Andre Previn

IH wer'e proud to say... ^

records for
Contemporary
A N D R E P R E V I N & HIS P A L S
SHELLY MANNE AND RED MITCHELL! ANDRE PREVIN & HIS 1
PALD
SOUBLE PLAY! ANDRE PREA
VN
IND1RE PREVIN
0. DIICC C D C n U A M "'> plays songs

CONTEMPORARY C3B4S

the s w i n g i n g m o d e r n j a z z
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9 tunes: from easy swing to
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K 1
A
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the pianist's first solo work
a singular undertaking i n the
ballad Previn's special dish Down Beat. 8 tunes by Andre jazz world. 10 of Duke's won-
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with Shelly Marine & His Friends

SHELLY M A N N E & HIS FRIENDS Shelly Manne & his Friends r Andre Previa and
ANDRE PREVIN & RED MITCHELL Leroy VinneganModern jazz performances of srt S h e l l y M a n n e & his Friends
modern jazz performances of songs from songs from I '
LI'L %
1

B E L L S A R E R I N G I N G <z*s***v-c ibs modern j a z z performances

o f songs

A8NER from M Y
FAIR ^ a
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CONTEMPORARY RECORDS 8481 M E L R O S E P L A C E

L O S A N G E L E S 46, C A L I F O R N I A

ARS GRATIA ARTIS
I was very gratified and appreciative to
read R a l p h Berton's review of The Book
of jazz in the A p r i l issue. T h e review d i d
what all record and book reviews should
do, though few ever manage toit ex-
amined what the book set out to do and
analyzed its successes and failures i n terms
of that objective.
I understand from R a l p h that some seri-
ous cuts were made in the original review,
as a result of which many of the quotations
supporting the theory 1 advanced in the
book concerning the birthplace of jazz were
deleted and a musical example was omitted,
as a result of which one segment of the
text became almost meaningless. It seems
unfortunate that whoever edited the review
evidently tended to edit it in terms of his
own preconceptions, since there were many
passages in the review that could easily
have been cut without affecting M r . Ber-
ton's main points.
Incidentally, I should like to go on
record concerning his theory i n answer to
my own point about the blues scale. Ralph's
analysis is highly perceptive a n d I am i n -
clined to agree with h i m that the alphabet
analogy I made does not stand up in re-
lation to the matter of musical intervals.
In other words, he is right and 1 am wrong.
T h e minor errors in the book which
R a l p h pointed out, such as the typograph-
ical mistakes and the reversion of the facts
concerning the E-Flat alto sax, were all
corrected before the appearance of the
paperback edition. T h e latter was published
about the same time as Ralph's review of
the book, though no mention was made of
it i n The Jazz Review. T h e publisher of
the paperback edition is M e r i d i a n Books.
Finally, I must point out that I d i g
Ralph's .sense of humor and honesty in
admitting something that is never admitted
by any critic who takes himself too seri-
ously, namely that any critic who credits
another critic with " k e e n j u d g m e n t " merely
means that the latter's views agree with
his own. I don't think there is a critic
living (including a l l the musician-critics)
of whom this is not true, hut R a l p h is
the only one I've ever known to admit it.
Leonard Feather
New Y o r k , New Y o r k
INTELLECTUALIZING THE
INTANGIBLES
Your magazine really does an excellent
j o b ! You've upheld certain ideals in this
art form plus doing something that's
neededverbalizing certain aspects of jazz
that people in the past have passed over
by saying, " M a n , you've gotta feel i t ! "
Of course you do, but 1 love this magazine
because it intellectualizes intangibles with-
out having them lose their emotional appeal.
Miss Diane D . Peters Chicago
P.S. I'm corny, hut sincere i n love.
LETTERS
IN OUR BACH DOOR
SOMEDAY
The February issue of J.R. shows signs
of improvement, but you've still a long
ways to go. T h e historical articles are
worthwhile and certainly commendable.
T h e technical material means nothing to
me as I'm not a musician. ( H o w many
J.R. subscribers can appreciate these arti-
cles? )
T h e record reviews are tiresome. T h e
sheer volume of text devoted to reviewing
recordings which I may never hear, let
alone purchase, is exhausting.
Hentoff's " J a z z in P r i n t " rambles on and
on. If he is trying to prove that he reads
every word printed on the subject of jazz,
well man, I'm convinced.
Occasional attempts at humor (a $10
offer for " Z u l u s ' B a l l " ) are the heavy-
handed efforts of humorless individuals.
No, my interest in jazz has not lessened.
I spend more on records than ever before,
and enjoy reading Down Beat as much to-
day as I d i d twenty years ago when 1
bought my first copy. T h e trouble here
seems to be that you fellows are not com-
municating very well.
How does one go about successfully
communicating? W e l l , I've just finished
rereading " T h e Hot B a c h " by R i c h a r d 0 .
Boyer, the reprint of the 1944 Neiv Yorker
series on Duke Ellington, which appears
in the new volume. Duke Ellington, His
Life and Music. Boyer is a good writer,
and the articles are immensely enjoyable.
(I suppose that some of the hippies in
your crowd object to anything being writ-
ten in a manner that all can comprehend.)
To close with a suggestion, I will stay
with the subject of E l l i n g t o n . I think the
fine Coral album under the leadership of
son Mercer, may be something of an his-
torical milestone. At any rate, the possi-
bilities are intriguing. M a y Duke continue
for another 15 years. But the fact that
Mercer may carry on in his father's foot-
steps, is certainly gratifying. I wish you
would interview him for some of his
thoughts on the Coral session.
I. L . Jacobs
San Diego, California
YOU CAN'T FORCE THE BEAT
A n item on page 49 of The Jazz Review
reminds me of an incident on the history
of jazz in Russia told in a book, Taming
of the Arts, by J . Jelagin, a refugee who,
1 think, is playing in a symphony orchestra
in Houston. H e describes an attempt by
the K r e m l i n in 1938 to "fit jazz into its
musical scheme and create a jazz band
which would be Soviet in s p i r i t . " T h e
finest Russian composers, including Shos-
t a k o v i c h were ordered to write music for
the band of 43 drafted musicians. If you
haven't read his book, I know you would
find it interesting.
Cora W o r t h Parsons
Guilford College
REISSUES FROM ENGLAND
I read with interest the R u d i Blesh re-
view of the booklet, Recorded Jazz: A
Critical Guide, by Messrs. Harris and Rust.
M r . Blesh rather overstressed the posi-
tion in saying that " t h e number of jazz
records available in E n g l a n d is small com-
pared with our L u c u l l a n repast." In fact,
I imagine that the number of issues avail-
able here of a l l types of jazz compares
reasonably well with the position i n your
country. Certainly, we have managed to
retain as representative a selection of early
recordings as is currently available in the
home of jazz!
However, the point made by R u d i Blesh
that many records listed i n the booklet
are only available in Britain might be
reasonably answered if y o u w i l l grant us
a slice of free publicity.
Any of your readers interested i n pur-
chasing discs listed i n the P e n g u i n book
can do so at best export prices by ordering
from this company or, for that matter, any
other reputable mail order house.
W e will gladly supply details to inter-
ested readers.
K e n Lindsay, manager, Agate
& C o . L t d . , 77 C h a r i n g Cross
Road, L o n d o n W . C . 2, E n g l a n d
P.S. Incidentally, we at Dobell's Jazz
Record Shop, and this associated company,
consider your magazine a very welcome
addition to available jazz literature.
TEMPS PERDU
T h i s past week, I was at Lester Young's
funeral, and it is mainly about Lester that
I write today. I didn't attempt to approach
anyone at the chapel because I felt too
badly about Lester, and I wasn't sure that
anyone would understand the rather per-
sonal feeling I had for Lester (I can do
without the " P r e z " b i t ) , and to an outsider,
this interest can seem rather maudlin at
times.
I first heard Lester in 1938, at a debu-
tante party at the P e l h a m M a n o r Country
Club in Westchester (I c r a s h e d ) . It was
my first taste of Basie i n person, although
I had heard him on the M a k e Believe
Ballroom. (What a wonderful show that
used to b e ! ) Not only was I completely
taken with the band a n d its wonderful
shouting quality, but when Lester stood up,
cocked his horn up at an angle and began
to blow those wonderfully loose, legato pas-
sages (forgive any technically misused
phrases) which were so out of place in
those days, when tenor men were so con-
scious of the beat that they tried to blow
a note for every one, 1 was completely won
over. F r o m that point I followed the band
to Roton Point, C o n n . , the N e w Y o r k Rose-
land and its B r o o k l y n counterpart, the
A p o l l o , the Savoy, and a hall in upper
Manhattan where the Count a n d his men
(Continued on Page 42)
T H E J A Z Z R E V I E W
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 CONTENTS: VOLUME 2, NUMBER 6, JULY 1959.
Big T .... 6
by Jay D. Smith
Jazz at Narco 8
by Rabbi Joseph R. Rosenbloom
Conversations with James P. Johnson, Part II 10
by Tom Davin
Under Separate Cover 14
by Robert C. Smith
The Titans, Bill Russo's Symphony in C 16
by Hall Overton
Editors: Nat Hentoff
REVIEWS: RECORDINGS
Martin Williams
JULIAN ADDERLEY by Bill Crow 17
Publisher: Hsio W e n Shih
LENNY BRUCE by Martin Williams .. .... 18
Editorial Assistant: Margot Wolynski
ORNETTE C O L E M A N by Art Farmer 18
Production Manager: Lois Ehrenwerth
MILES DAVIS by Bob Freedman ...... 19
Advertising Manager: Dick Joseph
ART FARMER by Joe G o l d b e r g ... 19
New Contributors
ART FARMER by Bill Crow 20
Bob Freedman is a saxophonist and arranger who has con-
tributed to the books of many bands. He has played with THE J O N E S BROTHERS by Ross Russell 20
the Herb Pomeroy band. J O H N N Y GRIFFIN by Bill Crow 21
Hall Overton is a composer and pianist who works in both JELLY ROLL M O R T O N by Martin Williams ... 21
jazz and classical music. His most recent jazz work, orches-
trations of several Thelonious Monk compositions, was BUDDY TATE by Frank Driggs ..... ..... 22
presented at Town Hall last February. ARTIE S H A W by Mimi Clar ... 23
Dr. Joseph R. Rosenbloom is chaplain at the United States CLAUDE THORNHILL by Martin Williams 23
Public Health Service hospital at Lexington, Kentucky.
Tom Scanlon writes regularly on jazz for the magazine, DICKIE WELLS by Frank Driggs 24
The Army Times. RANDY W E S T O N & LEM WINCHESTER by Ross Russell 24
Jay D. Smith is a long time jazz record collector who prob- LESTER Y O U N G by Frank Driggs 25
ably has the most complete collection of Jack Teagarden
BASIE REUNION by Frank Driggs . ..... 25
records in existence.
Robert C. Smith edits and writes on jazz for the Virginian THE G O L D E N ERA OF DIXIELAND by Bill Crow 26
Pilot of Norfolk and Portsmouth. His article on school BROWNIE McGHEE and S O N N Y TERRY,
desegregation in Norfolk appeared in the March issue of
and JOE TURNER by Mimi Clar .. 27
Commentary.
Francis Thorne, pianist and director of the Great South Bay GOSPEL SINGERS by Mimi Clar .... 29
Jazz Festival, now makes his home in Italy. RECONSIDERATIONS 5
Israel Young and Leonard Feldman were among the found- LESTER Y O U N G by H. A. Woodfin 30
ers of the Jazz Review.
REVIEWS: BOOKS
The Jazz Review is published by the J a z z Review, Inc., M O N K ' S MUSIC by Dick Wellstood 32
Box 128, Village Station, New York 14, New York. Entire
JAZZ IN PRINT by Nat Hentoff 33
contents copyrighted 1959.
Unsolicited manuscripts and illustrations should be accom- THE BLUES 36
panied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Contribu- NEWS AND VIEWS
tions are handled with reasonable care, but The Jazz
NEWPORT A N D GREAT SOUTH BAY by Francis Thorne 37
Review -can take no responsibility for unsolicited manu-
scripts or illustrations. W A S H I N G T O N JAZZ JUBILEE by Tom Scanlon .... ... 41
 Crowding fifty-four, J a c k T e a g a r d e n ' s b l a c k h a i r is
s t r e a k e d w i t h g r a y at the t e m p l e s , the p l a n e s of h i s b r o a d
f a c e f u r r o w e d . H e r e m a i n s t o d a y as g r e a t a n e n i g m a
as he w a s w h e n he b l e w i n t o N e w Y o r k i n 1 9 2 7 a n d i n
c o n c e r t w i t h J i m m y H a r r i s o n p r o m p t l y l i b e r a t e d the
t r o m b o n e f r o m its d r a b h u f f a n d p u f f , s m e a r a n d s w i p e
role i n jazz.
T h e m y s t e r y of T e a g a r d e n i s n o t so m u c h w h a t he i s
b u t r a t h e r h o w he c a m e to be so. F e w e r u d i t e j a z z w r i t e r s
h a v e a t t e m p t e d a p r o f o u n d a n a l y s i s of the t r o m b o n i s t ,
f o r he defies s c r u t i n y . O t i s F e r g u s o n , w h o w r o t e of h i s
j a z z m e n i n a b r a w l i n g , e a r t h y s t y l e c a p t u r e d a n d set
d o w n a fleeting g l i m p s e s o d i d C h a r l e s E d w a r d S m i t h .
B u t t h e t y r o p u t s p e n to p a p e r i n h o l l o w t r i b u t e s w h i c h
are l a r g e l y benevolent. A n d not w i t h o u t reason . . .
T e a g a r d e n i s a n a m a l g a m of c o n t r a d i c t i o n s .
H e sang, " I was b o r n i n T e x a s , r a i s e d i n Tennessee,
a n ' I a i n ' t g o n n a let n o one w o m a n m a k e a f a t m o u t h
o u t a me . . ." T h e facts belie this statement. H e was b o t h
b o r n a n d r e a r e d i n the L o n e S t a r S t a t e a n d e x c e p t f o r
d e s u l t o r y t h r u s t s i n t o M e x i c o a n d C a l i f o r n i a he g i g g e d
t h r o u g h the southwest a n d was ' f a t - m o u t h e d ' f r e q u e n t l y .
If t h e r e w e r e a n y c o n c r e t e i n f l u e n c e s d u r i n g t h o s e e a r l y
years h i s d e l i v e r y b o r e little trace. F o r even on h i s first
r e c o r d i n g ( W i l l a r d R o b i s o n i n t h e f a l l of 1 9 2 7 ) he b l e w
a sinuous, b i t i n g solo w h i c h pleasantly c o n f o u n d e d the
l i k e s o f the C h i c a g o a n s ( M c P a r t l a n d a n d c o m p a n y ) a n d
G o t h a m i t e s ( M i f f a n d R e d ) . H i s i n t o n a t i o n was p r o v o k -
i n g l y b l u e f o r a w h i t e m a n a n d w a s n o t s a c r i f i c e d o n the
dreariest of m a t e r i a l .
A l t h o u g h h i s v o c a l f a m e c a m e later (he never sang i n
T e x a s ) , i t too w a s b l u e - t i n g e d a n d f a c i l e , as t h o u g h a n
extension of h i s h o r n . A recent a c k n o w l e d g m e n t is c o n -
t a i n e d i n M a r s h a l l S t e a r n s ' The Story of Jazz (Oxford
University Press, Inc.). " W h e n Jack Teagarden arrived
i n N e w Y o r k C i t y m u c h l a t e r ( 1 9 2 7 ) , he w a s t h e o n l y
w h i t e m u s i c i a n w h o c o u l d s i n g the b l u e s i n a n ' a u t h e n t i c '
m a n n e r . " I n c o m p e n d i u m Professor Stearns might truth-
f u l l y have a d d e d that t h r o u g h o u t three subsequent dec-
ades no other w h i t e has s e r i o u s l y c h a l l e n g e d that a b i l i t y .
H i s esteem a m o n g fellow m u s i c i a n s is a m a t t e r of
r e c o r d . T h o u g h J a c k ' s career has sometimes been a l l u d e d
to as o n e o f i n d i f f e r e n t s u c c e s s , t h i s c a n be a p p l i e d
a c c u r a t e l y o n l y to m a t e r i a l r e w a r d s . F i r s t a m u s i c i a n , h i s
business a c u m e n is n o t o r i o u s l y deficient. D u r i n g v a r i o u s
periods of a f o r t y - y e a r tenure i n jazz he has coasted,
b u t o n l y w h e n , as he p u t s i t , " I d i d n ' t h a v e a n y i n s p i r a -
t i o n . " Y e t , d i s t r e s s i n g as he finds m e d i o c r i t y , he h a s f o r
y e a r s e n c o u r a g e d i t . S o s e n s i t i v e i s J a c k to the f e e l i n g s
of h i s f e l l o w c r e a t u r e s t h a t he w i l l e n d u r e g r o s s m u s i c a l
torture rather than a d m o n i s h an offender. H i s o w n bands
s u p p o r t t h i s h y p o t h e s i s . T h e f i r s t w a s a melange of
technicians w h o lacked basic jazz o r i e n t a t i o n . E a c h suc-
c e e d i n g o r g a n i z a t i o n ( p e r i o d i c a l l y m a u l e d b y the d r a f t )
was m e r e l y a vehicle f o r its leader a n d eventually the
c a r a v a n r a n o u t o f g a s . T h a t J a c k w a s c a p a b l e of b o o t i n g
out a f a i r c h o r u s d u r i n g respites f r o m m e d i o c r e m u s i c i a n s
i s e v i d e n c e d b y the s u p e r b V D i s c s e s s i o n s o f t h e f o r t i e s .
T h o u g h Teagardennot without considerable effort
h a s m e t h o d i c a l l y e l u d e d the f r u i t s o f t h e m o n e y t r e e , he
r e m a i n s one of the s t u r d y o a k s o f j a z z w h o b e n d s to n o
o n e a n d c a n n o t be d i s r e g a r d e d b y c o n t e m p o r a r i e s . I n
t h i s e r a of c l a s s i f i c a t i o n b y " s c h o o l " e a c h j a z z m a n o f
stature ( a n d m o r e t h a n a few w i t h o u t ) has been s o r t e d
out l i k e a n I B M c a r d and d r o p p e d into h i s c o n f i n i n g
slot. I f D i x i e l a n d , S w i n g , B o p , o r M o d e r n p i n c h e d , there
were the convenient s u b d i v i s i o n s of K a n s a s C i t y , C h i c a g o ,
N e w Y o r k . B u t n o t so T e a g a r d e n ! N o t h a v i n g p l a n t e d
JULY
h i s a d o l e s c e n t r o o t s i n the s o i l of the t r a d i t i o n a l j a z z
o r c h a r d s , he i s a f f o r d e d a s e p a r a t e s l o t . W o e be to t h e
c r i t i c w h o d a r e s a p p r o a c h the m a v e r i c k w i t h b r a n d i n g
iron in hand.
T h e p a r a d o x o f T e a g a r d e n ' s g r o w i n g p o p u l a r i t y is t h e
v i g o r w i t h w h i c h he c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y s h u n s i t . H i s p u b -
licity is v i r t u a l l y n o n existent; television appearances are
i n f r e q u e n t , t o u r s r a r e l y t a k e h i m i n t o " n a m e c l u b s . " Yet
the j a z z p o l l s i n n e a r l y e v e r y p u b l i c a t i o n f a i t h f u l l y p l a c e
h i m i n the c o m p a n y of s u c h c o m m e r c i a l l y s u c c e s s f u l m e n
as A r m s t r o n g a n d G o o d m a n a n d h i s i n s t r u m e n t a l c o n -
temporaries J . J . Johnson and Bob Brookmeyer. W i t h
a l l t h e i r e v i l s we m u s t a s s u m e t h a t the p o l l s a r e at w o r s t
a d i m r e f l e c t i o n o f m a s s taste.
I n c o n j e c t u r e , t h i s feat c a n be at least p a r t i a l l y a t t r i b -
u t e d to a u n i v e r s a l a f f e c t i o n s h a r e d b y h i s a d m i r e r s . F o r
T e a g a r d e n u n c o n s c i o u s l y creates mass e m p a t h y , an elusive
q u a l i t y s t r i v e n f o r b y so m a n y p e r f o r m e r s , a t t a i n e d b y
so f e w . W h a t he p l a y s i s g e n u i n e l y w h a t he feels, a n d the
reception, i n s p i r i t , is r e t u r n e d by h i s audiences.
A n assessment of the T e a g a r d e n s t y l e w o u l d n e c e s s a r i l y
i n c l u d e s u c h t e r m s as l a z y , b r i l l i a n t , f a c i l e , effortless,
s e n t i m e n t a l , a n d w h i m s i c a l . T h o u g h less e v i d e n t t h a n t h e
o t h e r q u a l i t i e s , w h i m s i c a l i t y flows u n o b t r u s i v e l y t h r o u g h
m u c h of h i s p l a y i n g a n d s i n g i n g . D u r i n g the h o u r s w h i c h
a r e h i s o w n he r a r e l y i n d u l g e s i t . O n l y o n o c c a s i o n d o e s
it seep t h r o u g h h i s b l a n d d e m e a n o r .
L i k e the n i g h t he w a s s t r o l l i n g a r o u n d M a n h a t t a n
flanked b y a p a i r of v e t e r a n j a z z b u f f s . J a c k w a s r e c a l l i n g
the o l d d a y s P l u n k e t t ' s , the O k e h r e c o r d i n g s t u d i o , the
L i t t l e C l u b . " A n d t h e r e ' s B i r d l a n d , " he e x p l a i n e d as
t h o u g h to b r i n g t h e t o u r u p to d a t e .
O n e of his c o m p a n i o n s w i s e c r a c k e d , " G u e s s y o u used
to p l a y t h e r e w i t h P o l l a c k . "
J a c k ' s f a c e w a s i m p a s s i v e . " N o p e . It w a s n ' t h e r e t h e n . "
. . . O r the n i g h t a y o u n g m a n w a n d e r e d o v e r to t h e
stand d u r i n g a club intermission. T h e master was work-
i n g the k i n k s o u t o f h i s h o r n . T h e l a d n o t e d t h a t J a c k
w a s u s i n g a l e a d i n g h a i r o i l to l u b r i c a t e h i s s l i d e .
" Y o u m e a n y o u use t h a t o n y o u r horn, M r . Tea-
garden?"
J a c k g l a n c e d u p at h i m . " Y u p i t g i v e s m e a f u z z y
tone."
T h e y e a r s s u b s e q u e n t to the d e c l i n e of J a c k T e a g a r d e n
as a b i g b a n d l e a d e r w e r e l e a n a n d h u n g r y . H i s n a m e w a s
m e n t i o n e d o n l y i n retrospect. H e was u n h a p p y , b r o k e ,
c o n v i n c e d t h a t he c o u l d n e v e r a g a i n r e g a i n a p o s i t i o n
o f e s t e e m i n j a z z m u s i c . B u t he t r i e d , at first as a s i n g l e
a t t r a c t i o n , a n d w a s s o o n a m e m b e r of the A r m s t r o n g A l l
S t a r s . F o r a p e r i o d of n e a r l y five y e a r s he c o n t r i b u t e d
h i s h o r n a n d d i g n i t y to a g r o u p w h i c h at t i m e s w a s
d e v o i d o f d i g n i t y . A t t h e e n d of i t , J a c k b r o k e o u t o n h i s
o w n w i t h a s m a l l g r o u p , h i s finances r e s t o r e d , a b l e to
p l a y f o r the most p a r t i n a c o r d i a l atmosphere, c l i n g i n g
to the m u s i c he l o v e s , be i t j a z z o r d r e a m y b a l l a d s .
It i s d o u b t f u l t h a t B i g T w i l l e v e r find the s e c u r i t y a n d
p e a c e o f m i n d i n j a z z f o r w h i c h he s e a r c h e s . H e e x p e c t s
too m u c h of h i m s e l f a n d his audiences. E v e n n o w , w i t h
t h e r e s u r g e n c e o f h i s p o p u l a r i t y , h e i s at t i m e s b e w i l d e r e d
and moody.
" I d o n ' t k n o w , " he s a y s w i t h s a d n e s s , " I t r y to p l a y
what people like and sometimes I wonder if I ' m getting
through."
I f J a c k needs r e a s s u r a n c e , a l l he h a s to d o i s shuffle
t h r o u g h h i s t h o u s a n d - o d d r e c o r d e d s i d e s , l i s t e n to t h e m
a n d t h e n to h i s c o n t e m p o r a r i e s t h e i n f l u e n c e i s t h e r e ,
t h o u g h the f e e l i n g i s o f t e n a b s e n t . T h e p u z z l e m a y n e v e r
b e s o l v e d b u t w e m u s t ask o u r s e l v e s i f s o l v i n g i t t r u l y
matters.
7
 A m o n g the m a n y activities i n the recreation p r o g r a m
p r o v i d e d at t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s P u b l i c H e a l t h S e r v i c e H o s -
p i t a l at L e x i n g t o n , K e n t u c k y , t h e m u s i c a l p r o g r a m seems
to b e t h e m o s t m e a n i n g f u l f o r t h e p a t i e n t s w h o p a r t i c i p a t e
i n i t . T h e most i m p o r t a n t part of the p r o g r a m i s that i t
p e r m i t s a patient to spend the greater p a r t o f h i s d a y w i t h
m u s i c a n d w i t h other m u s i c i a n s . W i t h i n the time allowed
i n the p r o g r a m , he c a n study, practice h i s instrument,
rehearse with other m u s i c i a n s , write, prepare shows f o r
peformance w i t h i n the h o s p i t a l , a n d p e r f o r m i n the shows.
H e m a y s p e n d five o r s i x h o u r s d u r i n g t h e d a y w o r k i n g
on music, either alone o r w i t h other m u s i c i a n s , a n d a l -
though some patients have n o n m u s i c a l w o r k assignments,
these a r e o f t e n s c h e d u l e d t o p e r m i t h i m t o d e v o t e t h e
m a j o r part of the d a y to m u s i c . I n a d d i t i o n , another h o u r
a n d a half o r t w o hours are available i n the evenings f o r
rehearsals.
O n the simplest level this p r o g r a m i s therapeutically
i m p o r t a n t because it gives the patient a n interest i n some-
t h i n g other than d r u g s ; those i n v o l v e d i n the m u s i c a l
p r o g r a m spend most of their time p l a y i n g , t a l k i n g about
music, or listening to music. M o s t are very serious. T h e y
find stimulation i n their fellow musicians a n d keep u p
on the developments of the m u s i c a l w o r l d . O n e of them
said, " O n e t h i n g that I t h i n k we s h o u l d clear u p is that
just because a person is here, whether i t ' s f o r a few
m i n u t e s o r f o r y e a r s , t h e f a c t t h a t h e i s l o c k e d u p , so t o
speak, i n a God-forsaken c o m m u n i t y i n the m i d d l e of

