The Biggest Phallic Symbol In Music: Stogie's Bass

I have now completed five of the six classes assigned in my "Beginning Big Band" adult education course.  It
has been great for me, giving me an incentive to really learn my double bass (also called string bass, upright bass, bass fiddle and dog house).  Yes, I have the biggest fiddle in the room.  Well, the only fiddle, actually. Why did I choose to play the double bass?  Because it was the biggest phallic symbol I could find.   Thank you for asking.

Ever hear the old saying, "He couldn't hit a bull in the butt with a bass fiddle"?  Well my bass fiddle is taller than I am, wider than I am, but only weighs 22 pounds.  So it is possible, though I am yet to find a bull on which to test the theory.  This piece of irrelevant trivia is presented as a public service.

Our latest song to play is "In The Mood."  Scroll down to hear Glenn Miller's version, which is somewhat better than ours.

After five weeks in the class, my note reading ability is the best it has ever been.  That alone was worth the $72 registration fee.  The strength of my fingers has increased considerably, as well as my knowledge of the bass neck.  However, I still have much to learn.  I will continue practicing scales intently, until I can find any note anywhere on the neck, accurately and instantly.  Then I will continue practicing scales to be sure I don't lose the skill.  The songs we are practicing now include the following:  In The Mood, Sing Sing Sing, Pennsylvania 6-5000, A String of Pearls, and Greensleeves.  These are all big band songs from the 1940s, which is why you haven't heard of them.

My friend and attorney, the alto sax player, is very enthusiastic about forming a small jazz trio or quartet and playing some gigs.  That man is a wailing fool!

The bad news:  our band leader, a lovely lady Brit, is returning to the U.K. at the end of the month, and we will have to find another.


This is how they rocked out in '41

The shenanigans of the band are a bit corny by today's standards, but the music is great.  This song is still a popular jazz piece today.  The little blonde sitting at the table is Sonja Henie.  She was a Norwegian figure skater and film star, a three-time Olympic Champion in Ladies' Singles, a ten-time World Champion and a six-time European Champion.  She died of leukemia in 1969, at age 57.