Excerpt from speech

"My fellow Americans, I never knew what it was before to be dressed without knowing I had anything on..."

"The state of the union suit is strong!"

"Because of siltrine and a patented elastic yoke!"

Alternative Cocktail Photo with Sazerac Special

In our last entry, the ever popular "A Lovely way to Hit The Bottle" post, those keen-eyed among you might have noticed the inclusion of the headstock of the rare mid 1920s P'Mico Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards model ukulele in the accompanying photograph (let me also note that the cocktail pictured wasn't just for show, it was delicious). Anyway, herewith the alternative illustration which shows not only all of the ingredients for the "UIC," but the famous Joel Eckhaus/Earnest Instruments Sazerac Special custom ukulele. Of course those who know me know full well that a ukulele in proximity to a bottle of hooch in proximity of yours truly is a terrifying combination.

A Lovely way to Hit the Bottle

The Ukelele Ike Cocktail
(Invented during the evacuation vacation)

For some reason there exist references to our hero Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards being born in Canada. He was born in Hannibal, Missouri. Considering his up-and-down career (mostly down) and his rueful personal life, Little Cliffy had every reason to be bitter.Through it all he entertained the folk withginger and pep.

Fill a cocktail glass with cracked ice
add 4 to 5 splashes of bitters
add 2 jiggers Canadian Whiskey
top with Ginger Ale, garnish with lemon peel.

"I'll drink Manhattans, the Bronx (Cocktail) and Staten Island (Martinis) too"

This is Sazerac the Clown.

This is Sazerac the Clown on drinks.

Wonderful Vaudeville Comedy

From Moran and Mack, the Two Black Crows, Part 3 1927 -- (I'm not sure who is who, so Moran will be first):

Moran: My dog, he had bad luck, he was crossing the railroad track and the train came before he got by...before he got ALL by...and the train cut the dog's tail off. What you know about that, hmmm?

Mack: The train cut the dog's tail off?

Moran: Yeah!

Mack: Oh, boy that's bad when a dog gets his tail cut off, he's got nothing to guide him, or nothing to balance him.

Moran: True, brother. True.

Mack: Certainly must have hurt his carriage.

Moran: He got his TAIL cut off.

Mack: That's what I said, it must have hurt his carriage.

Moran: No, it didn't hurt his carriage, but it ruined his waggin'!

Hyphens

Here is an over-hyphented logo to something that me and my pal Andrew Lee's dad, Don Lee, did maybe three times at the Neutral Ground. I did the Tin Pan and Don did the Ragtime. Maybe we'll do it again. However, this logo makes us sound much better than we are. The souvenir handkerchiefs bearing this logo are no longer available.

Troupers

The Tunica gang poolside: Back row: James Naylor, Hula Gal, Phil Melancon, Jim Pierce, Hula Gal. Front Row: Hula Gal, Dave Maleckar, Man in Bakelite Brand Radio Bow Tie, Hula Gal.

Well, at least I didn't have to flag a ride

One of the highlights of my evacuation vacation was the trip to Tunica, Mississippi. C’mon who doesn’t love Tunica? (?) Anyway the aforementioned Phil Melancon asked me to join his merry band of music makers, James Naylor, Dave Maleckar and Jim Pierce as well as a bevy of hip-shaking, grass-skirt-wearing beauties, in an Hawaiian themed evening of entertainment at the Grand Casino, Tunica for a convention of customers of the Amerimulch Corporation (visit them on the web at amerimulch.com!). Basically we were performing for men with very large wood chippers. It was Grand fun…except for the roulette table. Jim Pierce had driven all the way from Grafton, Wisconsin to play the steel guitar. He offered to drive me back to Memphis on his way out, but first he asked if I might mind heading to the intersection of Routes 61 and 49 where he had some business to attend to.

Selling his soul.

That's Jim in the picture. He went up to the counter and made his transaction. No problem. I was next in line. When the Devil saw my ukelele case he said, simply, “We’re closed.”

Hurricane Romancer

Phil Melancon stayed for the hurricane. Never left. The photo here I found on an accordian website but it originally appeared as visual accompaniment to a feature about him in the New York Times. You can search "Philip Melancon" on the Times website to access it. You need to have Times Select actually, so herewith a favorite paragraph or two...actually the next four:

"In the weeks after the hurricane, he spent the days minding the apartment building he manages all the way in the Uptown neighborhood at the end of Magazine Street, and in the evening, he would sit at his grand piano, amusing himself and the crickets in the dark.

"Two weeks after the hurricane, some military police from the Puerto Rican National Guard stopped by to check on his well-being and stayed for the music. One thing led to another, and they eventually loaded his piano and hauled it onto the bandstand in Audubon Park, where they were stationed. He told some bad jokes and played some of his own tunes, gorgeous miniature reflections on the city, and in the more recent ones, on its abasement.

"The soldiers found him a comfort, something the city continues to be a little short on, and word got around. He has since played five shows at high schools and community centers, mostly for the soldiers who are here to secure the city.

''It's my own little U.S.O. tour,'' he said, sitting in his apartment on Wednesday with his feet propped up on a cinder block.

Me again...anyway I say all of this because Mr. Phil has recorded an album of songs about his experience and calls it Hurricane Romance. He was kind enough to include on this disc the first number I ever wrote, "The Broadwater Blues" as a paen to our dearly departed Mississippi Gulf Coast. You can hear him play (and buy the record) any Friday or Saturday night at the Ponchartrain Hotel's Bayou Bar where he entertains the swells.

"...And then the baby Harp Seal says 'Anything but the Canadian Club!'"

OK. If all has gone according to plan, there is a photo here. It is from the Genial Orleanians first performance since August 27, 2005. Might have been the 26th. Anyway before the recent "weather event" here in New Orleans...this photograph is from the Neutral Ground last Monday night. It appeared in the Loyola Maroon. We're all about the kids.

I'll Take Manhattan

For reason's unbeknownst to me, my little trio "The Genial Orleanians" will perform at the New York Uke Fest in April. If you go to their website, www.nyukefest.com , you will see us listed after James Hill. Being on the same bill as Sazerac the Clown is, I am sure, the lowpoint of his career.

Is this thing on?

Please wait while I tune the dial