Jazz at Narco t h e state o f K e n t u c k y , d o e s n ' t m e a n t h a t h e i s a w a y f r o m

the m u s i c . W e k e e p u p t h r o u g h t h e a r r i v a l o f m u s i c i a n s
who have fresh i n f o r m a t i o n , a n d t h r o u g h the m u s i c i a n s

by Rabbi Joseph R. Rosenbloom here whose t h i n k i n g r e m a i n s ever fresh, plus o u r l i s t e n i n g

to r e c o r d s a n d t h e r a d i o . "
O t h e r m u s i c i a n - p a t i e n t s feel t h a t b e i n g i n N a r c o c a n
be a s p e c i a l c r e a t i v e o p p o r t u n i t y , l i k e t h e m a n w h o s a i d ,
" I really feel i t ' s n o different here t h a n i t is o n the out-
side. A creative m u s i c i a n m i g h t decide, ' W e l l , I ' m g o i n g
to W a t e r v i l l e , I o w a , f o r t w o y e a r s to c r e a t e . ' I h a v e c o m e
to L e x i n g t o n f o r t w o y e a r s t o c r e a t e . "
D u r i n g a n average d a y there a r e a l l k i n d s o f sessions
g o i n g o n , s m a l l g r o u p s a n d a b i g b a n d . T h e b a n d at
N a r c o is especially interesting because almost a l l the
m e m b e r s a r e g o o d s o l o i s t s as w e l l as g o o d e n s e m b l e m u s i -
cians. F o r instance, the lead trumpet player is a m u s i c i a n
w h o h a s spent most of h i s career i n b i g b a n d s , i n c l u d i n g
those of H e r m a n , K e n t o n , a n d T h o r n h i l l , a n d he n o w also
writes a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r this b a n d . T h e b a n d h a s a n ex-
cellence that w o u l d be difficult to m a t c h o n T h e S t r e e t ;
it needs to m a k e n o c o m p r o m i s e s .

S u c h freedom explains some of the enthusiasm of some

m u s i c i a n s f o r t h e p r o g r a m at N a r c o . H e r e a p l a y e r
must spend n o t i m e p l a y i n g requests, o r p l a y i n g the tunes
f r o m c u r r e n t r e c o r d s ; a w r i t e r w i l l find n o d i f f i c u l t y i n
getting h i s scores p e r f o r m e d .
T h e w r i t e r s a m o n g t h e p a t i e n t s feel t h a t t h e h o s p i t a l
offers t h e m a u n i q u e o p p o r t u n i t y t o h e a r t h e i r o w n m u s i c
played. O n e patient said, " Y o u can't go b u g g i n g a person
o n t h e street a n d s a y , ' P l e a s e p l a y m y m u s i c , m a n , ' b u t
here i n the h o s p i t a l y o u have a n i d e a l o p p o r t u n i t y to
hear what y o u have a r r a n g e d a n d created."
The stimulus of hearing their w o r k performed has re-
awakened the j o y of music f o r some of the patients. O n e

8 THE JAZZ REVIEW

p a t i e n t h a s s a i d that w o r k i n g w i t h the b a n d , a n d h e a r i n g
it p l a y h i s o w n - m u s i c , he h a d b e e n a b l e t o r e c a p t u r e
s o m e o f t h e e x c i t e m e n t he felt a b o u t m u s i c t h a t he h a d
lost f o r ten o r t w e l v e y e a r s . " I t ' s l i k e I w a s s t u d y i n g i n
the m u s i c s c h o o l a g a i n a n d h a d t h a t o l d d r i v e i n m e t o
w r i t e a n d t r y n e w t h i n g s t h a t m a n y o f us s e e m t o l o s e
a f t e r w e get o u r f i r s t taste of p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m . I d o n ' t
k n o w quite what it w a s . "
E v e n i n small-ensemble p l a y i n g , the same f r e e d o m to
e x p e r i m e n t is a s t r o n g s t i m u l u s . S o m e o f t h e m f e e l t h a t
w r i t i n g f o r the s m a l l g r o u p s i s m o r e c h a l l e n g i n g t h a n
big-band scoringthat getting a full sound and rich
h a r m o n i e s f r o m o n l y five p i e c e s i s m o r e i n t e r e s t i n g t h a n
d e a l i n g w i t h twelve or thirteen h o r n s . B u t even those w h o
p r e f e r s m a l l - e n s e m b l e w r i t i n g m a k e a f u l l c o n t r i b u t i o n to
the b i g b a n d .
T h e r e are some special a n d unusual p r o b l e m s i n keep-
i n g a b i g b a n d g o i n g at N a r c o . S o m e o f the p a t i e n t s a r e
at t h e h o s p i t a l v o l u n t a r i l y , a n d t h e y a r e f r e e t o c o m e a n d
g o . A s a r e s u l t , the t u r n o v e r o f p e r s o n n e l i s u n u s u a l l y
h i g h . B u t e v e n t h i s t u r n o v e r c a n be a n a d v a n t a g e to the
m u s i c i a n s , f o r the w r i t e r s h a v e a c h a n c e t o e x p e r i m e n t
w i t h different c o m b i n a t i o n s of instruments a n d a v a r i e t y
o f v o i c i n g s . T h e p l a y e r s i n the b a n d a l s o l e a r n t o b e
flexible i n t h e i r p l a y i n g , to a d a p t t h e m s e l v e s t o g o o d e n -
semble w o r k i n spite of constantly c h a n g i n g section
mates.
A b o u t t h r e e m o n t h s a g o , the b a n d r e a c h e d a h i g h p o i n t
i n the o p i n i o n of most of the m u s i c i a n s . O n e s a i d , " A s
f o r t h e s o u n d o f t h e b a n d , I t h i n k at t i m e s w e r e a c h e d
the e x c i t e m e n t o f t h e o l d D i z z y G i l l e s p i e b a n d , a n d a l s o
h a r m o n i c a l l y , i t ' s j u s t as i n t e r e s t i n g as a n y t h i n g a r o u n d
today, w i t h X ' s scores a n y w a y , a n d n a t u r a l l y a l l Y ' s
things are b e a u t i f u l a n d s w i n g i n g . " X a n d Y are two
of t h e m o s t c r e a t i v e m u s i c i a n s i n the h o s p i t a l .
A l t h o u g h there has never been any f o r m a l m u s i c a l
e d u c a t i o n i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h the h o s p i t a l ' s m u s i c a l p r o -
g r a m , there almost always have been several w e l l - k n o w n
a n d a c c o m p l i s h e d m u s i c i a n s here, w h o seem to s t i m u l a t e
other m u s i c i a n s by their personalities a n d creative ex-
amples. These outstanding musicians who have become
p a t i e n t s at t h e h o s p i t a l g e n e r a l l y l i k e to h e l p t h e i r f e l l o w
patients by passing on m u s i c a l insights and discoveries,
h e l p i n g t h e m to b r o a d e n t h e i r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f m u s i c
a n d to i m p r o v e t h e i r p l a y i n g .
S o m e t i m e s the i n f l u e n c e o f these m u s i c i a n s i s s t y l i s t i c ,
as o n e p a t i e n t n o t e d i n s a y i n g , " O n e o f o u r b o y s i s
w r i t i n g m u s i c w h i c h b r i n g s out a n esoteric s o u n d . H e
h a s a n a b i l i t y to r u n a l m o s t t h e e n t i r e h a r m o n i c g a m u t
i n e v e r y t h i n g he w r i t e s . T h a t h a s i n f l u e n c e d m y w r i t i n g
a n d a l m o s t a l l the o t h e r a r r a n g e r s , a n d I t h i n k t h r o u g h
this we have a c h i e v e d a different s o u n d . I also w a n t to
mention Y ' s influence, w h i c h a l l musicians are f a m i l i a r
w i t h f r o m the d a y s o f the D i z z y G i l l e s p i e b a n d a n d t h e
B i l l y E c k s t i n e b a n d . W e seem to be a b l e t o get b o t h
these f e e l i n g s g o i n g . "
A n o t h e r p a t i e n t h a s felt t h e i r i n f l u e n c e i n a d i f f e r e n t
way. " I consider myself a very g o o d e x a m p l e of what
the i n f l u e n c e s a r o u n d h e r e c a n d o . I c a m e h e r e j u s t b e i n g
what y o u might call a sometime p i a n o p l a y e r , a n d have
been f o r the last t e n o r t w e l v e y e a r s . I c a m e h e r e a n d
f o u n d m y s e l f s u r r o u n d e d b y these o v e r w h e l m i n g l y g o o d
influences. N e v e r h a d I w r i t t e n a note of m u s i c , a n d was
JULY
s t i m u l a t e d s o l e l y b v the i n f l u e n c e s h e r e to w r i t e a n a r -
r a n g e m e n t o r t w o . N o w I see a p o s s i b l e f u t u r e f o r m e
s i n c e these a r r a n g e m e n t s h a v e m e t w i t h a f a i r a m o u n t
of success."
A n o t h e r p a t i e n t d e s c r i b e s the p r o g r a m i n t h i s w a y :
" A s f o r the t h e r a p e u t i c aspects o f the p r o g r a m , i t i s
c h i e f l y i n g e t t i n g us b a c k i n t o t h e s w i n g of t h i n g s . M o s t
o f us h a v e g o n e t h r o u g h t h i s at s o m e t i m e i n the p a s t .
W e have been i n some k i n d of r e g u l a t e d p r o g r a m of
m u s i c a l e n d e a v o r o n t h e street. B u t b e c a u s e of the use
of d r u g s , we got a w a y f r o m t h i s p a t t e r n , a n d b e f o r e y o u
k n o w it y o u are away f r o m y o u r i n s t r u m e n t completely.
D r u g s takes a l l of y o u r t i m e ; y o u are not really interested
i n p l a y i n g o r c r e a t i n g . A n d yet w h e n y o u a r e h e r e , y o u
find yourself t h r o w n back into it. Either y o u sink or
s w i m . Y o u e n t e r i n t o the m u s i c a l p r o g r a m o r y o u d o n ' t .
A n d y o u are s o o n weeded out either b y others or b y
y o u r o w n conscience. A person just doesn't stay i n it
floundering around doing nothing. If you're i n it, you
a c c o m p l i s h something. It's that o v e r w h e l m i n g . A n d I
t h i n k it i s t h e r a p e u t i c f r o m t h a t p o i n t o f v i e w ; i t p r e p a r e s
u s o n c e a g a i n t o meet, t h e k i n d of o b l i g a t i o n s w e w i l l f a c e
o n the s t r e e t : the d a i l y p a t t e r n s o f p r a c t i c e , w r i t i n g , r e -
h e a r s i n g , p l a y i n g . O n e aspect of i n f l u e n c e h e r e i s i n t a n -
g i b l e a n d yet m o s t i m p o r t a n t . T h e v e r y p r e s e n c e o f s o m e
e x t r e m e l y c r e a t i v e p e o p l e a r o u n d h e r e t e n d s to r u b off o n
s o m e o f us w h o a r e p o t e n t i a l l y c r e a t i v e b u t h a v e n ' t c o m e
to o u r f u l l r e a l f r u i t i o n as yet. W h i l e s o m e o f the p a t i e n t s
here have been recognized names i n v a r i o u s m u s i c a l
fields, t h e r e a r e m a n y w h o h a v e n e v e r b e e n r e c o g n i z e d ,
but w h o are potentially e q u a l l y c r e a t i v e . "
T h e s h o w s p r o d u c e d b y the p a t i e n t s a r e a n o t h e r s o u r c e
of s a t i s f a c t i o n a n d n e w e x p e r i e n c e f o r the m u s i c i a n -
p a t i e n t s . T h e e x p e r i e n c e of w o r k i n g w i t h s i n g e r s a n d
d a n c e r s i n p r e p a r i n g these s h o w s a n d o f w r i t i n g m u s i c
f o r the s h o w s m o v e d o n e m u s i c i a n to s a y , " A s f a r as I
a m c o n c e r n e d , a l l of the e x p e r i e n c e I h a v e h a d w r i t i n g
for singers a n d dancers, w o r k i n g out their problems and
o u r o w n p r o b l e m s , has been i m m e a s u r a b l y g o o d for me.
I feel c o n f i d e n t n o w t h a t I c a n w r i t e f o r a n y o n e at a n y
t i m e . S o i n a sense, the i m p o r t a n t t h i n g h e r e i s t h a t we
r e a l l y p r e p a r e f o r a l i v e l i h o o d f o r m u s i c a n d to be s i n c e r e
about our m u s i c . "
I n a l l these w a y s t h e m u s i c a l r e c r e a t i o n p r o g r a m r e -
i n f o r c e s a n d a i d s the i n d i v i d u a l t h e r a p y p r o v i d e d b y the
p s y c h i a t r i c staff a n d the t w i c e - a - w e e k g r o u p - t h e r a p y ses-
s i o n s w i t h a staff m e m b e r a n d f e l l o w m u s i c i a n s . T h e
t h e r a p y h e l p s t h e m to d e v e l o p i n s i g h t i n t o t h e i r o w n be-
h a v i o r a n d into t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h those they live
w i t h i n the h o s p i t a l a n d w o r k w i t h i n t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n .
It h e l p s t h e m to u n d e r s t a n d t h e m s e l v e s , to a c c e p t t h e m -
s e l v e s , to r e a l i z e t h e i r l i m i t a t i o n s , a n d c o m e to g r i p s w i t h
their strengths. A s one patient s a i d , " T h e t h i n g that I
a p p r e c i a t e so m u c h a b o u t t h i s i s t h a t o n t h e street I
w o u l d n e v e r s e e m to h a v e t h e t i m e to sit d o w n a n d t h i n k ,
o r t a k e a l o o k at m y s e l f . O f c o u r s e , I w a s a l w a y s i n v o l v e d
i n the n a r c o t i c s b u s i n e s s . " W h i l e the t h e r a p y p r o g r a m
h e l p s t h e m to r e b u i l d , o r i n s o m e cases to b u i l d f o r the
f i r s t t i m e , a sense o f i n d i v i d u a l i n t e g r i t y , t h e m u s i c a l
r e c r e a t i o n p r o g r a m h e l p s t h e m to d e v e l o p t h e i r c r e a t i v e
a b i l i t i e s a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l s k i l l s , a n d to l e a r n to a p p r e -
ciate the satisfactions of creative e f f o r t s t r o n g b u l w a r k s
a g a i n s t a r e t u r n t o n a r c o t i c use a n d a d d i c t i o n .
9
 1912-14
Conversations with James P. Johnson Q. J a
P, m e s h o w d i d
you get
launched a s a prof -
e s

