Lionel "Mitch" Mitchell

[Greg]

There’s been a lot of catching up to do in the last two years since I returned to my home town. Hence my thread on Ronnie’s Riverqueen.
To pick up more info on the local scene I’ve followed Brian Nation’s suggestion in the Vancouver Jazz History thread and have been reading Mark Miller’s Such Melodious Racket. The book’s a fantastic achievement for several reasons but for me, Miller’s attention to Lionel Mitchell packs a tremendous wallop.
Mitch, as we knew him, was a close friend of my parents, as was his wife Vera (I’m not sure how to spell her name). I knew that he’d been around as a tenor player but the importance Miller attributes to him takes me completely by surprise. Our east-end family knew no big shots -- as far as I knew. Mitch was just a down-to-earth guy.
But even as a kid I knew a bit about him. Unless I’m mistaken, he served a stint with Duke Ellington. Some time in the ‘60s there was talk in the family, if I recall correctly (and the anecdote probably refers to sometime before the ‘60s), that Mitch had turned down an invitation to sit in on one of the Duke’s Vancouver visits, apparently because of Mitch’s characteristic but unwarranted modesty.
Another story tells of his valour when things got rough one night in a Main-and-Hastings-area nightclub. He stepped to the fore when some guy started swinging a hook-shaped prosthesis.
A July 19th 1952, Vancouver Sun article, Negroes Live Next Door To Us, on display at the Roundhouse exhibit about Hogan’s Alley, simply states: “Lionel Mitchell played with the late Jimmy Lunceford’s band.” Did the paper accidently neglect to mention Mitch’s instrument? Or was the tenor man that well-known to Vancouverites in the early ‘50s?
Miller says Mitch died “in the 1960s.” I think that would have to be the late ‘60s or possibly sometime up to 1972. The cause might have been a brain tumor or complications arising therefrom. I had the impression that his passing went unnoticed in the jazz scene.
As far as I know, he hadn’t been playing for a while -- but how long a while, I don’t know. I thought of sending an obit to Downbeat, but as a grade-10-expelled east-end teenager with a very spotty knowledge of his bio, I didn’t know how to go about it.
Now, as an oldish geezer, I have only a sketchy memory of the man and no first-hand knowledge of his music. Does anybody have anything to add about him or his music? Any recordings? Any memories?
Mitch, I hardly knew you.

[John Doheny]

I'm finding this whole "Hogan's Alley" thing very...strange. I'm not a native Vancouverite. I grew up in Seattle, which had, and still has, a substantial African American community, amounting to about 15% of the city's population. Small by the standard of most American cities, but still much, much bigger than Hogan's Alley, which , as Greg points out, was not even an exclusively Black neighborhood. I've noticed this about other African Canadian communities as well. The Jane-Finch corridor, which Torontonians sometimes refer to ( grandiously?!?) as a "Ghetto", is actually a "mixed" neighborhood. The only explaination I can come up with for this is that Canada's brand of racism is and has been of a less institutionalized variety.

In the early 70's I had a house gig at the Club New Delhi at Main and Keefer. Some of the clientele there were Hogan's Alley vets and when the subject of conversation was jazz tenor playing, Mr. Mitchel's name would always come up. If the speaker wanted to compliment me on my playing, he or she would compare me favorably to Mitch. I heard the story about Mitch and "Captain Hook" from Vi of Vi's Chicken House, where we used to go after the gig to eat and play the fabulously well stocked juke box. She had the incident happening at the Harlem Nocturne but others had it taking place in the Stratford Hotel beer parlor, so who knows. I did hear from several different sources that Mitch had played with Ellington, but the lenghth of his stint seemed to expand depending on the number of drinks consumed and how much reflected glory the speaker wanted to bask in. I did get the impression he had passed quite recently, so Greg, you may be right about Mark Miller getting the date of his death wrong.

At the time, I thought I was just playing my horn in strip joints and hanging out in pimp bars, but it turns out I was wandering through the remnants of Vancouver's Black History.

