I don't want red...Sez Al, and skip the kraut, too, please...

Submitted by Al Kanovsky 1/24/13

I was going to start this with mentioning the return of Ms. Glenda Grainger to Blue Jean Blues stage. I guess I just did. Glenda's return brings "cabaret" and the great American song-book back to 33d St. in Fort Lauderdale. Ms. Grainger has a loyal and enthusiastic following. In a short chat with her I found out that, surprisingly, she never studied music and can't read it. Nevertheless, she can really belt out a tune. Glenda recognizes that her talent is G-ds gift to her and is reverent about it.

It is Wednesday and after Glenda's performance we are here for Danny Burger’s Showcase. Ira Sullivan is tonight’s guest and BJB's is packed with JAZZophiles of all ages. Dr. Jamie Ousley(bass) and Brian(2 brain) Murphy is seated at the piano to complete the rhythm section. Ira has his flutes, trumpet, flugelhorn, tenor sax, soprano sax and a beaded percussion instrument on the stage alongside him. How he has mastered all of them is amazing. If you have never heard this group trade "8s" or "4s" and "2s" you ain't heard nothing. Ira heard Capt. Bob, a colorful local character, shout out "Frim-Fram Sauce". He obliged the good Capt. by closing the first set with that tune.

The song itself is a lot of fun and was a big hit for Nat "King" Cole early in his career. It was written by Joe Ricardel and the lyric by Redd Evans.

"I don't want red-ripe tomatoes, french fried potatoes

I'm never satisfied,

I want some FrimFram sauce with some Ausenfay

with chafafah on the side"

I have never heard Ira sing although I have listened to his many tales of yesteryear. Ira plays the first chorus and then commences the vocalization. No he's no Nat Cole but he carries the tune without fault. After some research I came to find out that there is such a thing as FrimFram Sauce. It is a batter made of flour, powdered eggs and saltwater and is used in deep frying limes. Hey, there is a lot of interesting things to learn if you do the researching on some of the other food items in the song. Have fun with it. Some visitors from Canada made a request accompanied with a tip for the band. The request "The Theme from Godfather". Ira politely let them know that he hadn't been in a movie theater in over 40 years and so was not familiar with the tune. They didn't believe him. He became adamant about it explaining that being a musician and playing to the wee hours, sitting in air-conditioned theaters made him fall asleep, missing the movie. Why go? ----The band kept the tip.---- I had a chance to spend the last few minutes of the performance with Donna Blue, and as always learned some BLUES history. Ira is joined on stage by his good pal, Mark Berner,(baritone flute) in doing "Godspell" and closing the final set with the traditional "Amazing Grace". ----I say it all the time "I once was blind, but now I see."   

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