My friend, a big band leader talks with me about music and sounds when I visited him at the nursing home one day.

Bill Maisel 1919- 2003
by Henry B Stevens
10/10/2003


 “My hidden desire would be to arrive unannounced where the old band
 was having a practice session and I could just listen.
 You know, some of the fellows had really developed a sweet sound.”

wheel chaired of partial mind
Big Band leader of long ago
recited to me, his friend,
what four saxophones
two trumpets
one trombone
set of drums
piano
and female vocalist
could "Tuxcedo Junction"
"How High The Moon"
sweet sounds..

hundreds of gigs, clubs
formal dances, benefit
balls, graduations.
they played the sweet sounds.

I wondered at what
sweet sound  now played in
his mind which didn’t
know what he just had
for lunch.

I remember
being younger
Dorsey, James, Miller
I once saw in concert
Ella Fitzgerald
with Louis Armstrong
and thrilled to hear,
which I don’t do
so well anymore

when I no longer
remember the sweet sounds
where will they be?


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