[Dark_Coffee]

At the time, I thought I was just playing my horn in strip joints and hanging out in pimp bars, but it turns out I was wandering through the remnants of Vancouver's Black History.

I feel badly that I know nothing of the man you-all are speaking about...but your comment at the end is an absolutely WONDERFUL PERSPECTIVE. Little do we know where we are when we're there, hey?

I'm going to hang onto your comment ... as I hope others do and look at their present place in time with that perspective. Got any more???;)

[John Doheny]

Wow! Not only do you pour a nice dark, but you're a deep thinker ( and like all really great bar staff, you make me look smarter to my friends than I actually am).

In thinking back to those days I remember often feeling like I wanted to be somewhere else, somewhere more "happening". But the perspective of time spent in other cities has brought home the old adage "no matter where you are, there you at", and the deaths of local community "griots" like Al Weirtz , Fraser McPherson and Linton Garner have made me much more appreciative of those who remain.

Those who remain include you and me. Much to my shock and horror I find myself stumbling into the role of elder statesman (Gaak). I have students now who apparently think I have some sort of KNOWLEDGE about this jazz stuff, some sort of HANDLE on the process. They seem to think I actually know what I'm doing! It makes me feel like a terrible fraud sometimes, ( Now CAM RYGA! Now THERE'S a guy who knows something) but it also confers upon me a great sense of responsibility. Responsibilty to make sure my students get good information, and avoid, if possible, the many jackpots and blind alleys that have hampered my own musical development ( mostly drugs, alcohol and stupidity ) , but also a responsibility to uphold the continuing narrative that is the history of this music.

Was it Nat Hentoff who said that jazz musicians are literary figures as well as musical ones? I wasn't really a jazz musician during the joints heyday ( I think I played there twice, once with Gibson Monk and once with Al Weirtz). I was playing across the street at the Savoy, the Spinning Wheel and Gassy Jacks (later Froggies, and later still "Cowboys". My pal Bobby Barker was always threatening to open a place across the street from it called "Indians") with people like Jim Byrnes and Kenny Brown. But on off nights or sometimes after the gig we would come to the joint for a 'dark', and I remember you as always being very nice to me . I don't know if I've moved "upward" since those days ( well not financially anyway. I actually made a living playing music then. More than half my income is from teaching now), but I've certainly gotten a lot more serious about music. I've come to realize that it's a privelidge to be a musician, and that I should respect that and not squander my energies getting high and chasing cocktail waitresses ( nothing personal, but my wife takes a dim view of that last one).

What I'm saying, you have a unique perspective on a key era in the history of the music in this city. Please don't keep it to yourself.

Glad to have you back, after all this time.

John D.

www.Johndoheny.com

[Dark_Coffee]

Originally posted by John Doheny
Wow! Not only do you pour a nice dark, but you're a deep thinker ( and like all really great bar staff, you make me look smarter to my friends than I actually am).

"Gee Thanks." says Carman. Not busy people/hermits get to think a lot :-)

In thinking back to those days I remember often feeling like I wanted to be somewhere else, somewhere more "happening". But the perspective of time spent in other cities has brought home the old adage "no matter where you are, there you at", and the deaths of local community "griots" like Al Weirtz , Fraser McPherson and Linton Garner have made me much more appreciative of those who remain.

AL "WURTZ" the drummer do you mean??????? God. NO!!!!! I didn't hear about that!! I remember him from the Joint Days if you're talking about Al Wurtz. Between him and Paul Plimley: Piano's, Drums, and ears, will never be the same!!! How did Al pass away? He wasn't "old" I did read in here about Fraser and Linton. God. People are leaving us

Those who remain include you and me. Much to my shock and horror I find myself stumbling into the role of elder statesman (Gaak). I have students now who apparently think I have some sort of KNOWLEDGE about this jazz stuff, some sort of HANDLE on the process. They seem to think I actually know what I'm doing! It makes me feel like a terrible fraud sometimes, ( Now CAM RYGA! Now THERE'S a guy who knows something)