sional pianist ?

A . I told y o u before h o w I was impressed b y m y older

brothers' friends. T h e y were real t i c k l e r s c a b a r e t a n d
sporting-house players. T h e y were m y heroes a n d l e d
w h a t I felt w a s a g l a m o r o u s l i f e w e l c o m e e v e r y w h e r e
because o f their talent.

In the years before W o r l d W a r I, there was a piano

in almost every home, colored o r white. T h e p i a n o makers
had a s l o g a n : " W h a t Is H o m e W i t h o u t A P i a n o ? " It was
like h a v i n g a radio o r a T V today. Phonographs were
feeble a n d s c r a t c h y .

M o s t p e o p l e w h o h a d p i a n o s c o u l d n ' t p l a y t h e m , so
a p i a n o p l a y e r w a s i m p o r t a n t s o c i a l l y . T h e r e w e r e so
m a n y of t h e m v i s i t i n g a n d s o c i a l i z i n g that s o m e people
w o u l d have their pianos g o i n g d a y a n d n i g h t a l l week l o n g .

If y o u c o u l d play p i a n o g o o d , y o u went f r o m one party

to a n o t h e r a n d e v e r y b o d y m a d e a f u s s a b o u t y o u a n d f e d
y o u i c e c r e a m , cake, f o o d a n d d r i n k s . I n fact, soine of the
b i g g e s t m e n i n t h e p r o f e s s i o n w e r e k n o w n as t h e b i g g e s t
e a t e r s w e h a d . A t a n a l l - n i g h t p a r t y , y o u s t a r t e d at 1 : 0 0
A . M . , h a d a n o t h e r m e a l at 4 : 0 0 a . m . a n d sat d o w n a g a i n
at 6 : 0 0 a . m . M a n y o f us s u f f e r e d l a t e r b e c a u s e o f e a t i n g
and d r i n k i n g habits started i n o u r younger socializing
days.

