wiseone2

This is a picture of the group minus George Duvivier, Warren Smith and Cecil Bridgewater.
Check out the abundance of hair. We played The Rolf Lieberman Concerto for Jazzband and Orchestra. Wynton was 18. Eddie Carroll was a little older.

PH

Great picture, Wilmer! Who are the other folks? I think I recognize Ron Bridgewater and Janice Robinson, right?

(Later) Never mind. I finally scrolled all the way to the right.

Manny Laureano

O M G !!!

What a fabulous, collectible photo, Wilmer. Do you have the actual photo or was that from a newspaper? You could retire (G-d forbid) on that one to Nova Scotia (forget Miami... too hot).

ML

wiseone2

It is a flyer for the concert. I picked up a handful at the time. I am down to this last one. I had better save it!
Twenty-seven years ago................It seems like.......Twenty-seven years

ecarroll

Wilmer,

Funny.......I don't remember performances with that band, but I do remember renting a VW bus (24, and quite a man of the world back then) and taking it for a little roadtrip from Mexico City, over Cuernavaca, to a silver mining town with George, Doug, young Wynton and, I think, you (probably a few others as well). Sadly, detailed memory went with the hair.

What a riot and thanks for posting this. Maybe I'll get a bit of cred with my students?

Best,
EC

wiseone2

Eddie,

I have the same problem. I do remember coming down into Mexico City that evening, and being blown away by the panorama of glittering lights. it is spectacular at night.
Wynton,Doug Purvience and the two Sagittarius bad boys
You drove great............I think we went to Puebla and Cuernavaca on that trip. C.R.S

The Leibermann was recorded with the Sauter-Finagan band and the Chicago Symphony.

Wilmer

tromj

Ed Carroll is here too now? Wow. I better watch my behavior. Jon Taylor looks exactly the same. Sorta. I taught his kid cornet in my school job.

MalinTrumpet

I'm going to Email this to Douglas, and then blackmail him. Ed, you're so cute!!!! You look like your sons. Hair!!!!

Larry Malin

tromj

Wilmer, could you tell us a little more about this group? It seems like a bunch of mostly classical guys. How did it work?

wiseone2

In truth, it was a pick-up group. The Mexico City gig was the only time we played together. The conductor was a student of Lukas Foss, and had conducted the Brooklyn Philharmonic earlier that year. He asked the contractor, Sam Levitan, to put together a group to play the Liebermann Concerto. Sam asked my help putting together the group. Sam was funny. His players list had guys who had passed away many years before. I personally picked the band. They were all friends of mine. I first heard Wynton play jazz on that trip, I was under the impression he was only an orchestral player.
They offered some extra bucks for a Jazz concert the next night. We, of course, took the bread
I remember the look on George Duvivier's face when he heard Wynton play. He was blown away by the 18 year old.
It was a fun trip that ended like a movie.
We hit CAT over Newark and could not land on time. We circled the airport for hours. It was truly frightening. The plane would drop suddenly, and many people let go dinner. I was sitting next to the most beautiful woman on the plane and she held my hand. I think she was Miss Mexico.
We survived............Denzel Washington is playing me in the movie
Wilmer