My First Concert

My first actual professional musical concert experience was part of a Harlem Globetrotter exhibition that my dad took me to when I was twelve.

The festivities started with some world-class table tennis stars doing their stuff, truly mind-blowing for a pre-teen.

The Harlem Globetrotters came on next and did what they do best—comedic hi-jinks with a basketball and a few props (a water-bucket full of confetti was one of them.)

When they took a break Cab Calloway came out, doing a solo act singing and playing piano. He was, to my untutored ears, great. He ended with his signature Hi-De-Ho number, complete with audience participation.

The Globetrotters won, handily defeating The Washington Generals whose lifetime record against the Globetrotters is 3-16,000).

And then we went home.

A week later my dad brought home a ping-pong table.

A year later my musical needs would be filled by The Trashmen, The Beatles, and The Dave Clark Five.

But I never forgot Cab: