Joe Venuti was a famous Jazz Violinist that was playing on Cape Cod one summer .  THe guy that owned the business that I was the recording engineer for somehow talked Joe into bringing his quartet into our studio for us to record.  It was a special evening, just the band, me and the owner in the corner sipping lemonade.  I was 22 years old, and at that time might have inhaled before the session began,,,perhaps, and he said  “kid, set the levels and grab that trumpet case I see beside your machinery”  Two songs, like holding onto a pissed off lions tail, but somehow I held on and did it.

I had the master tape, but it got damaged in my basement when a pipe broke.  But I have the memory!

Joe died less than a month after the session.  I was demolished by the news.  What an incredible player.  Slid around a tune like he was wearing dress shoes on ice, but was always playing the tune with the words in mind.  And funny!  He was commenting on one song at the request of the owner and said in a horrible French accent: ” A nice ditty by a French composer by the name of Raul LeCount Lappiear.”  Nobody but me got it, and it was included on the final vinyl release .  This is the first time I have admitted to putting an off-color joke in a serious recording Until this day .

de Rob, K1SRR