Racism, A Conditioned Reflex
There was a time when I travelled extensively in Europe. Naturally my trombone was always with me and I took every opportunity to play with local bands and to visit jazz clubs. In Zurich, Switzerland, at that time there was a very notable venue called 'The Widder Bar'. It was in actuality a restaurant, the owner a dedicated jazz lover, presented jazz in the evenings. Not just anyone, top international names.
One one particular evening I visited 'The Widder Bar' with a business associate, someone who travelled with fairly often. He, a really amiable individual, an American who lived in one of the more up market northern states, but from his marked accent originally from one of the states in the deep south.
The band included Thad Jones and Jerome Richardson and several other luminaries. Small audience, no more than thirty people, an intimate and agreeable ambience. A great evening of jazz from jazz greats. When the gig was over...
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