years – Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill, Disney OK

FLOTSAM

Kendall-Whittier had their winter program last week. My granddaughter Alexis (aka Sweet Potato) actually sang most of the time when she wasn’t fidgeting. As with most second and third grade musical performances, one might say it was musically akin to Stravinsky or Harry Partch.

The school has an African drum program led by Leslie Brown. The beginning group is up to about 35 students this year.

The advanced drum group played at the Whittier Square lights-on event. Alexis’ brother Micah sat in with his old group. Also appearing were the Tiger choir, the WRHS marching band and the Santo Domingo Mariachis. They had guitar, five string tenor guitar, guitaronne and trumpet.  They sang “Feliz Navidad - We Wan Weesh You A Merry Cree Mah”

Vernon Howard is using some of our comments on cover songs in his jazz composition class at TU, only fostering our delusions of legitimacy. David Skinner is proposing some comments of his own, which we expect to be forthcoming.

We’d like to publicly thank Ralph and Leah for treating the whole band to the movie Cadillac Records. Blues fans, go see this. Despite some gaps, it’s a story close to our hearts. The acting is superb. Beyonce said doing it affected her art; she’s going for more soul now. The girl can act, by the way; she plays Etta James. Fun fact: Etta’s father was Minnesota Fats.

Dan Maxey

Boppin’ Jill, sister of Rockin’ John Henry, let us know that Dan Maxey passed away. He had played keys with Henry’s first nostalgia band, the Teen Tones. They also performed country under the name The Blue River Band. Maxey was in the original Bop Cats and played with the offshoot girl group Beauty & The Beats. He also played at Ziegfield’s with Tulsa’s Own Fame. He was only fifty-four.

THANKS

               …for seeing us through another year. 2009 will be our sixth year together and the sixth year of the notorious Zig Gazette.  By the way, the computer ate part of the archive. Does anyone have the collected Gazettes from the first half of 2007? If so, bundle them up and send them here.

               And Y’all have a very Merry Cree Mah!

Sat Dec 20 Tulsa Elks Lodge with special guest Mary Fowler King

New Years – Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill, Disney OK