We are on VACATION!!! We flew into Cincinnati airport (which is, ironically, in Kentucky) this afternoon. Monte lived here for 2 years in 1977-78. Since we had some time to burn this afternoon, we drove up to Cincinnati to take a tour of some of his old haunts.
We drove down by the waterfront and saw the new football and baseball stadiums. We stopped by a bar called Arnold’s. Back in the day, monte lived a few blocks from there, and in the evenings would pop in.
This was the first bar he ever played darts in (with his friend Caleb). It is also where he met a legendary musician named Pigmeat Jarrett. Pigmeat was originally from the Queen City, and had spent time playing piano on riverboats along the Ohio River, and woud also play soundtrack for many silent movies. When he was in his golden years he would sit at the piano at Arnold’s and play into the wee hours. He would welcome others up on stage to play with him. It was in several of those sessions that monte joined in on saxophone and, i understand, a good time was had by all.
Pigmeat passed away at a ripe old age in 1995, but his picture still hangs on the wall in Arnold’s.
This is a shot from this afternoon of monte tinkling the keys on the same piano that Pigmeat played in his stints at Arnold’s.
Sheila365 