B u t that w a s the life f o r m e w h e n I w a s seventeen,

by Tom Davin I n the s u m m e r of 1912, d u r i n g high-school vacation,

10 THE JAZZ REVIEW

I went out to F a r R o c k a w a y , a beach resort n e a r C o n e y
I s l a n d , a n d got a c h a n c e to p l a y at a p l a c e r u n b y a f e l l o w
n a m e d C h a r l i e E t t . It w a s j u s t a c o u p l e of r o o m s k n o c k e d
t o g e t h e r to m a k e a c a b a r e t . T h e y h a d b e e r a n d l i q u o r ,
a n d o u t i n the b a c k y a r d t h e r e w a s a c r i b h o u s e f o r fast
turnover.
It w a s a r o u g h p l a c e , b u t I got n i n e d o l l a r s a n d t i p s ,
o r a b o u t e i g h t e e n d o l l a r s a week o v e r a l l . T h a t w a s so
m u c h m o n e y t h a t I d i d n ' t w a n t to g o b a c k to h i g h s c h o o l .
I never got but quarters when I p l a y e d before.
Q. O h , y o u did p l a y p r o f e s s i o n a l l y b e f o r e ?
A . Y e s , but it d i d n ' t count. W h e n I was about eight
i n J e r s e y C i t y , I w a s w a l k i n g d o w n the b l o c k , a n d a w o -
m a n c a m e o u t of a d o o r w a y a n d a s k e d m e i f I w a n t e d to
make a quarter. She knew I could play a little, f r o m
n e i g h b o r s , so she t o o k m e i n t o h e r p a r l o r w h e r e t h e r e
w e r e a b o u t t h r e e o r f o u r c o u p l e s d r i n k i n g b e e r , set m e
d o w n o n the p i a n o s t o o l a n d s a i d : " G o a h e a d a n d p l a y
and don't turn your h e a d . "
I p l a y e d m y Little Brown Jug t u n e a n d a c o u p l e of
other h y m n s a n d n u r s e r y - r h y m e arrangements for a there I recall.
c o u p l e of h o u r s . I n e v e r l o o k e d a r o u n d .
S h e g a v e m e a q u a r t e r , a n d I w e n t o n m y w a y . I guess
she w a s r u n n i n g s o m e k i n d of s p o r t i n g h o u s e . T h e y w e r e
a l l a r o u n d the n e i g h b o r h o o d .
Q. E x c u s e my i n t e r r u p t i o n . T e l l me more about Far
Rockaway.
A . T h e r e was a n o t h e r p l a c e t h e r e c a l l e d " T h e C o o l
O f f , " l o c a t e d d o w n n e a r the s t a t i o n . S o m e C l e f C l u b m e m -
b e r s p l a y e d t h e r e , a n d t h e y u s e d to c o m e o v e r a f t e r h o u r s
to h e a r m e p l a y d i r t y . K i d S n e e z e w a s a m o n g t h e m , a n d
D u d e F i n l e y , a pianist who p l a y e d a r a g i n D m i n o r that
h a d the s a m e t r i o t h a t was l a t e r used i n Shake It, Break
It, Throw It Out The Window; Catch It Before It Falls.
T h a t f a l l , i n s t e a d of g o i n g b a c k to s c h o o l , I w e n t to
J e r s e y C i t y a n d got a j o b i n a c a b a r e t r u n b y F r e d d i e
D o y l e . H e gave me a two-dollar raise.
In a couple of months, D o y l e ' s folded up, a n d I came
b a c k to M a n h a t t a n a n d p l a y e d i n a s p o r t i n g h o u s e o n 2 7 t h
Street between 8th a n d 9th A v e n u e s , w h i c h was the T e n -
d e r l o i n t h e n . It w a s r u n b y a f e l l o w n a m e d D a n W i l l i a m s ,
a n d he h a d t w o g i r l e n t e r t a i n e r s that I u s e d to a c c o m p a n y .
Q. W h a t t y p e of m u s i c w e r e y o u p l a y i n g i n 1912?
A . O h , g e n e r a l l y p o p u l a r stuff. I p l a y e d That Barber-
shop Chord . . . Lazy Moon . . . Berlin's Alexander's
Ragtime Band. S o m e r a g s , t o o , m y o w n a n d o t h e r s . . .
J o p l i n ' s Maple Leaf Rag ( e v e r y b o d y k n e w t h a t b y t h e n )
. . . h i s Sunflower Slow Drag . . . Maori, by W i l l Thiers
. . . The Peculiar Rag a n d The Dream, b y J a c k the B e a r .
T h e n there were " i n s t r u m e n t a l s " ; p i a n o arrangements
of m e d l e y s of H e r b e r t a n d F r i m l , p o p u l a r n o v e l t i e s a n d
music-hall h i t s m a n y by Negro composers.
I n d i a n s o n g s w e r e p o p u l a r t h e n , a n d the g i r l s at D a n
W i l l i a m s ' u s e d to s i n g Hiawatha . . . Red Wing . . . Big
Chief Battleaxe . . . Come With Me To My Big Teepee
. . . Pony Boyall p o p u l a r i n the m u s i c halls then.
B l u e s h a d n o t c o m e i n t o p o p u l a r i t y at t h a t t i m e t h e y
weren't k n o w n or s u n g by N e w Y o r k entertainers.
Q. H a d y o u done any c o m p o s i n g by that t i m e ?
A. N o , b u t I was w o r k i n g o u t a n u m b e r of r a g s o f m y
JULY
o w n t h a t t h e y w a n t e d to p u b l i s h at G o t h a m & A t t u c k s , a
N e g r o m u s i c p u b l i s h i n g f i r m w h o s e offices w e r e at 3 7 t h
S t r e e t , off B r o a d w a y . 1 c o u l d n ' t w r i t e t h e m d o w n a n d I
d i d n ' t k n o w a n y b o d y w h o w o u l d do them for me.
C e c i l M a c k was president of G o t h a m & A t t u c k s . A l l the
g r e a t c o l o r e d m u s i c i a n s h a d g a t h e r e d a r o u n d the f i r m
Bert W i l l i a m s , George W a l k e r , Scott J o p l i n , W i l l M a r i o n
Cook, Joe J o r d a n , T i m B r y m m .
T h e y h a d a lot o f h i t s o n g s . . . Just a Word Of Con-
solation . . . Red, Red Rose . . . Down Among the Sugar
Cane . . . Good Morning, Carrie. Gussie L . Davis, who
w r o t e w h i t e - s t y l e b a l l a d s f o r t h e m , w a s the c o m p o s e r of
The Baggage Coach Ahead, the g r e a t e s t t e a r - j e r k e r of
the t i m e .
Q . W e r e y o u l o n g at D a n W i l l i a m s ' place?
A . N o , o n l y a c o u p l e of m o n t h s . I h a d a n u m b e r of
j o b s i n the w i n t e r o f 1 9 1 2 - 1 3 . O n e w a s p l a y i n g m o v i e
p i a n o at the N i c k e l e t t e at 8 t h A v e n u e a n d 3 7 t h S t r e e t .
T h e y h a d m o v i e s a n d s h o r t acts f o r s h o r t m o n e y . M a n y
v a u d e v i l l e acts b r o k e i n t h e r e . F l o r e n c e M i l l s first s a n g
I n the s p r i n g of 1 9 1 3 , I r e a l l y got s t a r t e d u p i n T h e
J u n g l e s . T h i s w a s the N e g r o s e c t i o n of H e l l ' s K i t c h e n a n d
r a n f r o m 6 0 t h to 6 3 r d S t r e e t , west of 9 t h A v e n u e . It w a s
the t o u g h e s t p a r t of N e w Y o r k . T h e r e w e r e t w o to t h r e e
k i l l i n g s a n i g h t . F i g h t s b r o k e out over love affairs, g a m -
b l i n g , o r a r g u m e n t s i n g e n e r a l . T h e r e w e r e r a c e fights
w i t h the w h i t e g a n g s o n 6 6 t h a n d 6 7 t h S t r e e t . It w a s j u s t
as t o u g h i n the w h i t e s e c t i o n o f H e l l ' s K i t c h e n .
Q. W h e r e d i d y o u play there?
A . I n 1 9 1 0 a n d 1 9 1 1 , I u s e d to d r o p i n at J i m A l l a n ' s
p l a c e at 61st S t r e e t a n d 1 0 t h A v e n u e , w h e r e I ' d w e a r m y
k n i c k e r s l o n g so t h e y w o u l d n ' t n o t i c e t h a t I w a s a s h o r t -
p a n t s p u n k . A f t e r t h e y h e a r d m e p l a y , t h e y w o u l d let m e
come when I wanted.
S o , i n the s p r i n g of 1 9 1 3 , I w e n t u p t o w n a n d got a j o b
p l a y i n g at J i m A l l a n ' s . It w a s a r e m o d e l e d c e l l a r , a n d
s i n c e i t o p e r a t e d a f t e r h o u r s , it h a d a n i r o n - p l a t e d d o o r
l i k e the s p e a k - e a s i e s h a d l a t e r . T h e r e w a s a b a r u p s t a i r s ,
b u t d o w n s t a i r s t h e r e w a s a r a t h s k e l l e r , a n d i n the b a c k
of the c e l l a r t h e r e w a s a g a m b l i n g j o i n t .
W h e n the c o p s r a i d e d us n o w a n d t h e n , t h e y a l w a y s
h a d to g o b a c k to the s t a t i o n h o u s e f o r a x e s a n d s l e d g e
h a m m e r s , so we u s u a l l y m a d e a c l e a n g e t a w a y .
M y " N e w Y o r k J a z z " a l b u m [ o n A s c h ] t r i e d to s h o w
s o m e t y p e s of m u s i c p l a y e d i n T h e J u n g l e s at t h a t t i m e
. . . J o p l i n ' s Euphonic Sounds . . . The Dream . . . Handy's
Hesitation Blues.
O n e n i g h t a week, I p l a y e d p i a n o f o r D r a k e ' s D a n c i n g
C l a s s o n 6 2 n d S t r e e t , w h i c h we c a l l e d " T h e J u n g l e s
C a s i n o . " It w a s o f f i c i a l l y a d a n c i n g s c h o o l , s i n c e i t w a s
v e r y h a r d f o r N e g r o e s to get a d a n c e - h a l l l i c e n s e . B u t
y o u c o u l d get a l i c e n s e to o p e n a d a n c i n g s c h o o l v e r y
cheap.
T h e J u n g l e s C a s i n o was j u s t a c e l l a r , t o o , w i t h o u t
fixings. T h e f u r n a c e , c o a l , a n d ashes w e r e s t i l l t h e r e
b e h i n d a p a r t i t i o n . T h e c o a l b i n w a s h a n d y f o r guests
to s t a s h t h e i r l i q u o r i n case the c o p s d r o p p e d i n .
T h e r e w e r e d a n c i n g classes a l l r i g h t , b u t t h e r e w e r e n o
t e a c h e r s . T h e " p u p i l s " d a n c e d sets, t w o - s t e p s , w a l t z e s ,
s c h o t t i s c h e s , a n d " T h e M e t r o p o l i t a n G l i d e , " a n e w step.
I p l a y e d f o r these r e g u l a t i o n d a n c e s , b u t i n s t e a d o f
p l a y i n g straight, I'd break into a r a g i n c e r t a i n places.
n
 T h e o l d e r o n e s d i d n ' t c a r e too m u c h f o r t h i s , b u t the
y o u n g e r o n e s w o u l d s c r e a m w h e n I got g o o d to t h e m
w i t h a b i t o f r a g i n the d a n c e m u s i c n o w a n d t h e n .
T h e floor of the d a n c i n g c l a s s w a s p l a i n c e m e n t l i k e
a n y c e l l a r , a n d i t was h a r d o n the d a n c e r s ' shoes. I saw
m a n y a c t u a l l y w e a r r i g h t t h r o u g h a p a i r o f shoes i n one
night. They danced h a r d .
W h e n it r a i n e d , the w a t e r w o u l d r u n d o w n the w a l l s
f r o m the street so we a l l h a d to s t o p a n d m o p u p the
floor.
T h e p e o p l e w h o c a m e to T h e J u n g l e s C a s i n o w e r e m o s t l y
f r o m a r o u n d C h a r l e s t o n . S o u t h C a r o l i n a , and other places
i n the S o u t h . M o s t of t h e m w o r k e d f o r the W a r d L i n e
as l o n g s h o r e m e n o r o n s h i p s that c a l l e d at s o u t h e r n coast
p o r t s . T h e r e w e r e even s o m e G u l l a h s a m o n g t h e m .
T h e y p i c k e d t h e i r p a r t n e r s w i t h c a r e to s h o w off t h e i r
best steps a n d p u t sets, c o t i l l i o n s a n d c a k e w a l k s t h a t
w o u l d g i v e t h e m a c h a n c e to get off.
T h e C h a r l e s t o n , w h i c h b e c a m e a p o p u l a r d a n c e step
o n its o w n , was j u s t a r e g u l a t i o n c o t i l l i o n step w i t h o u t a
n a m e . It h a d m a n y v a r i a t i o n s a l l d a n c e d to the r h y t h m
that e v e r y b o d y k n o w s n o w . O n e r e g u l a r at the C a s i n o ,
n a m e d D a n W h i t e , w a s the best d a n c e r i n the c r o w d a n d
he i n t r o d u c e d the C h a r l e s t o n step as we k n o w i t . B u t t h e r e
were d o z e n s of o t h e r s steps u s e d , t o o .
It was w h i l e p l a y i n g f o r these s o u t h e r n d a n c e r s that I
c o m p o s e d a n u m b e r of C h a r l e s t o n s e i g h t i n a l l a l l w i t h
the s a m e r h y t h m . O n e of these l a t e r b e c a m e m y f a m o u s
Charleston w h e n it h i t B r o a d w a y .
M y Carolina Shout was a n o t h e r t y p e of r a g t i m e a r -
r a n g e m e n t o f a set d a n c e of t h i s p e r i o d . I n f a c t , a lot of
f a m o u s j a z z c o m p o s i t i o n s g r e w o u t of c o t i l l i o n m u s i c
s u c h as The Wildcat Blues. J e l l y R o l l M o r t o n t o l d m e t h a t
h i s King Porter Stomp a n d High Society w e r e t a k e n f r o m
cotillion music.
T h e d a n c e s t h e y d i d at T h e J u n g l e s C a s i n o w e r e w i l d
a n d c o m i c a l t h e m o r e p o s e a n d the m o r e b r e a k s , the
better. T h e s e C h a r l e s t o n p e o p l e a n d the o t h e r s o u t h e r n e r s
h a d j u s t c o m e to N e w Y o r k . T h e y w e r e c o u n t r y p e o p l e
a n d they felt h o m e s i c k . W h e n t h e y got t i r e d of two-steps
a n d s c h o t t i s c h e s ( w h i c h they d a n c e d w i t h a lot of s p i e l -
i n g ) , t h e y ' d y e l l : " L e t ' s go back h o m e ! " . . . " L e t ' s do
a s e t ! " . . . o r " N o w , p u t us i n the a l l e y ! ' ' I d i d m y Mule
Walk o r Gut Stomp f o r these c o u n t r y d a n c e s .
B r e a k d o w n m u s i c was the best f o r s u c h sets, the m o r e
s o l i d a n d g r o o v y the b e t t e r . T h e y ' d d a n c e , h o l l e r i n g a n d
s c r e a m i n g u n t i l they w e r e c o o k e d . T h e d a n c e s r a n f r o m
fifteen to t h i r t y m i n u t e s , b u t they k e p t u p a l l n i g h t l o n g
o r u n t i l t h e i r shoes w o r e o u t m o s t of t h e m a f t e r a h e a v )
d a y ' s w o r k o n the d o c k s .
Q . W h o w e r e s o m e of the o t h e r t i c k l e r s i n T h e J u n g l e s
at that t i m e ?
A . W e l l , t h e r e w a s B o b G o r d o n , the M a r c h K i n g , w h o
p l a y e d at A l l a n ' s b e f o r e m e . H e w r o t e Oh, You Drummer!
w h i c h was p o p u l a r b e c a u s e it h a d a lot of b r e a k s f o r
drums.
T h e n t h e r e w a s F r e d d i e S i n g l e t o n w h o u s e d to r e l i e v e
m e at T h e J u n g l e s C a s i n o n o w a n d t h e n . W h e n I w o u l d
l a y off at A l l a n ' s , I w o u l d p l a y at G e o r g i e L e e ' s n e a r b y ,
w h i c h w a s l a i d o u t the s a m e as A l l a n ' s , e x c e p t t h a t it
h a d a c a b a r e t i n the b a c k r o o m , i n s t e a d of g a m b l i n g .
A b o u t t h i s t i m e , I p l a y e d m y first " P i g f o o t H o p " at
P h i l W a t k i n ' s p l a c e o n 61st S t r e e t . H e w a s a v e r y c l e v e r
e n t e r t a i n e r a n d he p a i d m e $ 1 . 5 0 f o r a n i g h t ' s p l a y i n g
w i t h a l l the g i n a n d c h i t t e r l i n g s t h a t I c o u l d get d o w n .
12
