Results for "Charlie Channel"

Charlie Channel

Born: November 16, 1944

I was born in Oakland, CA past the middle of WW 2 in 1944.  At that time my paternal grandmother lived in the Fillmore District of San Francisco.  My family, comprised of mother Louise, dad Charlie, Sr. and sister, Jacquelyn ("Jackie") Doloris, and me. We lived in the "Projects" in West Oakland. But, we'd visit grandmother Clemmie for Sunday dinner.

My father worked in Oakland and sometimes in San Francisco, that included chauffering musicians (but that's another story).  And, once he had balconly tickets to a Lionel Hampton band performance. Charlie, Sr.  took my mother, my sister and me to see the show and hear what was going on.  It was there that I saw Lionel Hampton's band at age 5.  The atmosphere was electric and loud and the band swung so hard people were screaming, shouting, dancing in the aisles and jumping for joy. But, when a drum solo errupted, I was immediately imprinted watching Gene Krupa play the drums.  Whatever he was doing, I was hypnotized by the heat of the moment, the incendiary drive of the bass drum kick and fire from the syncopathion snare and toms, ingnited a excitement, awe and a fire that still burns oin the core my being.