On July 27, 2006 trumpeter Eddie Preston discussed his 50+ year career performing with Johnny Otis, Louis Jordan, Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Ray Charles, Sonny Stitt, Charles Mingus, Illinois Jacquet and Duke Ellington. He was joined on stage by his wife Annette, who gave a wonderful account of how they met and fell in love over 40 years ago, lost touch after Preston went overseas on tour for two years (during which time she got married), and yet rekindled the flames decades later, getting married in 1990.

These days Preston is a man of few words, but he spoke volumes on his horn, joined during the second half of the evening by bassist Bob Cunningham, drummer Lester Jenkins, keyboardist Ed Stoute, tenor sax man Fred Staton, and former Harlem Speaks guest Bobbi Humphrey, who played a stirring solo on “Satin Doll.” In the first half she expressed loving gratitude to her cousin for introducing her to Duke Ellington upon her arrival to the Big Apple from Texas in the early ’70s.

And after playing a moving version of “Serenade in Blue” each of the instrumentalists took a turn explaining their own connection to Preston; for instance, Cunningham said that he sat in with Louis Jordan because of Preston, in whose band he played in Ohio during the ’60s. Later they did presentations together for Dr. Billy Taylor’s Jazzmobile program. Classical trumpeter Wilmer Wise, the first African-American musician to join the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, also spoke of his experiences with Preston after meeting him 50 years ago.

Poignantly, Annette Preston joined the gents to sing Johnny Mercer’s lyrics to “Namely You,” looking directly at her husband measure for measure, verse by verse:

         “'Cause you deserve two arms to hold you, namely mine.
          There to comfort and enfold you, rain or shine.
          I deserve someone sweet and tender, bashful and shy and true.
          And I know just the one who'll do, namely you.

          Who's the one you're waiting for?
          You're the one that I adore!”


The festive evening closed with a blues that had folks dancing in their seats and several couples on their feet swinging the night away.