T h i s w a s m y first " C h i t t e r l i n ' S t r u t " o r p a r l o r s o c i a l ,
b u t l a t e r i n the d e p r e s s i o n I b e c a m e f a m o u s at " G u m b o
Suppers," " F i s h F r i e s , " " F g g N o g P a r t i e s , " and " R e n t
P a r t i e s . " I l o v e d t h e m a l l . Y o u met p e o p l e .
W h e n I w a s at A l l a n ' s . I met L u c k e y R o b e r t s at a p a r t y .
Q. W h a t was L u c k e y l i k e i n those days of h i s p r i m e ?
A . L u c k e y R o b e r t s w a s the o u t s t a n d i n g p i a n i s t i n
N e w Y o r k i n 1 9 1 3 a n d for years before a n d after. H e
h a d c o m p o s e d The Elks March . . . Spanish Venus . . .
Palm Beach Rag . . . The Junkman's Rag.
L u c k e y h a d m a s s i v e h a n d s that c o u l d s t r e t c h a f o u r -
t e e n t h o n the k e y b o a r d , a n d he p l a y e d t e n t h s as easy as
o t h e r s p l a y e d o c t a v e s . H i s t r e m o l o w a s t e r r i f i c , a n d he
c o u l d d r u m o n o n e n o t e w i t h t w o o r t h r e e fingers i n
e i t h e r h a n d . H i s style i n m a k i n g b r e a k s w a s l i k e a d r u m -
m e r ' s : h e ' d flail his h a n d s i n a n d out, l i f t i n g them h i g h .
A very spectacular pianist.
H e w a s p l a y i n g at B a r r o n W i l k i n s ' p l a c e i n H a r l e m
t h e n , a n d w h e n I c o u l d get a w a y I w e n t u p t o w n a n d
s t u d i e d h i m ( I w a s w o r k i n g at A l l a n ' s f r o m 9 : 0 0 P . M . to
7 : 0 0 a . m . ) . L a t e r we b e c a m e g o o d f r i e n d s , a n d he i n v i t e d
m e to h i s h o m e . A f t e r w a r d s , I p l a y e d at B a r r o n W i l k i n s ' ,
too, as d i d m y f r i e n d E r n e s t G r e e n , w h o first i n t r o d u c e d
me to L u c k e y . E r n e s t w a s a g o o d c l a s s i c p i a n i s t . L u c k e y
u s e d to a s k h i m to p l a y the William Tell Overture a n d the
White Cavalry Overture. T h e s e w e r e c o n s i d e r e d tops i n
" c l a s s i c a l " m u s i c amongst us.
Ernest Green's mother was s t u d y i n g then w i t h a p i a n o
and s i n g i n g teacher named B r u t o G i a n i n n i . She d i d house
c l e a n i n g i n r e t u r n f o r l e s s o n s s e v e r a l N e g r o s i n g e r s got
their t r a i n i n g that w a y . M r s . G r e e n t o l d m e : " J a m e s , y o u
h a v e too m u c h t a l e n t to r e m a i n i g n o r a n t of m u s i c a l
p r i n c i p l e s . " S h e i n s p i r e d m e to s t u d y s e r i o u s l y . S o I
b e g a n to t a k e l e s s o n s f r o m G i a n i n n i , b u t I got t i r e d o f the
<lull e x e r c i s e s . H o w e v e r , he t a u g h t m e a l o t o f c o n c e r t
effects.
I w a s s t a r t i n g to d e v e l o p a g o o d t e c h n i q u e . I w a s b o r n
with absolute p i t c h and c o u l d catch a key that a p l a y e r
was u s i n g a n d c o p y i t . e v e n L u c k e y ' s . I p l a y e d r a g s v e r y
accurately and b r i l l i a n t l y r u n n i n g chromatic octaves
a n d g l i s s a n d o s u p a n d d o w n w i t h b o t h h a n d s . It m a d e a
t e r r i f i c effect.
I d i d double glissandos straight and b a c k h a n d , glis-
sandos i n sixths and double tremolos. These w o u l d r u n
o t h e r t i c k l e r s o u t of the p l a c e at c u t t i n g s e s s i o n s . T h e y
w o u l d n ' t p l a y a f t e r m e . I w o u l d p u t these t r i c k s i n o n
the b r e a k s a n d I c o u l d t h i n k o f a t r i c k a m i n u t e . I w a s
p l a y i n g a lot of p i a n o then, t r a v e l i n g a r o u n d a n d listen-
i n g to e v e r y g o o d p l a y e r I c o u l d . I ' d s t e a l t h e i r b r e a k s
a n d style a n d practice them u n t i l I h a d them perfect.
F r o m l i s t e n i n g to c l a s s i c a l p i a n o r e c o r d s a n d c o n c e r t s ,
f r o m f r i e n d s of E r n e s t G r e e n s u c h as M m e . G a r r e t , w h o
w a s a fine c l a s s i c a l p i a n i s t , I w o u l d l e a r n c o n c e r t effects
and b u i l d t h e m into blues a n d rags.
S o m e t i m e s I w o u l d p l a y b a s s e s a l i t t l e l i g h t e r t h a n the
melody and change harmonies. W h e n p l a y i n g a heavy
s t o m p , I ' d soften it r i g h t d o w n t h e n , I ' d m a k e an a b r u p t
change like I heard Beethoven do i n a sonata.
S o m e p e o p l e t h o u g h t i t w a s c h e a p , b u t i t w a s effective
a n d d r a m a t i c . W i t h a s o l i d bass l i k e a m e t r o n o m e , I ' d use
chords w i t h half and quarter changes. Once I used Liszt's
Rigoletto Concert Paraphrase as a n i n t r o d u c t i o n to a
s t o m p . A n o t h e r t i m e , I ' d use p i a n i s s i m o effects i n t h e
g r o o v e a n d let the d a n c e r s ' feet be h e a r d s c r a p i n g o n the
floor. It w a s u s e d b y d a n c e b a n d s l a t e r .
THE JAZZ REVIEW
 I n p r a c t i c i n g t e c h n i q u e , I w o u l d p l a y i n the d a r k t o get W h i l e i n N e w Jersey that s u m m e r , I w o n a p i a n o c o n -
c o m p l e t e l y f a m i l i a r w i t h the k e y b o a r d . T o d e v e l o p c l e a r test i n E g g H a r b o r , p l a y i n g m y Twilight Rag ( w h i c h h a d
t o u c h a n d the feel of the p i a n o , I ' d p u t a b e d sheet o v e r a c h i m e s effect i n s y n c o p a t i o n ) , Steeplechase Rag, and
the k e y b o a r d a n d p l a y d i f f i c u l t p i e c e s t h r o u g h i t . Nighttime in Dixieland.
I h a d gotten p o w e r a n d was b u i l d i n g a serious orches- T h e r e w a s a p i a n i s t t h e r e w h o p l a y e d q u a d r i l l e s , sets,
t r a l p i a n o . I d i d r a g v a r i a t i o n s o n William Tell Overture, r a g s , etc. F r o m h i m , I f i r s t h e a r d t h e w a l k i n g T e x a s o r
G r i e g ' s Peer G y n t Suite a n d e v e n a Russian Rag b a s e d o n b o o g i e w o o g i e bass. T h e b o o g i e w o o g i e w a s a c o t i l l i o n step
R a c h m a n i n o f f ' s Prelude in C Sharp Minor, w h i c h was f o r w h i c h a l o t o f m u s i c w a s c o m p o s e d . I n e v e r got h i s
just getting popular then. n a m e , b u t he p l a y e d t h e Kitchen Tom Rag w h i c h w a s
I n m y Imitators' Rag the last s t r a i n h a d Dixie i n the the s i g n a l f o r a " J a z z " d a n c e .
r i g h t h a n d a n d The Star Spangled Banner i n the left. W h e n I c a m e back to N e w Y o r k , I met the f a m o u s
(It w a s n ' t the n a t i o n a l a n t h e m t h e n . ) A n o t h e r v e r s i o n A b b a L a b b a i n the C h e l s e a d i s t r i c t . T o t h i s d a y , I c a n ' t
h a d Home, Sweet Home i n the left h a n d a n d Dixie in remember his right name, either. H e was a f r i e n d a n d
the r i g h t . p u p i l of L u c k e y R o b e r t s ' .
When President Wilson's "Preparedness" campaign A b b a L a b b a w a s the w o r k i n g g i r l s ' J e l l y R o l l . H i s
came on, I wrote a march fantasia called Liberty. s p e c i a l t y w a s to p l a y a l o t of p i a n o f o r g i r l s w h o w e r e
F r o m 1 9 1 4 to 1 9 1 6 , I p l a y e d at A l l a n ' s , L e e ' s , T h e laundresses and cooks. T h e y w o u l d supply h i m w i t h
J u n g l e s C a s i n o , o c c a s i o n a l l y u p t o w n at B a r r o n W i l k i n s ' , stylish clothes f r o m their customers' l a u n d r y a n d m a k e
L e r o y ' s a n d W o o d ' s ( r u n then by E d m u n d J o h n s o n ) . I h i m e l a b o r a t e rosettes f o r h i s sleeve g u a r d s . T h e c o o k s
went a r o u n d c o p p i n g p i a n o p r i z e contests a n d I was c o n - f u r n i s h e d h i m w i t h w o n d e r f u l m e a l s , s i n c e t h e y h a d fine
s i d e r e d one of the best i n N e w Y o r k i f n o t the best. c o l d k i n a (keena) then. C o l d k i n a was leftover f o o d f r o m
I w a s s l i m a n d d a p p e r , a n d they c a l l e d m e " J i m m i e " a w h i t e f a m i l y ' s d i n n e r that the c o o k w a s e n t i t l e d t o .
then. T h i s was an old southern cooks' c u s t o m : they fed their
o w n f a m i l y w i t h these l e f t o v e r s a n d t h e y w e r e s u r e to
Q. H a d y o u done any c o m p o s i n g yet?
see that t h e r e w a s p l e n t y of g o o d f o o d left. T h a t ' s w h y
A . I h a d s t a r t e d to c o m p o s e m y f i r s t r a g a b o u t t h i s o l d s o u t h e r n h o m e c o o k i n g w a s so f a m o u s t h e cook
time ( 1 9 1 4 ) , but n o t h i n g was done w i t h it, a n d I threw shared it.
it a w a y . I a l s o w r o t e a n d t h r e w a w a y a n u m b e r of s o n g s , M o s t of the f u l l - t i m e h u s t l e r s u s e d to c u l t i v a t e a w o r k -
a l t h o u g h s o m e p e o p l e s e e m e d to l i k e t h e m . i n g g i r l l i k e t h a t , so t h e y c o u l d h a v e g o o d m e a l s a n d
E n t e r t a i n e r s u s e d to s i n g b l u e s to m e , h o m e m a d e b l u e s , fancy laundry.
a n d I ' d a r r a n g e t h e m f o r p i a n o , e i t h e r to a c c o m p a n y A b b a L a b b a h a d a b e a u t i f u l left h a n d a n d d i d w o n d e r f u l
t h e m o r p l a y as s o l o s . O n e of these h o m e m a d e b l u e s , bass w o r k . H e p l a y e d w i t h h a l f - t o n e arid q u a r t e r - t o n e
All Night Long, w a s m a d e i n t o a s o n g b y S h e l t o n B r o o k s , c h a n g e s that w e r e new i d e a s t h e n . H e w o u l d r u n o c t a v e s
w h o a l s o w r o t e The Darktown Strutters' Ball. i n c h o r d s , a n d one of h i s t r i c k s w a s to p l a y Good Night,
T h e n I met W i l l F a r r e l l , a N e g r o s o n g w r i t e r , a n d he Beloved, Good Night i n schottische, waltz and ragtime.
s h o w e d me h o w to set m y p i e c e s d o w n i n w r i t i n g . H e I fell on h i s s t y l e a n d c o p i e d a lot of i t .
a l s o w r o t e l y r i c s f o r t h e m . W i t h h i m , I set d o w n m y f i r s t
Q. Were there other pianists y o u learned t r i c k s f r o m
c o m p o s i t i o n to be p u b l i s h e d , Mamma's and Pappa's Blues.
at t h i s t i m e ?
T h e r e h a d b e e n a p i e c e a r o u n d at the t i m e c a l l e d
Left Her On The Railroad Track o r Baby, Get That Towel A . O h . yes. I was g e t t i n g a r o u n d t o w n a n d h e a r i n g
Wet. A l l p i a n i s t s k n e w it a n d c o u l d p l a y v a r i a t i o n s o n i t . e v e r y b o d y . If they h a d a n y t h i n g I d i d n ' t have, I listened
It w a s a s p o r t i n g - h o u s e f a v o r i t e . I t o o k one o p e n i n g a n d stole i t .
s t r a i n a n d d i d a p a r a p h r a s e f r o m this a n d used it i n S a m G o r d o n p l a y e d at T h e E l k s C a f e at 1 3 7 t h a n d
Mamma's and Pappa's Blues. It w a s a l s o d e v e l o p e d l a t e r 138th S t r e e t s a n d L e n o x A v e n u e . H e w a s a g r e a t t e c h -
i n t o Crazy Blues, by P e r r y B r a d f o r d . n i c i a n who p l a y e d an arabesque style that A r t T a t u m
I h a d c o m p o s e d Carolina Shout b e f o r e t h a t . It w a s n ' t made famous later. H e played swift runs i n sixths and
written d o w n , but was p i c k e d u p b y other pianists. M y thirds, b r o k e n chords, one-note tremolandos and h a d a
Steeplechase Rag a n d Daintiness Rag h a d s p r e a d a l l o v e r g o o d left h a n d . H e h a d b e e n a c l a s s i c a l p i a n i s t a n d h a d
the c o u n t r y , t o o , a l t h o u g h t h e y h a d n ' t been p u b l i s h e d . studied in G e r m a n y . H e p i c k e d up s y n c o p a t i o n here.
W i t h F a r r e l l , I a l s o w r o t e Slop It, Joe! at t h i s t i m e . F r e d B r y a n t f r o m B r o o k l y n was a g o o d a l l - a r o u n d
I s o l d i t , a l o n g w i t h Mamma's and Pappa's Blues for pianist. H e p l a y e d classical m u s i c a n d h a d a velvet touch.
t w e n t y - f i v e d o l l a r s a p i e c e to get e n o u g h m o n e y f o r a de- T h e p i a n o k e y s s e e m e d to be e x t e n s i o n s o f h i s fingers.
posit on a g r a n d p i a n o . I n c i d e n t a l l y , as f a r as I k n o w , he i n v e n t e d the b a c k w a r d
I n the s u m m e r of 1 9 1 4 , I w e n t f o r a v i s i t to A t l a n t i c t e n t h . I u s e d i t a n d p a s s e d i t o n to F a t s W a l l e r l a t e r .
City and heard Eubie Blake (who composed Shuffle It w a s the k e y n o t e o f o u r s t y l e .
Along l a t e r ) , one of the f o r e m o s t p i a n i s t s of a l l t i m e . D o w n i n Chelsea, there was a p l a y e r n a m e d Fats
H e was p l a y i n g at T h e B e l m o n t , a n d C h a r l e s J o h n s o n H a r r i s , who looked like W a l l e r d i d later. H e had a rag
w a s p l a y i n g at T h e B o a t H o u s e , b o t h a l l - n i g h t j o i n t s . i n D c a l l e d Fats Harris's Rag, a g r e a t s t o m p t u n e .
E u b i e was a m a r v e l o u s song p l a y e r . H e also h a d a T h e n i n the f a l l o f 1 9 1 4 , I w e n t o v e r to N e w a r k , N e w
c o u p l e of r a g s . O n e , Troublesome Ivories, was v e r y g o o d . J e r s e y , a n d first m e t W i l l i e ( T h e L i o n ) S m i t h a n d D i c k i e
I caught it. H u f f who were p l a y i n g on " T h e C o a s t , " a tough section
I saw h o w E u b i e , like W i l l i e S m i t h a n d L u c k e y R o b e r t s , a r o u n d A r l i n g t o n a n d A u g u s t a S t r e e t s . I p l a y e d at K i n n e y
c o u l d p l a y s o n g s i n a l l k e y s , so as to be r e a d y f o r a n y H a l l a n d L e w i s ' , w h i c h was located i n an o l d c h u r c h .
s i n g e r o r i f one o f t h e m s t a r t e d o n a w r o n g n o t e . S o B o t h w e r e g r e a t p l a y e r s . I d o n ' t h a v e to t e l l y o u a b o u t
I p r a c t i c e d that, too. I also p r e p a r e d s y m p h o n i c v a m p s W i l l i e , he's s t i l l p l a y i n g g r e a t . H e ' s the last of the r e a l
gutty, but not v e r y f u l l . old-time ticklersalong with Luckey.

