by Barbara Brabec
WHEN THIS WEBSITE was launched in April 2010 as a companion to my memoir, The Drummer Drives! Everybody Else Rides–The Musical Life and Times of Harry Brabec, I immediately began to receive email from musicians who knew or had worked with Harry. In time, I also began to hear from relatives of some musicians mentioned in articles on this site, as well as others who simply grew up in this period of time and enjoyed the music of Harry’s era.
It has been a blessing to me over the past year to be able to communicate with musicians in both the U.S. and other countries who worked with Harry, and their kind words about him have been music to my ears. Most of these musicians had not been in communication with Harry for decades, so he would have been surprised to know they had such fond remembrances of him. A few never actually met him, but knew of his extraordinary playing through word-of-mouth.
In some cases, I’ve written feature articles based on some of the reader mail I’ve received. In other cases I’ve asked the senders to write an article for the website. (To find them, just browse the READER MAIL and GUEST WRITERS categories at right.) By interviewing some musicians and encouraging others to write articles themselves, I’ve been able to shine the spotlight on the lives of more musicians of Harry’s time and further chronicle an era of Chicago’s music scene that is gone forever.
Harry would have been flabbergasted by what I’ve done here, not only with the book about his career and my life with him, but this website, which like the book is largely based on his scrapbooks, photos, and letters. But I hope you won’t get so involved in the interesting articles on this site that you forget that the book itself is far more interesting and detailed in that it includes a wealth of behind-the-scenes information and rare music history over a period of fifty years. There are stories about the many interesting musicians, entertainers, conductors, bands and orchestras Harry worked with, with many backstage stories from my journals as I tagged along with him on jobs. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra chapter is particularly detailed. And of course, the special bonus in this book is Harry’s original humor in every chapter with a big humor Encore at the end.
I hope you’ll take a moment now to click over to the book’s page on Amazon to read the glowing five-star reviews for the book and then consider buying a copy for yourself or as a gift for a drummer or music lover you know. You are also encouraged to ask your library to obtain a copy for you. Then come on back and peruse the many articles and rare photographs on this companion site to the book.
Your Stories and Articles are Invited!
I am particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has nostalgic music memories or a story to share with other music lovers who are interested in Percussion or Percussionists, The Chicago Symphony, Broadway Musicals, Show Drumming, Concert and Marching Bands, or Circus Music. I’ll help you write an article if you’re not a writer, or edit any article you might like me to publish on this site. It all starts with a simple email to me. Thanks!
Here are some of the articles that resulted from a reader’s email:
A Report from Percussionist Michael Udow
Circus Memories from Clarinetist Jim Geoge
Email Chats with a Jazz Drummer in Japan (George Edwards)
Fritz Reiner Stories and Pictures (Chats with Jim Gordon and Sam Denov)
Remembrances of Harry Brabec and James Ross Sr., by Chicago Symphony percussionist Jim Ross Jr.
Sam Denov Remembers His Early Days with the Chicago Symphony and Fritz Reiner
Three Weeks on Tour with Liberace by Rich Sherrill (a former student of Harry’s)