CAM RYGA has also moved Upwards... Hmmm. So many people who played and passed through the Joint have really grown and got "up there and out there" with their music. I know zip about music, and don't have an abundance of knowledge and talent for anything. But that's okay. Leaves more room for accomplishment, fame and glory, for others. I've been too busy being Mom and gazing at my navel. It's not a bad navel though, as far as navels go(GRIN)

but it also confers upon me a great sense of responsibility. Responsibilty to make sure my students get good information, and avoid, if possible, the many jackpots and blind alleys that have hampered my own musical development ( mostly drugs, alcohol and stupidity ) , but also a responsibility to uphold the continuing narrative that is the history of this music.

"...passing on knowledge to grow and build on..." is so cool. I'm extremely supportive (in my armchair-traveller way, of keeping history alive by keeping it's stories happening. Am also a little into family history and geneology. I notice how much "looking at history" gives a different perspective on the present and the future. Yesterday sure made me, I'll tell yah (GRIN)

Was it Nat Hentoff who said that jazz musicians are literary figures as well as musical ones? I wasn't really a jazz musician during the joints heyday ( I think I played there twice, once with Gibson Monk and once with Al Weirtz). I was playing across the street at the Savoy, the Spinning Wheel and Gassy Jacks (later Froggies, and later still "Cowboys". My pal Bobby Barker was always threatening to open a place across the street from it called "Indians") with people like Jim Byrnes and Kenny Brown. But on off nights or sometimes after the gig we would come to the joint for a 'dark', and I remember you as always being very nice to me (Thanks!...I'm glad you remember me kindly!says Carman). I don't know if I've moved "upward" since those days ( well not financially anyway. I actually made a living playing music then. More than half my income is from teaching now), but I've certainly gotten a lot more serious about music. I've come to realize that it's a privelidge to be a musician, and that I should respect that and not squander my energies getting high and chasing cocktail waitresses ( nothing personal, but my wife takes a dim view of that last one).

What I'm saying, you have a unique perspective on a key era in the history of the music in this city. Please don't keep it to yourself.

"...As I've said John... I know Zip about Music, or even the whole environment. I have a sort of "tunnel-vision" perspective on it all. I don't know enough to get a full understanding of exactly "who and what" I was part of, poured spirits for, or....well... gotta keep some secrets! (GRIN) If I start hanging out in here I may even get rid of some of my tunnel vision ignorance and get an education on who's who and what's what with Jazz and the "Jazzers" and...
it really is a GOOD thing to not chase waittresses. Sometimes you lose the wife... and the waitress. It ain't worth it to risk you family and your favorite waitress. Life is so much "LESS" without both in your life (GRIN)

Glad to have you back, after all this time.
[COLOR=RED]It feels good to around some people from the good old days. I miss a lot about them so like to reminisce a little here and there! I'll be back!!! Take care....Carman
John D.

www.Johndoheny.com

[Allan Johnston]

Carmen wrote:

<<AL "WURTZ" the drummer do you mean??????? God. NO!!!!! I didn't hear about that!! I remember him from the Joint Days if you're talking about Al Wurtz. Between him and Paul Plimley: Piano's, Drums, and ears, will never be the same!!! How did Al pass away? He wasn't "old" I did read in here about Fraser and Linton. God. People are leaving us>>

Hi Carmen -

Yeah, that Al Wiertz...

Al passed away from Lung Cancer a few years ago. He was one of my housemates in NV just before that. At the time, he was recovering from a broken back a year or two earlier, and was in a lot of pain. He went to a Chiropractor for a couple of years, and took a lot of aspirin. If I remember correctly, the aspirin did a number on his stomach, and while he was in the hospital an X Ray showed that his back had been healed for a while - the pain was due to a large tumor putting pressure on his spine. It was only a matter of time after that, but Al went out the way he always lived - playing (and talking ;-). Al was one of those drummers that ALWAYS made a bassist feel that he was being kicked in the ass. No matter what the gig, you could always count on a very loud "WHOA!!!" from Al if you were swingin'. You could even hear it over the drums... ;-)

See a real doctor regularly, people...