JULY 13
UNDER S E P A R A T E COVER
Jack's Jazz Shop Jack's Jazz Shop
Hollywood, Cal. Hollywood, Cal.
N o v e m b e r 10 November 21

Dear Sirs: Dear Jack:

K i n d l y send m e a c o p y of Playboys
like i n Downbeat M a g a z i n e . I think
it's o n a V i c t o r o r s o m e t h i n g . K i n d l y
care how y o u pack it.
Sincerely,
Jason Beasley I V
Jason Beasley I V
Casmir Falls. Kansas
November 1 7
Deal' M r . Beasley:
Y o u r copy of W o r l d P a c i f i c ( P J
1234) f e a t u r i n g C h e t B a k e r a n d A r t
P e p p e r h a s been f o r w a r d e d under
s e p a r a t e c o v e r . W e h e r e at J a c k ' s
t r u s t that it h a s a r r i v e d i n c o o l c o n -
dition.
A s y o u m a y k n o w , we t r y to m a i n -
tain personal correspondence with
our many mail-order jazz customers
h e r e at J a c k ' s ( a n d q u i t e a h e r o i c
task it i s , t o o ) . S i n c e y o u a p p a r e n t l y
d i g the m e l l i f l u o u s i m p r o v i s a t i o n s of
I hate it, h a v i n g to b r i n g it u p a n d
a l l , b u t t h e Playboys wasn't i n what STEREO
I ' d c a l l c o o l c o n d i t i o n . I guess y o u
m e a n by that O . K . , don't y o u ? W e l l ,
it w a s n ' t . T h e c o v e r w a s b e n t at o n e
corner a n d there was a w r i n k l e r u n -
n i n g a l l over the g i r l .
I h a v e n ' t seen p i c t u r e s o f those
others y o u m e n t i o n e d , b u t I ' m b u y i n g
s o m e m o r e of those D o w n b e a t m a g -
azines. Y o u might send along Double
Play o n w h a t e v e r l a b e l i t i s p u t s i t
out. K i n d l y be c a r e f u l .
Sincerely, W e at J a c k ' s e n j o y i n o t h e r s t h e
Jason Beasley I V p e r f e c t i o n i s m we t r y to p r a c t i c e o u r -
selves. E v e n t h o u g h t h e c o v e r d a m a g e
you spoke of d i d n ' t s p o i l a note of
PLAYBOYS
C h e t ' s fine, b e l l - l i k e h o r n a n d A r t ' s
airy, floating alto ( n o t to m e n t i o n
the b r i l l i a n t bass w o r k o f C u r t i s
C o u n c e ; w e h o p e y o u d u g t h e fine
CHET C u r t i s ) , still a m a r r e d a l b u m is a bug.

the B a k e r - P e p p e r sextet I a n d w h o BAKER W e g a t h e r ( h e r e at J a c k ' s ) t h a t

y o u r tastes a r e W e s t C o a s t ( t h i s k i n d
d o e s n ' t , w e m a y a s k ? ) , let us suggest & of flips m e , ' c a u s e m i n e a r e t o o ) .
the f o l l o w i n g a l b u m s f o r v o u r n e x t
order: ART Since y o u like A r t ( a n d Russ a n d

diet Baker in !\ew York (River- PEPPER A n d r e ) , let us m a k e a c o u p l e of n e w

suggestions for y o u r J A C K ' S C O L -
side 12-281)
L E C T I O N P R O G R A M . A s you doubt-
The Return oj Art Pepper (Jazz
less k n o w , A r t ' s c l e a n l i n e s d e r i v e
West J W X P - 1 0 )
to s o m e e x t e n t ( w i t h o u t b e i n g i n t h e
F r o m w h a t we k n o w o f y o u a l -
least i m i t a t i v e , d i g ) f r o m L e e K o n i t z
r e a d y , a n d let us s a y t h a t y o u r first Jason Beasley I V who, while not really West Coast, d i d
o l d e r w a s a k n o w l e d g e a b l e o n e . we Casmir Falls, Kansas a lot f o r the school, n o ? H o w a b o u t :
t h i n k that these t w o sets w i l l H i p y o u November 28
f o r real. T h e y w o u l d be excellent a d - Lee Konitz with Tristano, Marsh,
d i t i o n s to y o u r c o l l e c t i o n , a fine w a y Dear M r . Beasley: and Bauer (Prestige L P 7004)
to c o n t i n u e \ o u r J A C K ' S C O L L E C - A replacement copy of W o r l d Shelly Manne and his Friends play
TION PROGRAM. P a c i f i c ( P J 1 2 3 4 ) h a s b e e n sent t o "Lil Abner' (Contemporary C3533).
Sincerely, y o u a l o n g w i t h a c o p y of C o n t e m p o - Sincerely,
Jack rary ( C 3537), w h i c h y o u ordered. Jack

14 THE JAZZ REVIEW


Jack's Jazz Shop
Hollywood, Cal.
D e c e m b e r 11
Dear Jack:
It t o o k m e a w h i l e t o g e t t h r o u g h
y o u r letter. Y o u r e a l l y d o g o o n about
t h i s stuff, d o n ' t y o u ? I l o o k e d u p i n
the m a g a z i n e D o w n b e a t a b o u t t h i s
g i r l L e e , b u t I d i d n ' t see a n y p i c t u r e .
T h i s g i r l Shelly looks pretty g o o d
w a y off i n t h e d i s t a n c e o n l y t h e r e ' s
a guy playing a tambourine i n her
way. I don't k n o w w h y .
L o o k I ' m t r y i n g t o get u p a c o l -
lection for a Christmas party. M a y b e
y o u c a n get u p " P r e t t y W i l d , " " T h e
S w i n g ' s to T V , " a n d " P h i l S u n k e l ' s
Jazz B a n d " f o r m e , h u h ? A n d please
be c a r e f u l a b o u t that p a c k i n g . S i n c e
y o u asked m e to r e m i n d y o u about
this sort of t h i n g , the " D o u b l e P l a y "
h a d a k i n d of e m b a r r a s s i n g crease
i n i t , k i n d of u n d e r the g i r l ' s face.
I don't k n o w what y o u mean about
bugs. I d i d n ' t f i n d a n y .
Sincerely,
Jason Beasley I V
JULY
Jason Beasley I V
Casmir Falls, Kansas
December 14
Dear M r . Beasley:
All o f t h e s w i n g i n g sets y o u
o r d e r e d are o n t h e i r w a y to y o u . W e
h e r e at J a c k ' s m u s t s a y t h a t w h i l e
y o u m a y have been collecting just
a short while a n d perhaps don't u n -
derstand jazz argot o r a l l about
d e r i v a t i o n yet, you've c e r t a i n l y got
w o n d e r f u l m u s i c a l tastes. I t ' s a p l e a s -
ure nowadays to correspond w i t h a
c o l l e c t o r w h o s e tastes a r e C a t h o l i c .
L i k e y o u d i g D a v i s o n Pretty Wild,
C o l u m b i a ( C L 8 7 1 ) j u s t as m u c h as
y o u d o C o o p a n d B u d The Swing's
to TV ( W o r l d P a c i f i c W P M 4 1 1 ) .
W e w i l l drop y o u a line about
your J A C K ' S C O L L E C T I O N PRO-
G R A M f o r the n e w year after the
holidays. W e hope the party is a
g o o d one. M a y y o u be gassed.
Sincerely,
Jack
by Robert C. Smith
Jack's Jazz Shop
Hollywood, Cal.
January 6
Dear J A C K ' S COLLECTION
PROGRAM:
D o n ' t bother to send a n y m o r e
letters. H a l f the t i m e I don't k n o w
what you're talking about anyway.
T h e stuff a r r i v e d a l l r i g h t , b u t i t
wasn't i n cool shape a g a i n , like y o u
s a i d t h e first t i m e w h a t e v e r that i s .
L o o k s to m e sort of like I ' l l have to
go to G r i s w a l d , K a n s a s , w h i c h h a s
a very b i g record shop, next time I
l o o k at D o w n b e a t , t h e p i c t u r e m a g -
azine. Leastways, the covers won't
be b e n t .
See. the t r o u b l e i s w h e n y o u m a i l
them, no matter what y o u d o , the
c o r n e r s get b e n t . I f r a m e d t h e p i c -
tures a n d h u n g them i n the l i v i n g
room a n d a l l the boys whistled a n d
the g i r l s g i g g l e d l i k e I figured t h e y
w o u l d . B u t I h a d to m a k e t w o o f the
frames b i g g e r t h a n the others to
cover u p the bent parts. C o v e r e d u p
a little of one of the g i r l s , too. S o a l l
i n a l l , I felt p r e t t y b a d a b o u t i t .
I figger i t w o u l d be okay i f the
records inside were square, b u t the
w a y they a r e ( r o u n d ) the corners
get b e n t . S o m a y b e I b e t t e r n o t b u y
by m a i l . A l s o , I can't G I V E the
records away. A l l the boys that've got
record players say they can't hear
your melodies.
So that's a l l f o r n o w . B y the w a y ,
m a y y o u be gassed too, i f that's y o u r
i d e a o f a t h i n g to s a y a r o u n d C h r i s t -
mas.
Sincerely,
Jason Beasley I V
P.S. I ' m a Protestant.
15
 The T i t a n s T h e Second Symphony in C b y W i l l i a m R u s s o , s u b -
t i t l e d Titans, i s the w o r k of a y o u n g m a n w h o s e m u s i c a l
e x p e r i e n c e h a s b e e n c h i e f l y i n the a r e a o f b i g - b a n d j a z z .
Bill Russo's Second Symphony in C I n the f i e l d o f " m o d e r n c l a s s i c a l " c o m p o s i t i o n he i s , I
believe, largely self-taught. These two facts account for
Reviewed by Hall Overton
m o s t of the s t r e n g t h s a n d w e a k n e s s e s o f the p r e s e n t w o r k ,
w h i c h is i n f o u r m o v e m e n t s m a r k e d A l l e g r o , T h e m e a n d
Variations, Scherzo, and Finale.
T h e f i r s t m o v e m e n t b e g i n s w e l l w i t h a slow i n t r o d u c -
tion polychords on a C pedal i n strings and percussion,
o v e r w h i c h a s o l o c l a r i n e t states m o d a l m e l o d i c figures
utilized later i n the m o v e m e n t . A couple of K e n t o n i s h
b r a s s g r u n t s serve as a b r i d g e i n t o the A l l e g r o . H e r e the
strings take over w i t h a strong m e l o d i c line, a l t h o u g h
h a m p e r e d b y a s q u a r i s h r h y t h m i c f e e l i n g w h i c h seems to
afflict s o m e j a z z - o r i e n t e d c o m p o s e r s w h e n t h e y v e n t u r e
a w a y f r o m the f a m i l i a r . T h i s s a m e defect s h o w s u p i n a n
a l m o s t e m b a r r a s s i n g f o r m l a t e r d u r i n g o n e of the v a r i a -
t i o n s i n the s e c o n d m o v e m e n t . A c h o r d a l s e c t i o n i n the
b r a s s is f o l l o w e d b y the m o s t a p p e a l i n g i d e a i n the m o v e -
ment, a l i g h t , dance-like theme w h i c h u n f o r t u n a t e l y ends
too s o o n . F r o m h e r e the m o v e m e n t b e c o m e s lost i n a
s e q u e n c e of s h o r t - w i n d e d d e v e l o p m e n t a l s e c t i o n s that
o b s c u r e a c l e a r sense o f r e t u r n i n the r e c a p i t u l a t i o n .
The second movement begins with a slow c h o r d a l theme
i n the b r a s s w i t h a s o l o o b o e a d d e d a f t e r e i g h t m e a s u r e s .
T h e v a r i a t i o n s w h i c h f o l l o w suffer g e n e r a l l y f r o m the
same student-like short-windedness noted before.
E l e m e n t s of A f r o - C u b a n j a z z a r e s u p p o s e d to f l a v o r the
t h i r d m o v e m e n t , m a r k e d S c h e r z o . T h e y are there i n
r h y t h m i c figures a s s i g n e d to the b a s s o o n s , l o w s t r i n g s ,
a n d p e r c u s s i o n , b u t a r e h o p e l e s s l y lost u n d e r the m e l o d i c
w r i t i n g w h i c h is h e a v y a n d s e r i o u s s o u n d i n g , c o m p l e t e l y
out of c h a r a c t e r w i t h the f e e l i n g o f a s c h e r z o . T h i s m o v e -
m e n t , m o r e t h a n a n y of the o t h e r s , felt m u c h t o o s h o r t
and undeveloped.
I n the F i n a l e , w h i c h f o l l o w s the S c h e r z o w i t h o u t p a u s e ,
t r u m p e t e r M a y n a r d F e r g u s o n j o i n e d the o r c h e s t r a as f e a -
tured soloist. A g a i n a slow i n t r o d u c t i o n with solo trumpet
c l i m b i n g r a p i d l y i n t o o r b i t . T h e A l l e g r o is i n r o n d o f o r m
incorporating material from previous movements. Fer-
g u s o n i s r e q u i r e d to stay p r e t t y c o n s i s t e n t l y i n the u p p e r
r e g i s t e r r i g h t u p to the c o d a w h e r e he goes o n w a r d a n d
u p w a r d to e v e n g r e a t e r h e i g h t s , l e a v i n g n o d o u b t t h a t h i s
i s t r u l y a n a m a z i n g k i n d of u p p e r - r e g i s t r y a r t i s t r y . H o w -
e v e r , I c a n ' t r e s i s t c o n v e y i n g m y i m p r e s s i o n d u r i n g the
c o d a of w i t n e s s i n g a m u s i c a l w e i g h t - l i f t i n g act w i t h e a c h
new r e c o r d - b r e a k i n g " l i f t " b e i n g supported by a c h o r d
a n d a d r u m r o l l f r o m the p i t b a n d .
T h e h a r m o n i c i d i o m is c o m p l e t e l y safe, " c o n v e n t i o n a l
m o d e r n , " a b l a n d m i x t u r e of m o d a l , p a n - d i a t o n i c a n d
p o l y c h o r d a l d e v i c e s . A n d i f t h i s s y m p h o n y f a i l s to c o m -
m u n i c a t e a condition which greatly concerns Russo and
w h i c h he feels m o r e d i s s o n a n t m u s i c d o e s n o t d o , to j u d g e
f r o m h i s statements d u r i n g a r a d i o i n t e r v i e w i t w i l l
n o t be d u e to a n y p e r s o n a l o r o r i g i n a l h a r m o n i c q u a l i -
ties i n the p i e c e . T h e o r c h e s t r a t i o n l e a n s h e a v i l y o n t h e
b r a s s w r i t i n g . N o t so w i t h the s t r i n g s a n d w i n d s , w h i c h
a r e u s e d f r a g m e n t a r i l y t h r o u g h o u t the g e n e r a l o r c h e s t r a l
fabric.
T h i s w o r k , w i t h its m a n y a t t r a c t i v e i d e a s , i n d i c a t e s that
R u s s o i s a c o m p o s e r of t a l e n t , b u t the l a c k o f f o r m a l c o n -
t r o l a n d the i m m a t u r i t y of s t y l e s t r o n g l y suggest t h a t he
i s n ' t r e a d y to be w r i t i n g s y m p h o n i e s yet.

