Bob Jones
To John and Devra !
A little story for you
Many years ago while working for George Wein, I was chosen to lead the Adderleys around Europe when they were enjoying a great deal of success with a couple of hit tunes on the Billboard Charts. “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” along with I think one called “Sticks” had taken them to almost every Jazz Festival the previous summer and we were having great crowds as we pushed our way through Western Europe.
The band of course had Cannon, Nat along with Roy McCurdy on drums, Victor Gaskin,bass and Joe Zawinul on keyboards. It was a great band and we very well received at every place we played. The day before we were to play Paris – not sure of the place – I was notified by the hotel that I had a “telex” from John. Upon reading the message I was informed that joining us in Paris would be the wives of Nat and Cannon and as they would arrive earlier then we were scheduled would I arrange to have them met at Orly. Not a problem I answered …. So they arrived, the band arrived, and I was asked to meet them ASAP – rushing to the hotel I was then asked to take all the tickets as quickly as possible and change all our lovely mid day departures to flights that would get the wives to the cities early enough to get some serious shopping done – and were headed to Geneva the next day! They already had their hearts set on this grand shopping adventure.
A quick taxi took me to the Air India office on Rue Auber — just across from American Express – a bit exhausted from the hectic schedule I sat down in front of one of the agents explained my problem and told her that I needed these tickets by 5 pm . It was then about 1:30 – she mentioned that my coat was torn –(what else Zawinul’s piano of course) and suggested a place to get a new one – sounded like a good idea –finished doing that , came back and promptly fell asleep on the counter— The agent woke me up to tell me my tickets were finished and now she and her friends had figured out that I might be able to get them in the theatre ( it was SRO)–I was happy to take care of them – after all they not only were beautiful but got the tickets done , we all had a great night – So the wives were happy, the band a little grumpy having to get up early — and 14 months later I married the most beautiful agent from Air India !
Thanks ladies, thank you John, that telex was best one I ever got !
Robert Jones and Marguerite – former agent at Air India, Paris
Oh yes she was a Cannonball fan !