Author: seabreeze
Date: 2017-02-22 06:49
The Welk band harbored many players who were never allowed to really open up and play freely in their own style. One was the late Dave Edwards, then one of the best lead and solo alto sax players in the business--a great sight reader, interesting improvisor, and "quality control" person in the sax section. In solo spots, Welk kept him reined in and confined to minimally-embellished ballads and Jimmy Dorsey nostalgia. Dave was quite capable of playing the way Charlie Parker played on his recordings with strings, but if he had ever done that, it would have sent out fatal shock waves. Dave never took any nonsense from Welk though, which you could see from the look on Dave's face when Welk ventured to introduce him in an over-familiar, nonsensical way.
Dave did better than just "grin and bear it." He took the pay checks but never grinned.
Post Edited (2017-02-22 07:36)
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The Clarinet BBoard
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