16 THE JAZZ REVIEW

 REVIEWS:
RECORDINGS JULIAN A D D E R L E Y : Portrait of
Cannonball. R i v e r s i d e 12-269.
J u l i a n Adderley, alto; Blue M i t c h e l l ,
trumpet; Bill Evans, p i a n o ; Sam Jones,
bass; P h i l l y Joe Jones, drums.
Minority, Straight Life, Blue Funk, A
Little Taste, People Will Say We're In
Love, Nardis.
W h a t e v e r else t h i s m u s i c d o e s , i t
c e r t a i n l y s w i n g s . B o t h the r h y t h m
s e c t i o n a n d t h e h o r n s a r e v e r y free
i n t h i s sense, a n d the w h o l e d a t e i s
charged with strong energy. Julian
i s a n e n i g m a to m e . H e p l a y s w i t h
f o r m , v i g o r , a n d a great deal of
o r i g i n a l i t y , h i s g r a s p of b o t h i n s t r u -
m e n t a n d i d i o m i s e x c e l l e n t , yet he
p r o d u c e s a s o u n d t h a t seems c a l c u -
l a t e d to i r r i t a t e . W h y he w i l l p u t s u c h
a s h r i e k i n g edge on h i s tone, w h y he
w i l l so f r e q u e n t l y use t h a t b u r l e s q u e
v i b r a t o , w h y he w i l l e x a g g e r a t e o c c a -
s i o n a l p h r a s e s to the p o i n t o f i n s u l t ,
is b e y o n d my understanding. He
seems u n a b l e to t a p h i s o w n s t r o n g
creativity without simultaneously
s t i c k i n g o u t h i s t o n g u e at i t . H e i s a
big-souled, intelligent, perceptive, ar-
t i c u l a t e m u s i c i a n , b u t he d i s f i g u r e s
h i s g o o d w o r k w i t h t h i s s o r t of affec-
t a t i o n . It m a y be t r u e t h a t s u c h
s n e e r i n g a n d j e e r i n g i s the r e s u l t of
everyone putting h i m up alongside
B i r d f o r c o m p a r i s o n , b u t i f t h i s i s so,
then the artist has a l l o w e d h i m s e l f
t o be d i s t r a c t e d f r o m h i s w o r k .
T h e C a n n o n b a l l we hear on t h i s
a l b u m i s at v a r i o u s m o m e n t s f a n c i f u l ,
f u l l of f a n c i n e s s , f a n c y - f r e e , f a n t a s t i -
c a l , f r a u g h t w i t h f a n f a r o n a d e ! H e is
the M a s t e r o f S l e i g h t - O f - H a n d , the
Center-Ring Performer, Fire-Eater,
H i g h - D i v e r , L i o n - T a m e r , a dazzle of
J U L Y
L
sequins a n d c o l o r e d lights. H e is
Billy Rose, Olsen and Johnson, P . T .
B r i d g e p o r t , the G r e a t Z i e g f i e l d t h e
M a n W h o Is S h o t F r o m the C a n n o n
and lands i n y o u r lap with an evil
w i n k a n d a v u l g a r g e s t u r e . J u s t as he
s t a n d s , he's a p o w e r f u l m u s i c i a n . I f
he e v e r f i n d s h i m s e l f a b l e to e x p o s e
h i s b e a u t y w i t h o u t its t h i n , p r o t e c t i v e
c o a t i n g of e v i l n e s s , he m a y b e c o m e
a m u s i c a l colossus.
B l u e M i t c h e l l ' s debut here is a w e l -
c o m e one. H e has a p l e a s i n g s o u n d
and a well-proportioned conception,
plays with straightforward serious-
ness, a n d k n o w s h i s i n s t r u m e n t . I
w o n d e r i f he's u s i n g a g o o d h o r n o n
t h i s d a t e ? It seems as t h o u g h he o f t e n
h a s d i f f i c u l t y g e t t i n g i t to s o u n d . It
i s n ' t the s a m e s o r t o f t o n e a p l a y e r
gets w h o h a s n o c h o p s t h i s d e f i -
nitely sounds like a recalcitrant i n -
s t r u m e n t i n the h a n d s of a v e r y g o o d
player.
T h e r h y t h m section is a s t r o n g one.
R i v e r s i d e h a s a fine c o l l e c t i o n of ex-
cellent r h y t h m players. P h i l l y Joe a n d
S a m lay d o w n a r o a d b e d six lanes
wide and straight ahead, and B i l l
E v a n s contributes sensitive accom-
paniment and several intelligent,
b e a u t i f u l solos. P h i l l y ' s solo w o r k on
People Will Say is g o o d , b u t I w i s h
t h e y h a d n ' t r e c o r d e d i t w i t h so m u c h
e c h o . T h e fast p a s s a g e s a r e m u d d i e d
b e c a u s e the e c h o o f e a c h beat i n t r u d e s
o n the one t h a t f o l l o w s i t .
T h e tunes are well chosen. I especi-
a l l y l i k e M i l e s D a v i s ' Nardis, a lovely
m i n o r t h i n g that elicits some fine
choruses.
B i l l Crow
17
L E N N Y B R U C E : The Sick Humor
of Lenny Bruce. Fantasy 7003.
I c o u l d r a t i o n a l i z e m y reasons for
r e v i e w i n g this r e c o r d i n this m a g -
azine by some talk about Bruce's h i p
j a r g o n , his associations with jazzmen
a n d presence i n jazz clubs, but w h y
b o t h e r ? T h e m a n ' s talent fascinates
m e , a n d I h a v e p l a y e d the r e c o r d
m a n y t i m e s s i n c e the f i r s t t i m e , i n
m u c h the w a y t h a t we a l l u s e d to
play a favorite jazz record over and
o v e r w h e n we w e r e i n h i g h s c h o o l .
B r u c e w i l l i n e v i t a b l y be c a l l e d a
satirist, and someone w i l l undoubted-
ly c o m e up w i t h a c a t c h phrase l i k e
"the hard bop M o r t S a h l . " Neither
w i l l be a c c u r a t e , f o r B r u c e ' s h u m o r
is m u c h t o o b r o a d to be s a t i r e . W h a t
he d o e s is i n t e l l i g e n t l a m p o o n or,
i n t h e best sense, b u r l e s q u e , a n d s i n c e
he d o e s , he h a r d l y h a s the e s s e n t i a l l y
m i d d l e - b r o w , m i d d l e - c l a s s a t t i t u d e s of
the i n g e n i o u s M o r t S a h l . O n l y a
bourgeois ( a n d there is a bourgeois
i n e a c h of u s ) w i l l d e s c r i b e w h a t he
d o e s as " s i c k , " b u t , f o r s e v e r a l r e a -
sons, his k i n d of outspoken a u d a c i t y
could probably only happen i n South-
ern California.
ORNETTE COLEMAN: Something
Else!!!!, Contemporary 03551.
Invisible; The Blessing; Jayne; Chippie;
The Disguise; Angel Voice; Alpha; When
Will The Blues Leave?; The Sphinx.
Personnel: Ornelte Coleman, alto; Don
Cherry, trumpet; Walter Norris, p i a n o ;
Don Payne, bass; Billy Higgins, drums.
Ornette C o l e m a n writes some very
n i c e t u n e s , b u t a f t e r he p l a y s the t u n e ,
I c a n ' t f i n d too m u c h o f a l i n k be-
t w e e n h i s s o l o a n d the t u n e i t s e l f .
F r o m what I've h e a r d t h o u g h that's
the w a y he l o o k s at i t . H e a p p a r e n t l y
feels t h e r e s h o u l d n ' t be too m u c h
c o n c e r n a b o u t the t u n e a n d c h o r d
s t r u c t u r e t h e y ' r e p r i s o n s to h i m . H e
j u s t goes o n a n d p l a y s w h a t he feels
f r o m the t u n e .
T h e r e ' s B i r d i n spots i n t h e t i m b r e
of h i s t o n e . B i r d , h o w e v e r , w o u l d n ' t
t h r o w t h a t p a r t i c u l a r t i m b r e at y o u
all n i g h t l o n g . It's a real c r y , a real
shriek, a squawk.
It d o e s n ' t s e e m v a l i d to m e s o m e -
h o w to get b a c k to w h a t he d o e s
after he states the l i n e f o r a m a n to
d i s r e g a r d his o w n tunes. It's a l a c k of
respect. M a y b e h e l l e v e n t u a l l y get to
h a v e m o r e respect f o r h i s t u n e s .
C o l e m a n doesn't k n o w his i n s t r u -
m e n t i n the o r d i n a r y sense, b u t t h e n ,
m o s t o f the a l t o p l a y e r s I k n o w d o n ' t
k n o w t h e i r i n s t r u m e n t s i n the w a y he
does. H e c e r t a i n l y plays i n a different
18
T h e r e are s i x " s k e t c h e s " here
"conversations" among Ike, S h e r m ,
and N i x o n ; among Billy G r a h a m ,
Oral Roberts, R a b b i Wise, and Pope
John; among ad men and A M A
d o c t o r s ; a m o n g H i t l e r a n d two agents
f r o m M C A , etc. E s s e n t i a l l y , t h e y a r e
b a s e d o n the k i n d o f " i n s i d e " h u m o r
t h a t t h e a t e r p e o p l e i n d u l g e i n at
p a r t i e s ; they are strewn w i t h h i p talk
( h a v i n g Ike say, " W e l l , S h e r m , y o u
g o o f e d , b a b y " ) is o b v i o u s l y v e r b a l l o w
c o m e d y o f the b e s t a n d w o r s t s o r t ;
B r u c e p l a y s a l l the p a r t s w i t h l i t t l e
effort to d i f f e r e n t i a t e a m o n g t h e m i n
voice, speech pattern, or basic atti-
tude; and almost everyone involved
is recast i n the r o l e o f a h i p p e r
v e r s i o n of the L o s A n g e l e s a c t o r s '
a g e n t , e q u i p p e d w i t h office, i n t e r c o m ,
secretary, a n d an inside track. S a t i r e ,
of course, demands f a r subtler a n d
more pointed c o m m e n t than that.
B u t not necessarily m o r e c o m e d y
than that, and B r u c e ' s o n l y failures
at g o o d b u r l e s q u e o f c o u r s e I d o n ' t
m e a n s l a p s t i c k c o m e at moments
when an i m p l i c i t disgust a n d spite
b e c o m e s too o v e r t f o r a n y k i n d o f
comic.
Perhaps Lennie Bruce's appearance
w a y a n d he m a k e s c o m b i n a t i o n s o f
notes I haven't h e a r d .
H e d o e s s o u n d l i k e he's o u t o f t u n e .
B u t I ' v e h e a r d g u y s p l a y o u t of t u n e
o n p u r p o s e . M a y b e t h a t ' s w h a t he's
d o i n g . I t ' s g o i n g to t a k e m e a w h i l e
t h o u g h to get a v a l i d sense o f w h a t
he's d o i n g , w h e t h e r i t h a s a n y t h i n g to
it o r n o t .
Y o u k n o w , for the sake of sound,
y o u c a n deliberately p l a y notes that
a r e o u t of t u n e i n r e l a t i o n t o the
b a c k g r o u n d notes w h i c h are i n t u n e .
T h a t w a y y o u get t h i n g s y o u w o u l d n ' t
get f r o m b e i n g i n t u n e . S o r t o f l i k e
quarter-tones. T h i s is not n e w i n j a z z ,
but C o l e m a n does it m o r e t h a n any-
o n e else I ' v e h e a r d . I ' d g u e s s , a l l i n
a l l . t h a t he m a y be d e l i b e r a t e l y o u t
o f t u n e w h e n he i s .
H i s whole attitude is different f r o m
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is i n e v i t a b l e . H i s c o m e d y i s at least
the o b v i o u s s u c c e s s o r to t h e l o n g l i n e
of n i h i l i s t i c , " t h r o w a w a y " c o m e d i a n s
w h i c h m o s t o f us first c a m e to k n o w
with H e n r y M o r g a n , an earlier Jack
P a a r , E r n i e K o v a c s , Steve A l l e n , B o b
a n d R a y , S a h l , a n d the rest. O n e
m i g h t s a y of the rest of t h e m w h a t
The New Yorker w r i t e r s a i d o f Mad
m a g a z i n e , that it "expresses . . .
c y n i c i s m a b o u t the w o r l d o f m a s s
m e d i a that fits] elders have created
. . . as . . . a R o m a n i z e d B a r b a r i a n
m i g h t h a v e r e b e l l e d a g a i n s t the d e -
cadence of R o m e .
I h a v e p l a c e d B r u c e i n t h e best
t r a d i t i o n o f b u r l e s q u e . It i s t r u e t h a t
h i s a t t i t u d e s d o n o t , l i k e t h o s e o f so
m a n y o t h e r s , h a v e the e s s e n t i a l p u r -
p o s e of m a k i n g a n i n t e l l i g e n t b u t
c o n f o r m i s t m i d d l e class a little m o r e
s e n s i b l e . It w o u l d t a k e e i t h e r h i g h
c o m e d y o r h i s k i n d of l o w c o m e d y
to a v o i d t h a t t r a p . B u t t h e r e i s a k i n d
of r o o t l e s s d e s p e r a t i o n i n h i s w o r k
that a B e r t L a h r , a B i l l y H o g a n ,
even a G r o u c h o M a r x o r a S i d C a e s a r
p r o b a b l y w o u l d n o t u n d e r s t a n d at a l l .
A s I say, he c o u l d o n l y happen
in Southern California.
M a r t i n Williams
what I ' m used to. It's g o i n g to take
t i m e f o r m e to e v a l u a t e h i m . H e d o e s
h a v e a n immense amount of feeling
in his p l a y i n g .
T h e tunes are v e r y nice ones. T h e y
h a v e q u a l i t y . I n s o m e I felt M o n k
a n d G e o r g e R u s s e l l . T h e rest o f the
p l a y e r s s e e m to be s y m p a t h e t i c t o
w h a t he w a s t r y i n g to d o e s p e c i a l l y
D o n C h e r r y and they were pretty
successful i n p l a y i n g with h i m , a n d
t h a t seems to be q u i t e a c h a l l e n g e !
I c a n ' t h e l p g o i n g b a c k to w h y he
d o e s n ' t s t a y w i t h the c h o r d s o f h i s
o r i g i n a l l i n e s . T h e y s e e m t o be g o o d
c h o r d s , a n d I see n o r e a s o n to j u s t
t h r o w t h e m a w a y . I ' d l i k e to h e a r
h i m p l a y a s o l o c o n s t i t u t e d a r o u n d the
c h o r d s of the t u n e a n d t h e n I ' d l i k e to
hear h i m play another melody on
t h o s e s a m e c h o r d s . W h e n he g o e s i n t o
his chorus, i n short, he s h o u l d con-
t i n u e to construct m e l o d i e s based on
those o r i g i n a l c h o r d s .
H e ' s d i f f e r e n t t h a n the o t h e r s o n
the s c e n e , a n d w h e n p e o p l e c o m e
a l o n g l i k e t h a t , y o u h a v e to be a b l e
to e v a l u a t e t h e m as b e i n g d i f f e r e n t . I f
y o u c a n ' t , i t ' s h a r d to s a y w h e t h e r
they're good or bad. L i k e when I
first s t a r t e d to l i s t e n to M o n k , I
couldn't appreciate h i m until I could
separate him from someone like
P o w e l l or T a t u m . M a y b e that's what
we h a v e to d o w i t h C o l e m a n .
A r t Farmer
THE JAZZ REVIEW
MILES D A V I S : Porgy and Bess.
C o l u m b i a C L 1274.
G i l E v a n s has t a k e n G e r s h w i n ' s
melodies a n d has made t h e m h i s o w n .
The arrangements i n this a l b u m give
as m u c h m e a n i n g to s u c h a r i a s as
My Man's Gone Now, as d i d the
o r i g i n a l s c o r e . E v a n s ' a b i l i t y to p r o -
ject p o w e r f u l emotion i n amazingly
sensitive ways is b e a u t i f u l l y m a t c h e d
by M i l e s , whose solos a p p r o a c h b e i n g
m a g n i f i c e n t . D a v i s i s the first i n s t r u -
mentalist I've h e a r d p l a y a recitative
that is c o n v i n c i n g a n d completely
d e v o i d of burlesque.
A n d t h e n c o m e s the swing. There's
a t h i n g w h i c h E v a n s calls Gone,
w h i c h s h o u l d h a v e b e e n the o r i g i n a l
m o l d w h e n that w o r d was first re-
coined for m u s i c . There is a time
d u r i n g M i l e s ' s solo (accompanied by
* that is s u p e r i o r to M i l e s ' s . H e is
A R T F A R M E R : Modem Art. U n i t e d
Artists U A L - 4 0 0 7 .
It is quite l e g i t i m a t e to assume,
w h e n r e a d i n g c e r t a i n m o d e r n poets,
that t h e i r m a i n interest lies i n sup-
p l y i n g someone with a topic for a
master's thesis. I d o u b t that any jazz
h a s b e e n r e c o r d e d so t h a t s o m e o n e
m a y indulge himself i n speculation
into the m u r k i e r areas of c r i t e r i a ,
but A r t F a r m e r ' s U n i t e d Artists re-
c o r d i n g does raise such questions, a n d
answers a few of them.
T h e a u t h o r o f The Encyclopedia
of Jazz h a s s a i d at v a r i o u s t i m e s t h a t
o r i g i n a l i t y is not a c r i t e r i o n . T h i s has
a l w a y s s e e m e d to m e r i d i c u l o u s o n t h e
face of i t , because i f one i m i t a t e s
a n o t h e r ' s s t y l e i n as h y b r i d a m e d i u m
as j a z z , o n e c r o s s e s t h e s l i p p e r y
b o u n d a r y between creative a n d i n -
terpretive art. T h e m a t t e r then be-
comes one of s i m p l y j u d g i n g h o w w e l l
the i m i t a t i o n is a c c o m p l i s h e d . S o m e -
t i m e s , as w i t h h u m a n anthologies
s u c h as A n d r e P r e v i n , i t i s l i k e
D o c t o r J o h n s o n ' s d o g w a l k i n g o n its
h i n d l e g s , a n d the o n l y r e a c t i o n i s
one o f a m a z e m e n t t h a t t h e feat c a n
be a c c o m p l i s h e d at a l l .
Anyway, some tentative criteria:
JULY
excellent r h y t h m p l a y i n g by Paul
Chambers and Philly Joe Jones)
w h e n y o u ' l l t h i n k that the p h o n o g r a p h
i s g o i n g to w a l k r i g h t o u t o f the
room!
M i l e s seems t o h a v e r e a c h e d the
point where nearly every note that
he p l a y s seems to be t h e a b s o l u t e best
note that c o u l d have h a p p e n e d i n the
place he put i t , a n d his talent also
e n c o m p a s s e s t h e t r e a s u r e d a b i l i t y to
p l a y e a c h written n o t e w i t h the f e e l -
i n g a n d i n t e r p r e t a t i o n t h a t the w r i t e r
i m a g i n e d w h e n he w r o t e i t . A n d
D a v i s ' h o r n is an instrument w h i c h
E v a n s has l e a r n e d to p l a y v e r y w e l l .
T e c h n i c a l l y , the a l b u m c o u l d have
been engineered m u c h better. W h e t h -
e r t h e f a u l t l i e s i n the a c t u a l r e c o r d -
i n g o r i n the m a s t e r i n g , I can't s a y ;
but there is an occasional washed-out
s o u n d t o the o r c h e s t r a . I n a s m u c h as
If a m u s i c i a n is not o r i g i n a l , he is
then not a first-ranking m u s i c i a n a t
t h e m o m e n t . I f h e i s i m i t a t i n g , he
w i l l n e v e r be. I f he i s , t o f a l l b a c k
on jargon, "assimilating" an "influ-
e n c e , " he m a y w e l l b e c o m e a f i r s t -
r a n k m u s i c i a n , d e p e n d i n g o n w h a t he
does w i t h that influence. A great d e a l
of the development of a talent de-
p e n d s o n t h e astuteness w i t h w h i c h
he c h o o s e s h i s m o d e l s . M i l e s D a v i s
once i m i t a t e d D i z z y G i l l e s p i e .
I c h o o s e M i l e s D a v i s as a n ex-
a m p l e because h i s influence is felt,
both directly, and indirectly, through-
out this l p . F a r m e r is u n d e r his i n -
fluence, G o l s o n is under Coltrane's
influence, M i l e s ' s r h y t h m concepts are
u s e d , a n d so i s h i s p i a n i s t ( o f t h e
t i m e ) , B i l l E v a n s . A l l o f these ele-
ments c o m b i n e on one n u m b e r , I
Love You, t o p r o d u c e a v i r t u a l c a r -
b o n c o p y of a D a v i s p e r f o r m a n c e .
Because and i n spite of this i n -
fluence, the lp is one of the most
satisfying and exciting in several
m o n t h s . F o r the same reasons, it is
one of the most disquieting. My
p o i n t s c a n best be m a d e b y d i s c u s s i n g
Farmer and Golson individually.
M i l e s himself was recorded very ably,
the d e f i c i e n c y w i l l p r o b a b l y b o t h e r
o n l y the a r r a n g e r s a n d c o m p o s e r s
w h o w i l l l i s t e n to t h e r e c o r d . A n d
there are e n o u g h h i g h s a n d lows o n
t h e d i s k to k e e p t h e h i - f i - e r s f r o m
w o r r y i n g a b o u t the fidelity of t h e i r
rigs.
B u t the m u s i c . T h e r e a r e so m a n y
w o n d e r f u l m o m e n t s of b e a u t y a n d
s w i n g , so m a n y i n g e n i o u s t u r n s of
p h r a s e ; t h e r e i s so m u c h t h a t i s good
i n this l p , that it w o u l d take t h o u -
s a n d s of w o r d s to d e s c r i b e i t f u l l y .
T h i s one is w o r t h y o u r t i m e . L i s t e n
to i t ; a n d i f t h e y e v e r a s k y o u , y o u
c a n s a y t h a t y o u ' v e h e a r d s o m e of the
finest m u s i c , j a z z o r o t h e r w i s e , t h a t ' s
happened since S a m m y O o g and his
Neanderthal S i x collectively com-
p o s e d the first blues.
Bob Freedman
T h e r e c a n be no doubt that F a r m e r
gets h i s t o n e a n d g e n e r a l a p p r o a c h
f r o m M i l e s D a v i s , b u t he h a s g o n e
a b o u t t h a t w i t h t h e greatest h o n e s t y ,
a d d i n g one element: a m e l o d i c gift
capable of i m p r o v i s i n g o r i g i n a l melo-
dies that are complete t h i r t y - t w o - b a r
compositions i n themselves. They
have n e i t h e r the a u d a c i t y n o r occa-
s i o n a l p i e r c i n g e m o t i o n a l q u a l i t y of
D a v i s , but they have a structure of
a type that D a v i s does not e m p l o y .
A t the m o m e n t , F a r m e r i s the best
of t h e y o u n g t r u m p e t p l a y e r s , a n d
o n e c a n p r e d i c t t h a t he w i l l get c o n -
sistently better.
G o l s o n a l s o i s s u b j e c t to i n f l u e n c e s ,
but rather than e m p l o y i n g them f r o m
w i t h i n , as F a r m e r d o e s , he g r a b s at
t h e m f r o m w i t h o u t , to suit the needs
of the p a r t i c u l a r piece. H e c a n be,
by turns, H a w k i n s , L u c k y T h o m p s o n ,
Webster, and n o w most notably C o l -
trane.
A t one t i m e o r another, M a r t i n
W i l l i a m s and I have wished i n print
that C o l t r a n e h a d m o r e " d i s c i p l i n e . "
W e l l , here is B e n n y G o l s o n to a n -
swer that w i s h perfectly. Unfor-
t u n a t e l y , the result is supremely
e f f e c t i v e a n d n o t h i n g else. H i s c o m -
positions h a v e the stamp of B r o a d w a y
o n t h e m , a n d , i n a p e c u l i a r w a y , so
do h i s solos. T h e y have a l l the show-
m a n s h i p , s t a r t l i n g effectiveness and
lack of true e m o t i o n of a p l a y d i -
rected by E l i a K a z a n .
T h i s r e c o r d s h o u l d be h e a r d for
several reasons, not the least of w h i c h
i s t h a t t h e first t i m e a r o u n d , G o l s o n
w i l l startle y o u , b u t after five o r s i x
hearings, F a r m e r will command your
entire attention. T h a t i s , after a l l ,
t h e s u p r e m e test.
Joe Goldberg
19

