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SIL AUSTIN

SLOW WALK

(SIL AUSTIN)    Mercury 70963

No. 17    December 22, 1956

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”I’m not as upset as some people think I should be;

 said Sylvester Austin (b. Sept. 17, 1929, Donellon,

FL, in an exclusive interview.  ” If my career was startin’ in these days, I woulda been a multi-millionaire.

But,  I ended up being one of the most recorded saxophonist of my generation.  Thirty-two albums;

probably more.  I lost count.  My stuff comes out in parts of the world I only hear about later on.  I got to do

things with strings and orchestras, the New York Philharmonic; all the voices I wanted, whatever.  Mercury

[Records] put everything at my disposal. They knew I was gonna good.”

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Sil Austin was born to a family with little interest in music.  “I was a maverick, from birth I guess.

I’d always  be listenin’ to big bands on the radio and walk about in a haze hummin’ tunes..

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“I was eight or nine when I got started; had this music teacher named Dominick.  I got my first horn when

I was 11; late cause I came from a poor family.  It was just luck that I got any instrument….”

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When Sil was 13, his maternal uncle, George Hubert, who lived in New York City, came to St. Peters­burg,

Florida, where Sil and his mother now lived.  “Now, he was a music lover, dug Coleman Hawkins and those

 guys.  He told my mother, ‘This boy’s got potential.  I’d like to take him back to New York and put him in a

 school and get him the proper training.’  My moth­er didn’t take to that well, but she did let me go.”

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Sil was given tutoring from reed instructor Joe Napoleon, brother to jazz pianist Teddy Napoleon, off­ and-

on for seven years.  At his friends’ insistence, 17- year-old Sil competed in a talent contest at the Apollo

Theatre.   Playing “Danny Boy;” his favorite song.  Sil won first prize and a two-week engagement at a local

club­ that gig matured into six months’ work.  Thereafter, he was in demand, playing sax with Roy Eldridge

(1949), Cootie Williams (1949-1951), and Ray “Tiny” Brad­shaw (1952-1954).  The following year, Austin

formed his own combo and recorded his solo debut, “Crossfire Part 1 & 2,” along with a few other obscure

sides, for Jubilee Records.

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“Tiny’ Bradshaw had such a tight band.   It was because of Bradshaw that I got to record my stuff.  He was

seeking hot saxophones, and I was one of the top men, at that point.  I wrote stuff for him, including his

hit ‘Ping Pong.’   Ella Fitzgerald did a scat on it; later giv­ing me the nickname, ‘Ping Pong.’  Later, they got

to calling me ‘Slow Walk’ Austin …”

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In 1956, Sil was signed to the Mercury label.   His finest singles, including the classic honky-tonk honker

 “Slow Walk,” were cut in New York City with his usual assemblage of musicians:  Mickey “Guitar” Baker

(later one-half of MICKEY & SYLVIA), Clarence Collier (bass), Panama Francis (drums), Heywood Henry

 (baritone sax), Wallace Richardson or Kenny Burrell (guitar),and George Stubbs (piano).

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“Now, it’s hard to think of my ‘Slow Walk’ without thinking about Bill Doggett’s ‘Honky Tonk; and I’ve

talked to Bill about this.  Our records got called rock­ ‘n’roll.  Now, we’d always played like the way we did.

I was hanging out with Sonny Rollins and Jackie McLain.   All we were doing was playing great horn.  I was

married at 19–had responsibilities–was nothin’ I was gonna do but play horn; I knew it.  I had to figure out

how to make money with this band [Collier, Henry, Stubbs, and “Foots” Sims (drums); sometimes Sonny

Forrest (guitar)].  Exciting horn, honkin’ horn, gut-bucket horn is what kids wanted to hear, so I made sure

I played more of that.  They called it rock’n’roll.   And the records sold.”

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In his follow-up 45s, Sil continued to work the fren­zied-sax terrain he shared with Big Jay McNeely, Red

Prysock, and Clifford Scott, but only “Birthday Party” (#74, 1957) and “Danny Boy” (#59, 1959) pop charted

 well.

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“Mercury had Clyde Otis, and David Carroll and these guys got together and decided, ‘This guy’s got such

great tone, suppose we put strings and voices behind him.’   Man, it changed my sound.  They had strings

from the New York Philharmonic, the Ray Charles Singers, and low and behold the sound sold.  Thats’ when

they stopped concentrating on the ‘Slow Walk’ sound and on singles.  I started doing theme albums–Sil

 Austin Plays Pretty Melodies From Around the World, Sil Austin Plays Folk Tunes … I didn’t mind the

change, because the albums were selling.  All the honkers weren’t getting’ much and I was gettin’ paid

pretty good.   So, I played what sold.”

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When last noted, Sil Austin was living in Florida.  On occasion, Sil has been known to pick up his horn

and honk for Sew City, Jerri, and Shelby Singleton’s SSS International label and most recently Rounder

Records.  “There’s more Sil Austin coming.   I’m not through.  If I could get the right deal, I’d like to honk

again.”