When we lived in Harlem usually you were not invited to others homes so, Classie being her old self, would give impromptu parties. Spur of the moment gatherings. She would make a pot of chili, fry some chicken or spaghetti and sauce. We would have a bottle of whiskey or some beer, people would bring their own. Rarely would anybody have any pot. No drugs ever! We would have Thelonious Monk, Denzil Best, Sarah Vaughn, George Treadwell, Jimmy Jones, my brother-in-law, J.C. Heard and many more. It was easy, we had no furniture. One morning after a previous nights party, I opened the closet and Denzil fell out. He thought he was leaving & it was dark and quiet. He was drunk so he went to sleep. Thelonious would come to my house unannounced an sit at my table with a matchbox full of pot and a pint of whiskey. He'd sit there all evening sometimes till late at night sometimes I'd go to
bed and find him there the next morning. Sometimes he'd stay for 2 or 3 days. I never knew why and I never asked. This picture with Monk, Paul Jeffries and myself was taken at Shelly's Manhole in Los Angeles.
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