Topic: Larry Fine referenced to Miles Davis

[Shemoeley Fine]

My cousin forwarded me a post and 2 replies that references Larry Fine in a story about Miles Davis and a club patron. I thought some of you might be interested in reading how the influence of the Stooges is still alive and well even in anecdotes about jazz musicians.  The posts were found in a jazz news group.    S F

Initial posting <<<<<<
Later that night, the clubowner told me a Miles story.  He recalled
that on one jam-packed night, some dimwit was sitting in the front
row, right below the stage. The fellow kept boisterously shouting a
request: "Hey Miles, play Satin Doll! C'mon, play Satin Doll!"
Miles looked down upon him, said not a word, then expectorated.
Right there, on the spot.  On the stage. And went ahead with the
next tune. Which was decidedly NOT Satin Doll. >>>>>>>>


The sequel <<<<<<<<
From the pages of the Larry Fine Dictionary:
Definition: EXPECTORATE ('verb')
expectorated, expectorating
1. medicine. To cough up and spit out (phlegm).
Etymology: 17c: from Latin "expectorare," from ex from + pectus the
chest. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>


The follow up <<<<<<<<
I dunno about Larry Fine's dictionary.  The only Larry Fine I know
about was an excellent violinist, but an even better slapstick actor, known
as "Larry" of the Three Stooges.  Here's what Merriam-Webster has to say:
       Main Entry: ex·pec·to·rate
       Pronunciation: -t&-"rAt
       Function: verb
       Inflected Form(s): -rat·ed; -rat·ing
       Etymology: Latin expectoratus, past participle of expectorare to
banish from the mind (taken to mean literally "to expel from the chest"),
from ex- + pector-, pectus breast, soul -- more at PECTORAL
       transitive senses
       1 : to eject from the throat or lungs by coughing or hawking and
spitting
       2 : SPIT
       intransitive senses
       1 : to discharge matter from the throat or lungs by coughing or
hawking and spitting
       2 : SPIT
       - ex·pec·to·ra·tion  /-"spek-t&-'rA-sh&n/ noun

And inded, that's just what Miles did. >>>>>>>>>>

[Dunrobin]

For a second I thought the "dimwit" was going to turn out to be Larry.

The Stooges' influence is still felt everywhere.  It's almost impossible to imitate them and find someone who doesn't catch the reference.

What the heck is the "Larry Fine Dictionary"?  I did a Google search, but didn't find anything on it.

[Pilsner Panther]

After reading this post several times, I've come to the conclusion that it makes no sense whatsoever. Judging from the header, I thought it was going to be some story about Larry meeting Miles Davis— which would have been interesting, because it's hard to imagine two individuals who would have had less in common. Somehow, I don't think that the warm, gregarious Larry Fine and the surly, often defensive, and foul-mouthed Miles Davis would have hit it off.

Okay, they were both short, and musical.

I'm a huge Miles fan myself (there's no question that he was the greatest innovator in 20th century jazz), but I wouldn't want to have known him, since he was apparently rude to almost everyone he ever met.

Just what all this gobbledygook about a nonexistent "Larry Fine Dictionary," etc., is all supposed to mean, though, is beyond me...

 

[Giff me dat fill-em!]

I'd expectorate you chaps wouldn't have known what the poster was jabbering about, but I'd be willing to compile a "Larry" dictionary, beginning with:
C'mon, fellas, we got woik to do
phrase intended to dissuade fellow Stooges from their present altercation and to return to the task at hand

[Pilsner Panther]

The first entry in the "Larry Fine Dictionary" has to be:

Bal-ance, n., As in "I lost my bal-ance!" ("Punch Drunks"):

The accent is on the second syllable. Refers to an unrecoverable state of upright posture (and dignity) when stuck head-downwards in a swamp with one's legs flailing wildly in the air.

[kinderscenen]

Damn! I thought I was going to get a story like the one referenced in "One Fine Stooge," where Larry met Don Ho. This, of course, would've been a million times better, since I can see Larry meeting Don Ho. But Larry meeting Miles Davis? Not to say it would've been unlikely, but I could see him meeting someone like Duke Ellington a little better.

[FineBari3]

The first entry in the "Larry Fine Dictionary" has to be:

Bal-ance, n., As in "I lost my bal-ance!" ("Punch Drunks"):

The accent is on the second syllable. Refers to an unrecoverable state of upright posture (and dignity) when stuck head-downwards in a swamp with one's legs flailing wildly in the air.

How about this for an entry:

In "Beer and Pretzels", larry says "This is a high-class jernt!".  This is said like the way Archie Bunker says 'toilet' (ter-let). I guess it is a regional thing, even though Larry was from Philly and Archie was from Queens.

[jrvass]

I had an uncle from Connecticut that called it a "terlet". I think that dialect is regional to New England states.

James

[Pilsner Panther]

Let's get back on topic here! Did someone say Miles Davis and Larry Fine? This extremely rare photograph was recently discovered in the archives of Prestige Records:



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[Shemoeley Fine]

Since Larry was violinist, do we know if indeed Larry might have been a jazz or swing fan? It seems obvious to me that Curly was a swing jazz fan as he was quite the dancer of 30's and 40's swing and big band,  he must've been a fine jazz rug cutter in his youth during in the Roaring Twenties, The Jazz Age

The picture of Miles Dewey Davis III and Larry makes me ponder a what if?  What if Larry had recorded with Miles?
Hmmm, kinda like a Stephanne Grappelli "le jazz hot" with a trumpet instead of guitar and violin.

S F

[Pilsner Panther]

I'd guess that Larry's taste in music probably ran to classical, since he was trained in classical violin. I really don't have any idea, though; maybe garystooge does, since he's related to the Fine family by marriage. Like another young Jewish lad from Pennsylvania of that same generation, Oscar Levant, Larry was given a first-rate musical education.

It's hard to imagine Larry playing like Stephane Grappelli; actually, that's a funny image, and the thought of it gave me a laugh! I saw M. Grappelli perform many times in his later years, and I still miss him... absolutely a musical genius. After many decades of playing jazz, he still never seemed to run out of new ideas— his creativity was inexhaustible.

For those of you who've never heard him, here's a track from one of his dozens of albums, this one recorded in 1974. Here, he's accompanied by another, equally great jazz legend, Earl "Fatha" Hines. Neither of these virtuosos were youngsters at the time (they were both in the vicinity of 70), but you'd never know it from their energetic playing.

Truth In Advertising Department: that picture of Larry with Miles Davis is one of my digital fakes. I took two separate images and stuck them together, then added a sepia tone to make the result look "old." As far as I know, the two men never met in real life. Larry's expression is perfect, though: he really looks like he's reacting to someone blowing a loud trumpet in his ear!

Miles had a nasty, edgy sense of humor... so he probably would have liked the Stooges.


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[Dog Hambone]

Being a musician for years (never of Davis's stature, sadly), there have been numerous times when I would have really liked to expectorate on a loud obnoxious bar patron. However, I managed, in the spirit of self-preservation, not to give in to temptation. Experience has taught that a loud obnoxious bar patron is 100% likely to be rip roaring drunk, & not afraid of a fight. A wimpy musician is no match for that. My hat is off to Miles Davis, he's definitely da man.