[John Doheny]

Al "Wurtz"! The drummer do you mean??????

Yes I'm sorry to say I do mean Al Weirtz ( I'm pretty sure thats the correct spelling. I've written it on an AFM contract or three). Al passed in 95 or 96 I believe it was. He had lung cancer ( you'll probly remember he smoked almost as much as Claude Ranger). Al was the drummer in the first quartet I ever formed as a leader. I'm glad I had a chance to tell him, before he died, how much I appreciated his donating his time and expertise to that project. I was a total jazz neophyte at the time, and having someone of his stature in the band really kicked it up a notch. I'm glad I took the opportunity to tell him how much his friendship and mentorship meant to me while he was still around to hear it. I wish I'd done the same for Fraser McPherson, but sadly, it's too late.

There used to be some good stories about Al under the "interviews" thread, but some fumblefingers named Brian Nation (not THAT Brian Nation but this OTHER Brian Nation) accidentally deleted them.

It's a GOOD thing not to chase waitresses.

Yeah, I know that now. If I'd known that 25 years ago I might still be married to my FIRST wife (not sure if THAT would be a good thing or not). And you're right, I treasure the wife and the waitresses I have in my life too much now to ever do anything to screw up the delicate and precious ecological balance of THAT scene (though your reference to your navel did provoke a barking noise from "Bad John", my evil twin. We don't pay any attention to him nowdays, though).

CAM RYGA has also moved upwards...

Oh yeah! Cam is sho' 'nuff the shizzit. Fo' Shiggity!

I know Zip about Music, or even the whole environment

Just because you're not an "expert" does not, in any way, mean your perpective isn't important. YOU WERE THERE. Tell us about it.

[Allan Johnston]

PS - I ran into Al's former wife, Patty, a few months ago. She told me that Al's daughter Natalie (who was undoubtedly the light of his life, apple of his eye, etc..) has grown into an exceptionally bright and creative young adult...

[Dark_Coffee]

Al went out the way he always lived - playing (and talking ;-). Al was one of those drummers that ALWAYS made a bassist feel that he was being kicked in the ass. No matter what the gig, you could always count on a very loud "WHOA!!!" from Al if you were swingin'. You could even hear it over the drums...;-)

See a real doctor regularly, people...
_________________
Al Johnston

Hi AL;

Thanks for filling me in about Al. I'm sorry to hear he's gone, sorry to hear what he went through. Happy to hear he was enjoying himself when he left us."WHOA" ... cool;)

I've been out of touch with people at the coast for a lot of years, which explains why I don't know a lot of what's happened. I'll visit in here to catch up a bit:-)

Take Care...Carman

[Morgan Childs]

Huh? HOLDup... Did Doheny just say what i THINK he just said? No... wait... nevermind, I've been practicing vibes for 5 or 6 hours here... my brain is shot.

[Dark_Coffee]

-------QUOTE:
It's a GOOD thing not to chase waitresses.
-------
Yeah, I know that now. If I'd known that 25 years
ago I might still be married to my FIRST wife (not
sure if THAT would be a good thing or not). And
you're right, I treasure the wife and the waitresses I have in my life too much now to ever do anything to screw up the delicate and precious ecological balance of THAT scene (though your reference to your navel did provoke a barking noise from "Bad John", my evil twin. We don't pay any attention to him nowdays, though).
------UNQUOTE.


All us "old babes waitresses and wives" make for mean menopausal mama mother-F's when we're disappointed by the likes of straying men.

Hey John... It would be great to cop and paste these "AL WEIRTZ" posts into the new AL Thread I see you just started.

I'll be back with more comments when I've had some rest and can think! Carman