COUNT BASIE APOLLO THEATER HARLEM CIRCA 1952

First let me say thanks to my fellow jazz lovers, Doug Rhodes and his wife Daphne and one other person who's name I didn't get.  The three of them made sure that I got in to see the performance at  Sharp 9 last night.  I might have said thanks to the kindness of strangers, but their selfless action on my behalf just affirms what I continue to find in the jazz community in this area ---  there are no strangers.  Thanks folks.  I'm glad we all got to take in the performance.   What a great performance it was!  It reminded me of the first time my dad took me to the Apollo to hear that Basie band play.  That experience was smoking and so was the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra last night.  The folks took me right on back and it felt good.  Thanks to you all, those that I know sounded great and those who I don't know yet made me want to be sure to get to know them.  Thank you Jim Ketch, Aaron Hill, Dave Finucane (a fellow former Westchester County New York resident), Gregg Gelb, Kathy Gelb (who I was fortunate to sit next to and learn some more about jazz vocal performers) Ed Paolantonio, and all the rest of the band.  Please keep the great sounds coming -  even more often would be just fine with me.  Ed Furtick