[A computer might ask you to allow the music to play on this page]
Almost Famous
(A Parody Diversion)
Almost Famous :
'Baby' Sodds |
Jazz drummer Warren ‘Baby’ Sodds was born to a privileged family. His father, Randy Junior, was State judge and in those early days of the twentieth century was often away from home in his duties around the state. He was a known to be a strict man in judgements, offenders could expect maximum sentences and there was little hope of appeal. That was ‘Sodd’s Law’.
As far as his family was concerned it was a different matter, he was a loving father. Warren was the youngest of three children, his parents and his much older sister and brother all called him ‘Baby’. His father played violin, his brother clarinet and his sister the harmonica, but none of them were particularly talented. For Baby it was different. While some children at the age of two banged wooden spoons on saucepans, his family noticed that Baby did it in time to the jazz music coming from the speakeasy across the street. Later, he would say: ‘I took a milk can and turned it over, then I found some old chair legs and made drumsticks out of them’.
By six, he was pestering his mother for a drum kit. ‘We must ask your Pa,’ his Mama said. Judge Randy Jr. was a devout Catholic - the family regularly sang hymns and prayed together. But the Judge, like his paternal forbears, had a weakness. His trips away found him seeking out the company of 'ladies of the night.' His grandfather, Randy, and his father, Randy Jr., had been the same. I guess it was a genetic hormonal thing. His Catholicism and strict application of the law caused him great guilt and he felt the need to go to confession every week where the priest would tell him, 'You don’t have to be like the other Randy Sodds in your family’. His guilt caused him to compensate with his family and so Baby soon had a custom made drum kit suitable for his size.
By eight, Baby had talked his way into playing with Sonny Celestial’s band at the speakeasy. His Ma agreed as long as he was sat at the back of the band so he could not be seen and embarrass his father. His reputation grew.
A young trumpet player, Lewis Headstrong, was keen to put together a small, hot jazz band. He already had some kid who could play trombone and a guitar player, Jonny Sincere. His girlfriend, Jill, could play piano, but they needed a drummer. Stories of Baby Sodds' skill reached Lewis and one night he headed for the speakeasy where he was blown away by the small, hidden drummer’s playing. Outraged, and as headstrong as his name, Lewis climbed on to the stage and grabbed the microphone. ‘This is wrong! Nobody puts Baby in a corner!’ and turning to the drummer said: ‘Come with me, Baby, and play real hot jazz’.
After the gig, Baby left Sonny Celestial and began to play with the Lewis’ Hot Five. They were a sensation and soon had bookings around the County and then the State. Warren’s Ma started to get worried. Her other son and daughter had now left home and the Judge was increasingly away ‘on business’. Now Baby was away a lot of the time too, and in truth he was still only nine years old and not up to the pressures of being on the road. He would phone his Ma every other day, until one day, depressed and in tears she said: ‘Baby, won’t you please come home? You’ve left your Mama all alone. I have tried in vain to manage but I can’t go on any longer’. Baby’s playing started to deteriorate, partly because of the strain of touring and late nights, partly from anxiety about his Ma and partly because he was developing an underage drinking habit. In the end, Lewis had to say to him: ‘Baby, you gotta make a decision, Man’.
'It's hard, Lewis,' said Baby. 'I've had the time of my life, I've never felt like this before. You've been a great partner, who's not only a terrific player, but somebody who's taught me that there are people willing to stand up for other people no matter what it costs them. Somebody who's taught me about the kind of person I wanna be'.
So Baby decided to return home where his father found him work in a lawyer’s office and where they called him Warren. He would still play occasionally, but less so when he married and had four children. His eldest son, who he named Jonny after his brother, turned out to be a particularly fine clarinet player in the style of Cy Laurie. Warren 'Baby' Sodds eventually died after a series of strokes.
Baby Sodds' favourite tune: Etta James singing Don’t Get Around Much Any More and the line: 'Thought I'd visit the Club, got as far as the door, they'd have asked me about you Daddy ...'
[Note: Apparently clarinettist Cy Laurie claimed to be the reincarnation of Johnny Dodds even though Dodds was still alive when Laurie was born]
Other pages you might find of interest :
© Sandy Brown Jazz 2017
Click HERE to join our mailing list