jazz/hi-fi notes
p
from CONTEMPORARY RECORDS, INC
roducers of
CONTEMPORARY RECORDS
GOOD TIME JAZZ
CR COMPOSERS SERIES
CALIFORNIA RECORDS
SFM (Society for Forgotten
Music) STEREO RECORDS
B a r n e y Kessel h a s a n exciting
new a l b u m m u s i c f r o m " S O M E
LIKE ITHOT"-Prohibition Era
tunes featured i n B i l l y W i l d e r ' s
smash film starring Marilyn
Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack
Lemmon.
The stars of Barney's album
are Shelly M a n n e , A r t Pepper
C R ' s newest exclusive r e c o r d i n g
artist on alto, tenor a n d c l a r i n e t ;
the sensational y o u n g t r u m p e t e r
Joe Gordon, who just joined Shelly
Manne & H i s M e n ; pianist J i m -
mie Rowles a n d bassist Monty
Budwig. Tunes are a delight i n
modern jazz.
We're proud of A n d r e Previn and
his w i n n i n g a n A c a d e m y A w a r d
Oscar for scoring GIGI. Andre's
jazz v e r s i o n m e r i t s some sort o f
a n a w a r d too f o r b e i n g o n e o f t h e
happiest i n t h e " B r o a d w a y Goes
to J a z z " s e r i e s o n C o n t e m p o r a r y .
Most everyone has the jazz M Y
F A I R L A D Y album played by
A n d r e a n d Shelly M a n n e it's
been o n b e s t - s e l l e r c h a r t s f o r o v e r
two y e a r s ! T h e i r versions of
L I ' L A B N E R and P A L J O E Y are
n e c e s s a r y to r o u n d o u t y o u r c o l -
lection o f these P i e v i n / M a n n e
collaborations.
Speaking of Shelty-his P E T E R
G U N N album on Contemporary,
another best-seller, received 5
s t a r s i n Down Beat. Moreover,
many thousands of our friends
who bought the a l b u m consider it
one o f t h e v e r y b e s t i n t h e i r c o l l e c -
tions. Shelly's other n e w a l b u m is
T H E G A M B I T a n d like G U N N
it h a s h a d g r e a t r e v i e w s .
So m u c h is g o i n g o n a t C R
there's not space enough to write
of it here i n d e t a i l . D r o p u s a
c a r d , o r l e t t e r ; a n d w e ' l l senfl y o u
our bi-monthly G T J & C R N E W S ,
plus catalogs a l l free. Y o u ' l l dis-
cover a number of w o n d e r f u l
a l b u m s y o u ' l l w a n t to o w n .
T h e s o u n d o n a l l b u t c e r t a i n of
our historic catalog items re-
corded before t h e a d v e n t o f hi-fi,
is a b s o l u t e l y s e n s a t i o n a l ! A n d a l l
recent records a r e to be h a d i n
stereo to boot.
O u r records a r eavailable at
record stores e v e r y w h e r e . N a t i o n -
ally advertised m a n u f a c t u r e r ' s list
p r i c e s a r e $4.98 f o r a l l o u r 1 2 "
l o n g - p l a y i n g a l b u m s , a n d $5.98 f o r
all o u r stereo a l b u m s .
Editor, GTJ & CR NEWS
PUBLISHED BY CONTEMPORARY RECORDS, INC.
8481 Melrose Place, l o s Angeles 46, California
20
A R T F A R M E R : Portrait of Art Far-
mer. C o n t e m p o r a r y C 3 5 5 4 .
Farmer, trumpet; A d d i s o n F a r m e r , bass.
H a n k Jones, p i a n o ; R o y Haynes, drums.
Back In The Cage, Stablemates, The
Very Thought of You, "And Now . . .",
Nita, By Myself, Too Late Now, Earth.
H a v i n g heard A r t i n so m a n y situ-
ations where m u c h o f h i s concentra-
tion i s devoted, to b l e n d i n g h i s o w n
conception w i t h that o f other s t r o n g
soloists o r a r r a n g e r s , I f i n d the s i m p l e
structure of this group a satisfactory
fulfillment o f the desire to hear h i m
stretch out o n his o w n . A s this a l b u m
indicates, he i s quite capable o f de-
veloping a full treatment o f a tune
assisted o n l y b y a r h y t h m section.
H e h a s chosen h i s tunes w e l l , a l -
l o w i n g himself the freedom o f blues
c h a n g e s o n t h r e e o r i g i n a l s , a n d find-
ing strong stimulus f o r improvisa-
t i o n i n three tunes f r o m m u s i c a l s a n d
two b y contemporary jazz composers
( G e o r g e R u s s e l l ' s Nita a n d Benny
Golson's Stablemates).
Addison, Hank, and R o y compli-
ment A r t tastefully. H a n k is especially
i n rapport with A r t ' s feeling f o r each
tune. H e chooses accompanying
chords that b o t h stimulate the soloist
a n d properly d i s p l a y the solo, a n d
on h i s o w n choruses manages to cre-
ate s o m e d e l i g h t f u l m o m e n t s w i t h o u t
losing thethread of what has gone
before. R o y helps create a l i v e l y , easy
q u a l i t y that i s t h e strength o f this
r h y t h m section, a n d he plays some
interesting fours. T h o u g h he plays
THE JONES BROTHERS: Keepin
Up With The Joneses. Metrojazz
E1003.
T h a d Jones, trumpet a n d flugelhorn;
H a n k Jones, piano and o r g a n ; E l v i n Jones,
d r u m s ; E d d i e Jones, bass.
Nice and Nasty; Keepin Up with the
Joneses; Three and One; Sput 'n' Jeff;
It Had to be You; On the Alamo; There
is no Greater Love.
That veteran of the jazz wars,
L e o n a r d Feather, is back again, this
time as a & r m a n f o r M e t r o j a z z , t h e
hot w i n g o f M G M records. E v i d e n t l y
the F e a t h e r p o l i c y w i l l b e t o c o n -
centrate o n the m o r e palatable m o d -
erns a n d strive f o r novelty b y w a y of
clever p a c k a g i n g .
T h e p a c k a g i n g j o b o n Keepin Up
With the Joneses m u s t h a v e d e l i g h t e d
the b i g b r a s s at M G M . T h e i d e a h e r e
is to keep e v e r y t h i n g , b u t e v e r y t h i n g
w i t h i n the b r o a d c o n f i n e s o f the J o n e s
f a m i l y . T h r e e o f the four m u s i c i a n s
a r e b r o t h e r s , H a n k b e i n g t h e best
k n o w n . T h a d (Basie trumpet section)
a n d E l v i n , d r u m s , assist H a n k . E d d i e
is n o b l o o d r e l a t i o n , b u t he m a k e s
the date because h e h a s t h e r i g h t
s u r n a m e a n d p l a y s g o o d bass.
well w i t h h i s associates here, h e
seems t o s t a y s l i g h t l y a l o o f i n a w a y
that prevents a m o r e perfect b l e n d o f
conception. H i s accompaniments are
provocative b u t d o not always relate
well to what the soloist is d o i n g .
Addison's straight-ahead lines a n d
w a r m tone effectively t i e t h e p i a n o
a n d d r u m s together a n d give the
group sound a healthy foundation.
A r t ' s t r e a t m e n t o f m e l o d y , espe-
cially o n the ballads, i s simple a n d
sensitive, a n d h i s subtle alterations
of t h e o r i g i n a l lines a r e r i c h l y i m -
aginative. It is a pleasure to hear
such purposeful a n d unpretentious
use o f d i s s o n a n c e ; h e i s o n e o f a
h a n d f u l o f h o r n p l a y e r s w h o find
superimposed dissonant scales a
source of beautiful melody rather
than w e i r d affectation. A l s o a rarity
a m o n g musicians his age i s the depth
of expression that comes t h r o u g h h i s
sound alone. Rather than p l a c i n g a l l
of h i s c o n c e n t r a t i o n o n the r e l a t i o n -
s h i p o f c o m b i n a t i o n s o f notes, h e
o f t e n finds a s m u c h b e a u t y i n t e n -
derly s u s t a i n i n g a n almost v o c a l tone
quality o n a single pitch. Whatever
h i s a p p r o a c h at a g i v e n m o m e n t , h i s
p l a y i n g i s consistently affirmative,
affluent, a n i m a t e .
I c o u l d g o t h r o u g h each tune, at-
tempting to describe h o w satisfyingly
A r t h u r spins h i s s o n g , b u t i t seems
pointless to d o so when the music
itself is m o r e delightful than a n y de-
scription o f it could be.
B i l l Crow
Perhaps T h a d could cook u p a few
originals f o r the affair? A s things
turned out, he was able to do just
that. A f t e r they r a n o u t o f T h a d ' s
tunes, research revealed that I s h a m
Jones, that ancient veteran o f the
dance-band business h a d composed
a few pleasing ditties i n h i s day, like
It Had to Be You, No Greater Love,
a n d On the Alamo (a R e d Nichols
fave, r e m e m b e r ? ) . S o between T h a d
a n d I s h a m t h e d a t e w a s filled o u t .
I n other w o r d s , Jones p l a y i n g Jones
in what will unquestionably'constitute
a definitive performance.
F i n a l l y , o n t h e cover, there's a
K o d a c h r o m e c o l o r shot, a r c h l y c a n -
did, a n d taken through a picture
frame, s h o w i n g the Jones boys sitting
in the Jones kitchen, where perform-
e r - c o m p o s e r T h a d i s r e a d i n g t h e New
York Daily News.
N o t h i n g exciting here, b u t it's a l l
pleasant e n o u g h m u s i c , i n g o o d taste,
a n d c o m e s off. A n d o f c o u r s e i t ' s
always good to hear H a n k , one o f
the finer p i a n i s t s a r o u n d f o r t h e p a s t
ten years.
R o s s Russell
THE JAZZ REVIEW
J O H N N Y G R I F F I N : Johnny Griffin
Sextet. R i v e r s i d e 1 2 - 2 6 4 .
Griffin, tenor; Donald B y r d , trumpet;
Pepper A d a m s , baritone; Kenny Drew,
p i a n o ; W i l b u r Ware, bass; P h i l l y Joe
Jones, drums.
Stix' Trix, What's New, Woody'n You,
Johnny G.G., Catharsis.
T h i s i s essentially a b l o w i n g date,
each soloist h a v i n g plenty o f r o o m to
develop whatever h e likes w i t h the
r h y t h m section. The w r i t i n g is l i m i t e d
to the o p e n i n g a n d c l o s i n g choruses.
Consequently, the strength o f each
track lies i n the r h y t h m section itself
a n d the i m p r o v i s a t i o n a l a b i l i t i e s o f the
i n d i v i d u a l h o r n m e n . It's one hell o f a
rhythm sectionKenny, Wilbur, and
P h i l l y Joe are a l l strong, w a r m , sen-
sitive swingers. W i l b u r h a s a magic
touch, setting u p such a rolling,
n a i v e l y p r o f o u n d q u a l i t y o n h i s solos
and generating such a good feeling
o n his l i n e that i t w o u l d be q u i b b l i n g
o v e r r i v u l e t s a n d i g n o r i n g t h e sea t o
c o m p l a i n about his occasional crude
attack, s t u m b l i n g time, s l o p p y i n t o n a -
t i o n . H i s enthusiasm f o r the simplest
lines makes them fresh a n d wonder-
f u l , a n d h e p l a y s w i t h the s w i n g i n a
delightfully simple, original manner.
P h i l l y Joe plays with his usual ex-
c e l l e n t r h y t h m i c sense p l u s a taste
a n d b a l a n c e that suggests that h i s
overbearing volume with Miles's
group had more to d o with the de-
mands of the leader than with the
taste o f t h e d r u m m e r . H e g i v e s e a c h
soloist here full support without
d r o w n i n g them a n d plays some ex-
cellent solos o f h i s o w n .
Kenny Drew has absorbed rich
J E L L Y R O L L M O R T O N : The In-
comparable. Riverside 12-128.
Muddy Water Blues, High Society, Fish-
tail Blues, Mr. Jelly Lord (Gennett), My
Gal (quartet) Wolverine Blues (duet),
Mamamita (solo), 35th Street Blues (solo),
Weary Blues, Tiger Rag, Big Fat Ham,
Mr. Jelly Lord (Paramount, t r i o ) .
M o r t o n ' s reputation depends o n
two g r o u p s o f r e c o r d i n g s : the gen-
e r a l l y excellent series o f p i a n o solos
he m a d e f o r t h e e a r l y M i d w e s t e r n
jazz labels (Gennett, Paramount,
Rialto, etc.) w h i c h c a n be supple-
m e n t e d b y a t least s o m e o f t h e p e r -
formances o n C o m m o d o r e 3001, and
by the b r i l l i a n t series o f orchestral
records made f o r V i c t o r i n 1926-8.
R i v e r s i d e o w n s the p i a n o s o l o s a n d
has a c o l l e c t i o n o n R L P 1 2 - 1 1 1 , b u t
failed to include such performances
as Frog-i-More, The Pearls, a n d Lon-
don Blues (Shoe Shiners Drag), and
these a r e a m o n g t h e best.
A c o l l e c t i o n d r a w n f r o m the V i c t o r
JULY
qualities f r o m a number o f schools
of piano p l a y i n g a n d utilizes them
cleanly and intelligently i n h i s o w n
way. H e produces a beautiful sound
on h i s instrument a n d plays that
g o o d , sweet t i m e t h a t r e v i v e s u s
again. H e finds a fresh approach o n
each tune instead o f c o u c h i n g them
THE MODEM
all i n the same terms. T h e piano i s
JAZZQUARTET
a versatile instrument i n h i s hands,
and jazz a fun-lover's paradise.
G r i f f i n p l a y s h i s best w h e r e t h e
tempo moves h i m right along. W h e n
he s u s t a i n s n o t e s , h i s t o n e t h i n s o u t ,
a n d h i s attempt t o give i t m o r e b o d y
by using an exaggerated vibrato only
a d d s t o the i m p r e s s i o n o f s t r a i n a n d
r i g i d i t y . S o m e o f h i s best choruses
are those w i t h o n l y W i l b u r p l a y i n g
t i m e b e h i n d h i m ; h e gets a m u c h
less h a r d - j a w e d s o u n d a n d lets t h e
notes r o l l o u t m o r e freely. Woody'n
You i s p l a y e d w i t h o u t t h e a s s i s t a n c e
of t h e o t h e r t w o h o r n s a n d s u s t a i n s
very well.
THE MOST
D o n a l d B y r d sounds better every
time I hear h i m . H i s choruses here
are s t r o n g a n d straight, p l a y e d w i t h
a good, full trumpet sound, well i n
tune a n d thoughtfully constructed.
IMPORTANT
P e p p e r A d a m s ' stiff r e e d
cheats h i m o u t o f the b o t t o m h a l f
often
JAZZ RELEASE
of the a v a i l a b l e resonance o f h i s i n -
s t r u m e n t b u t a l l o w s h i m fast r e s p o n s e OF THE YEAR
and subsequent clean a r t i c u l a t i o n . H e
puts together w e l l - o r d e r e d lines, often
r u n n i n g each change o f a series w i t h
the s a m e p a t t e r n , s o m e t i m e s s o u n d -
ing as though h e were about to fall T h e Modern Jazz Quartet
asleep, b u t t u r n i n g i n a generally
At Music Inn Volume 2
commendable performance.
ATLANTIC 1299
Bill Crow
GUEST ARTIST: Sonny Rollins
Side One 1. Medley: Stardust
I Can't Get Started
o r c h e s t r a l series i s n o w o u t ( R C A Lover Man
2. Yardbird Suite
V i c t o r L P M 1649) but since i t w i l l 3. Midsommer
s o o n b e r e v i e w e d i n these p a g e s b y
Side Two 1. Festival Sketch
L a r r y Gushee, I will confine myself 2. Bags' Groove
to o n e w a r n i n g : s o m e d e c i d e d l y i n - 3. Night In Tunisia
f e r i o r takes have been used o n that
set, a n d t h a t i s t r u e o f Dead Man
Blues w h i c h m a y o t h e r w i s e b e M o r -
i Heres the quartet's first L P in about
ton's masterpiece of orchestration a n d '" ' >'" - recorded l i v e " ,
a t h e M u s j c
performance. Inn at Lenox, Mass., last vear. Present
Before the V i c t o r series, M o r t o n at that session was innovator Sonnv
made orchestral records, and some o f R o l l on the tenor s a x . Our micro.
t h e m a r e s o b a d t h a t at t h e t i m e t h e y Phones caught him as he appeared as
guest artist with the M o d e r n J 7
must have seemed to indicate that his a Z
Q u a r t e t on N i g h t I T u n i s i a a d
talent h a d spent itself w i t h a h a n d f u l
Bags Groove. A n exciting record that
of c o m p o s i t i o n a l p i a n o s o l o s . B u t i n vou II want to hear again and again
r e t r o s p e c t w e c a n at least n o t i c e t h i s :
on t h e m h e attempted e v e r y t h i n g that
he l a t e r b r o u g h t o f f s o b r i l l i a n t l y o n
the V i c t o r s . Write for complete free LP catalogue
E x c e p t a s i n d i c a t e d a b o v e , t h i s set and stereo ditc listing.
collects some ( b u t n o t a l l ) o f t h e
early orchestral records, a n d i t i n -
T L A N T I C
c l u d e s the o n e u n q u e s t i o n a b l e s u c c e s s
a m o n g them. L i k e several R i v e r s i d e R E C O R D I N G C O R P .
157 West 57th St., N. Y. 19
 reissues, it is a b s u r d l y p r o g r a m m e d :
n o effort at a n y kind of o r d e r , c h r o n -
ological or otherwise, used, and
t r a c k s b y t h e s a m e group are e v e n
placed on opposite sides of the
record. R i v e r s i d e knows perfectly well
w h o i s g o i n g to b u y s u c h r e c o r d s a n d
w h a t k i n d of p r o g r a m m i n g s u c h c u s -
t o m e r s h a v e r e a s o n to e x p e c t .
There are some rare i t e m s : this
t a k e o f the P a r a m o u n t Mr. Jelly Lord
i s n e w to m e . P i a n o , s a x , a n d a k a z o o
make a pretty dreadful record, but
M o r t o n was p l a y i n g that d a y , a n d
does some i n g e n i o u s a n d effective
(albeit technically s i m p l e ) things on
this take.
In absolutely atrocious dubs (of
dubs of w o r n dubs, I w o u l d i m a g i n e ) ,
the A u t o g r a p h b a n d d a t e i s c o m p l e t e d
w i t h the r a r e Weary Blues a n d Tiger
Rag, a n d o n the f o r m e r , i n c i d e n t a l l y ,
an unexpected, L o u i s - l i k e second t r u m -
pet s u d d e n l y a p p e a r s b e h i n d N a t t y
Dominique's w a - w a to v e r y good
effect. T h e s e t w o t r a c k s d o n o t c h a n g e
the p i c t u r e t h a t the m o r e f a m i l i a r
Fishtail Blues (an early sketch for
Sidewalk Blues) a n d High Society
b y the s a m e g r o u p h a v e m a d e : i t w a s
a p o o r b a n d , w i t h a schmaltzy alto
BUDDY T A T E A N D HIS ORCHES-
T R A : Swinging like . . . Tate. F e l s t e d
1 2 " L P F A J 7004.
Pat Jenkins, trumpet; E l i Robinson, trom-
bone; Ben Richardson, clarinet & alto sax;
Buddy Tate, tenor sax; S k i p H a l l , p i a n o ;
Everett Barksdale, guitar; Joe Benjamin,
bass; Ilerbie Lovelle, drums.
Bottle It, Walk that Walk, Miss Sadie
Brown.
Buck Clayton, trumpet; D i c k i e Wells,
trombone; E a r l W a r r e n , alto and baritone
sax; B u d d y Tate, tenor sax; S k i p H a l l ,
piano; Lord Westbrook, guitar; Aaron
Bell, bass; Jo Jones, drums.
Moon Eves, Rockin Steve, Rompin with
Buck.
T h i s is the first t i m e B u d d y T a t e
has h a d an a l b u m out u n d e r h i s
n a m e , a n d it's about t i m e . H e has been
a m a j o r f i g u r e i n the H a r l e m scene
f o r y e a r s n o w , w i t h a first-class b a n d
a n d a r r a n g e m e n t s , a n d n o w that the
S a v o y i s c l o s e d , h e i s the n u m b e r - o n e
band leader.
T h e first t h r e e t i t l e s a r e w i t h m e m -
bers of his o w n b a n d a n d are ar-
ranged and written by S k i p H a l l (his
former pianist), Dickie Wells, and
E l i R o b i n s o n . T h e y are all blues a n d
a l l effective i n t h e i r o w n r i g h t . B u d d y
has i m p r o v e d h i s tone a n d his tech-
n i q u e over the years a n d c a n a l w a y s
be c o u n t e d o n to g i v e i m p e t u s to a n y
r e c o r d date on w h i c h he appears. A s
22
t r i p p i n g o v e r the p o l y p h o n y a n d o f t e n
f o r c i n g the c l a r i n e t i n t o a h a r m o n i c
p a r t , a n d the p l a y i n g h a s c o n s t a n t
rhythmic and melodic disunity.
T h e G e n n e t t v e r s i o n of Mr. Jelly
Lord ( 1 9 2 6 ) i s i n t e r e s t i n g , a s i d e f r o m
some good piano, for a three-man
reed section that p l a y s w i t h respect-
able d i s c i p l i n e a n d s w i n g a n d i f y o u
k n o w y o u r h i s t o r i e s of j a z z , y o u k n o w
it d i d n ' t h a p p e n q u i t e that e a r l y .
T h e d u e t Wolverine Blues m i g h t be
d i s m i s s e d as a n e a r l y effort at the
V i c t o r clarinet trios, i f it were not
f o r V o l l y de F a u t . H e c o u l d s w i n g
m o r e , to be s u r e , a n d h i s i n t o n a t i o n
m i g h t be b e t t e r , b u t he d o e s d o s o m e
good improvising on a comparatively
d i f f i c u l t p a r t . O n My Gal, t h a t d u e t
is m a d e a t r i o b y t h e p r e s e n c e o f
another bloody kazoo. (Oliver's hav-
i n g L o u i s p l a y k a z o o is b a d e n o u g h ,
but such raucousness in Morton's
m u s i c i s really i n c o n g r u o u s . ) A n d , t o
deal w i t h the other f a i l u r e , the
p s e u d o - b l u e s 35th Street is a d u l l
song whose r h y t h m i c monotony is
relieved only by a couple of M o r t o n ' s
bass c l i c h e s .
T h e s o l o Mainamita (Mama Anita),
i n d i v i d u a l s , his b a n d s m e n are no
m o r e t h a n a v e r a g e s o l o i s t s , c a p a b l e of
g o o d w o r k , b u t as a u n i t t h e y f u n c -
t i o n quite w e l l together a n d play w i t h
verve, the sort of verve that keeps
t h e m i n c o n s t a n t d e m a n d at the C e l e b -
r i t y C l u b a n d m o s t o f the b i g b a l l -
rooms and clubs i n N e w Y o r k . B e n
Richardson's w a r m clarinet comes
off best i n Walk that Walk; E l i solos
o n Bottle It, a n d P a t J e n k i n s h a s a
g o o d s o l o , a f t e r a stock Pop Goes the
Weasel i n t r o o n Sadie Brown. A l l of
these a r e n u m b e r s t h a t B u d d y d o e s
w h e n the c r o w d s get h e a v y , so i n
o r d e r to e n j o y t h e m u s i c , i m a g i n e
y o u r s e l f s e a t e d at a t a b l e w i t h lots
of talk a n d laughter a l l a r o u n d and
several h u n d r e d couples d a n c i n g l i k e
m a d , filling u p the d a n c e floor, a n d
the m u s i c w i l l c o m m u n i c a t e . T h e r e
isn't a n y t h i n g here that w i l l go d o w n
i n h i s t o r y , b u t it i s e n j o y a b l e .
I w o u l d have l i k e d to hear B u d d y ' s
good clarinet work, and some ballads,
s u c h as You Don l Know What Love
Is o n w h i c h h e d o e s s u c h a fine j o b .
Everett B a r k s d a l e s h o u l d have been
a l l o w e d to p l a y the f e n d e r bass w i t h
w h i c h he w o r k s i n B u d d y ' s b a n d ,
r a t h e r t h a n the g u i t a r , w h i c h i n h i s
c a s e seems at o d d s w i t h Buddy's
d r i v e . H i s s o l o o n Bottle It h a s a c u r i -
ous D j a n g o q u a l i t y , w i t h a t h i n , tight
s o u n d , w h i c h is i n c o n t r a s t to the
o n the o t h e r h a n d , i s a g o o d c o m p o s i -
tion, played with some ingenious
p o l y r h y t h m s i n its t a n g o s e c t i o n a n d
one r e a l l y s t r i k i n g c h o r u s o f m e l o d i c
variation.
There are two real successes:
Muddy Water a n d Big Fat Ham. T h e
g r o u p that p l a y e d them h a d rare
unity and swing and played with con-
fidence a n d verve. H e r e a g a i n a n alto
is present, but he s w i n g s m o r e a n d
doesn't m u d d y a four-part p o l y p h o n y ,
either. T h e firm, K e p p a r d - l i k e t r u m -
pet l e a d s w i t h a u t h o r i t y , a n d J a s p e r
T a y l o r ' s fine ( i f o v e r r e c o r d e d ) d r u m -
m i n g shows both a splendid c o m -
prehension of Morton's rhythmic
conception and a very infectious wit.
Ham (a very g o o d c o m p o s i t i o n , by
the w a y ) orchestrates u n i s o n , h a r -
mony, and polyphony i n a constantly
s h i f t i n g yet f i n a l l y u n i f i e d t e x t u r e
s u r p a s s e d o n l y b y s o m e o f the V i c -
tors. A n d the clarinet a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y
t r u m p e t s o l o s o n Water m i g h t i n s t r u c t
e v e n the d u l l e s t h e a d a b o u t t h e b l u e s .
A g a i n I find m y s e l f w i s h i n g t h a t
Riverside's selecting and p r o g r a m -
m i n g f o r its r e i s s u e s s h o w e d h a l f t h e
c a r e t h a t its c o v e r d e s i g n s d o .
M a r t i n Williams
r h y t h m a n d s o l o of L o r d W e s t b r o o k
o n the r e v e r s e s i d e . J o e B e n j a m i n
does some nice t h i n g s b e h i n d B u d d y
o n Walk that Walk, w h i c h is also
B u d d y ' s best w o r k o n t h e first s i d e .
T h e B s i d e i n d i c a t e s the p r o d u c e r s
w a n t e d to p l a y i t s a f e a n d g o w i t h
better e s t a b l i s h e d n a m e s , a n d t h e r e -
sults i n m a n y w a y s t e n d to j u s t i f y
this. B u c k and E a r l W a r r e n have
g o o d solos on all three titles, a n d
D i c k i e comes o n w e l l i n the last, a
T a t e t i t l e b a s e d o n I got Rhythm.
E s p e c i a l l y i n t e r e s t i n g i s the c h u g -
c h u g q u a l i t y the r h y t h m section i m -
p a r t s o n Rockin Steve, B u c k ' s t u n e
a n d arrangement, r e m i n d i n g one of
the s u c c e s s f u l r h y t h m D o n R e d m a n ' s
b a n d u s e d t o u s e . T h i s i s the best
t i t l e o n the l p , w i t h e x c i t e m e n t b u i l d -
ing under Buck, E a r l , and Buddy.
T h e last t r a c k is g o o d u n t i l the last
half of B u d d y ' s otherwise excellent
solo, w h e n J o Jones shot the w o r k s
and destroyed B u d d y ' s line.
F o r those w h o haven't h e a r d B u d d y
or his b a n d i n person, this lp w i l l
h e l p ; for those w h o k n o w h i s w o r k
somewhat better, they m i g h t w i s h for
a second crack, one that w i l l d i s p l a y
a l l the facets o f a c o n s t a n t l y i m p r o v -
i n g a n d quite often r e w a r d i n g jazz-
man.
Frank Driggs
THE J A Z Z R E V I E W
 ARTIE SHAW: The Great
Shaw. R C A C a m d e n C A L - 4 6 5 .
Chuck Peterson, John Best, Bernie
P r i v i n , trumpets; George Arus, Les Jen-
kins, Harry Rogers, trombones; Artie Shaw,
clarinet; Les Robinson, Hank Freeman,
Tony Pastor, Georgie A u l d . saxes; Bob
Kitsis, p i a n o ; A l A v o l a , guitar; Sid Weiss,
bass; George Wettling, drums.
My Heart Stood Still; Rosalie (Tony
Pastor, vocal) ; The Man I Love. A Room
With a View: Buddy Rich, drums, replaces
Wettling, Helen Forrest, vocal.
The Gramerey Five- - B i l l y Butterfield,
trumpet; Artie Shaw, clarinet; Johnny
G u a r n i e r i . harpsichord; Jud DeNaut, bass;
N i c k Fatool, drums.
Smoke Gels in Your Eyes.
T h e Gramercy Five Roy Eldridge, trum-
pet; Artie Shaw, clarinet; Dodo M a r m a -
rosa, piano; Barney Kessel, guitar; Morris
Rayman, bass; Lou Fromni, drums.
Scuttlebutt.
George Wendt, Jimmy Catheart, Billy
Butterfield, trumpets; Jack Jenney, Vernon
Brown, trombones; Artie Shaw, clarinet:
I.es Robinson, Neely P l u m b , Buss Bassey,
Jerry Jerome, saxes; nine strings; Johnny
Guarnieri, piano; A l Hendrickson, guitar;
Jud DeNaut, bass; Nick Fatool, drums.
What Is There to Say?
Unknown personnel (7 brass, 5 saxes.
15 strings, 4 rhythm).
C L A U D E T H O R N H I L L A N D HIS
O R C H E S T R A : The Thorn hill Sound.
Harmony HL7088.
Snowfall, