Friday, Oct. 10, 2003 | 8:58 a.m.
Jerry Fink's lounge column appears on Fridays. Reach him at [email protected] at (702) 259-4058.
There isn't much saxophonist David Poe hasn't seen or done during his 50-odd years as a professional musician.
He once drank dog-penis wine while traveling the interior of China 11 years ago.
"I took a quick shot," said Poe, a Las Vegas resident for the past 25 years. "It tasted like what the water from my car radiator would taste like if I flushed it out."
On the same trip he tasted other Chinese fare, such as rat, dog and barbecued bat.
Poe was performing with the Black Dog band at the time. He says it was the first group invited to play in mainland China when the communist nation opened its doors.
Currently, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, he performs for the jazz brunch at Commander's Palace, a Cajun and creole restaurant at Aladdin. Accompanying him are trombonist Brian O'Shea, bassist Bob Saxe and guitarists Jim Russell and Gary Queen.
At 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, he's with Robbie Howard's "Stars of the Strip" at the Plaza.
Poe recently shared stories about a few of the experiences over the years that have kept his life from being ordinary.
He once witnessed a lion almost take the head off an animal trainer.
At the time, he was conducting the orchestra for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey at Circus World, 14 miles west of Disney World in central Florida. It was a gig that lasted 3 1/2 years.
The opening act was the lion and its tamer, who, for a finale, would put his head in the animal's mouth and extend his arms as a drummer played a quick drum roll.
It was a bit that had been performed thousands of times.
This one particular time, the lion didn't open his mouth to release the trainer.
"He didn't really clamp down hard," recalled Poe, "but the trainer knew that if the lion was spooked he was dead."
The lion was used to hearing a drum roll. If the roll stopped, there was a chance that the break in routine might disturb the animal and the trainer could be killed.
Poe compared it to what happened when Roy Horn, of Siegfried & Roy, stumbled onstage and was attacked by a tiger.
"Roy broke routine, for whatever reason," he said.
And so the drum roll at Circus World continued for 15 minutes.
"Finally, the lion let him go and the trainer was back for the next show," Poe said. "I admire the circus people. They practice 10 hours a day for a five-minute act."
Life has been somewhat of a circus for Poe.
"I'm eclectic," he said.
To say the least.
He says during his career he has been known as Mojo Poe, Jerry Atrick, Marvin Mohel, Merlin Dogwater and other names.
Poe was a child musical prodigy born in Birmingham, Ala., where he gained an appreciation for bluegrass and country music.
He was raised in Chicago, where he fell in love with jazz and blues.
Before he became a teenager, he was performing with Muddy Waters and touring with Benny Goodman, who brought him onstage as a featured entertainer.
The times were different. Poe travelled unchaperoned without anyone being concerned.
"I was 12 going on 30," he said.
In the early '60s he was part of Dick Clark's "Caravan of Stars," a concert tour that traveled around the country with some of the major pop stars of the time, performing one-night engagements.
Jackie Wilson. Fats Domino. Chuck Berry. The Coasters and the Drifters (the originals).
Poe says there weren't many rock stars he didn't perform with in those golden days of rock 'n' roll.
In 1962, he performed with Jerry Lee Lewis at the now-defunct Thunderbird in Las Vegas.
When Poe was 18 he did some soul-searching. He felt a religious calling, decided to become a monk and entered a monastery. After a summer of not speaking or playing music, he developed epilepsy and rejoined the lay world.
His career took him to Nashville for several years, where he performed on a five-string banjo with such legends as Web Pierce, Hank Snow and Lester Flatt (of Flatt and Scruggs) on the Grand Ole Opry.
At night in Nasvhille he worked at a club where, if the band got too loud, the owner would shoot out the lights.
During the New Orleans phase of his career he performed with Al Hirt, Little Richard and other legends of the industry.
When he moved to Vegas he performed with Big Tiny Little, Lionel Hampton, Mickey Finn and countless others.
Poe says he once had a polka radio show at the now-defunct Landmark.
"I have a photographic memory," he said. "Some people think I may be putting them on, but for almost any occasion, I have a parallel story of some sort."
He credits his memory and his diversity of musical tastes for never having been out of work.
"I can remember songs from 30 or 40 years ago," Poe said.
But he probably would like to forget the taste of that dog- penis wine.
Lounging around
Tequila Joe's at the Imperial Palace features the Upfront Band from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m. tonight and Saturday. Upfront plays an eclectic mix of '70s and '80s hits.
Karaoke will make its debut at Tequila Joe's Tuesday. The shows will be 8 p.m. to midnight Tuesdays through Thursdays and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Madonna's favorite lounge performer, Louie Louie, is at Santa Fe Station's Green Room starting at 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Ronnie Rathers, a fabulous voice coach as well as singer, performs at the Sahara's legendary Casbar Lounge at 6:15 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays; at 5:15 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Wednesdays. Dark Tuesdays.
If you need a country fix, try Gilley's All Star Band at Gilley's Saloon at the New Frontier starting at 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Groovediggers Jazz Duo performs with Jim Hall and L.P. Sims at the Jazzed Cafe on West Sahara Avenue from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Mondays.
The classic Kinda Dixie Jazz Band is still performing in the lounge at the Gold Coast from noon until 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
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