It was only a couple of times that CMC and Maryanne joined us for thanksgiving dinner but the first time not being in the spirit for a turkey we made enchiladas and they showed up with a bottle of Pino Griggio. It turned into a thanksgiving tradition at our house that CMC and I often joked about. So here's giving thanks to an old friendship on thanksgiving with our traditional fare.
On the out of town jobs we would usually get together in CMC’s room and have a drink or two to unwind before bed. While I was part of the band it was usually Buddy Christian, myself and various others. On arriving in Paris for a job Charles and the rhythm section had to head promptly out to the job site to rehearse with a “Cabaret” singer that was going to do a few numbers with the band. After a lot of waiting and a not so fruitful rehearsal we barely had time to change and go to work. The singer ended up not performing. Charles felt terrible. There wasn’t time for any of us to get something for after the job but Charles had bought a bottle of scotch in the duty free shop on the plane so we ended up huddled around a tiny balcony facing the street in CMC’s room drinking the scotch and watching Paris pass by until breakfast. I think Andy Polon was with us on that night.
One of the most marvelous times I ever spent with Charles was after a job in Ireland. We had both decided to stay over on our own for a few days but by coincidence in the same town. Each day we would head off in our own direction, I had rented a bike and was determined to see all of Ireland in 5 days and Charles spent his time walking around Limerick. Each night the two of us would gather and talk till closing time and whatever bar we found.
CMC always liked Jan and was always telling me “don’t be a shmuck, you need to marry this girl” Well the wedding was on a very busy night and whoever they found to replace me made a horrible mess of the first dance and the job started and finished poorly. I knew nothing of this but for the first few years afterwords we got an anniversary card from someone we didn’t know. I mentioned it one day to CMC who confessed it was him sending it under the name of the lady who’s job went sour on the night of my wedding.
The first time I met Charles was sometime in the 80s on a Lanin job in Vermont. I had borrowed a very sturdy but a bit heavy flight case from a friend for my amp. Getting out of LGA with it was easy but when I tried to return the lady at the counter said it was too heavy. Charles kept offering to pay whatever overweight charges she wanted but she insisted it was too heavy and wouldn’t take it. She finally agreed that if I could take something out and make it weight under their weight limit she would take it. I opened it up and played around in the case for a moment or two and put it back on the scale. This time it was within her limit and she took it. When we left the counter Charles asked me “What did you do to make the amp lighter?” The amp didn’t get lighter I held up the handle on my side till it came in underweight and she didn’t catch me. That’s the kind of spirit we need around here roared Charles and that was the start of a long and wonderful friendship.
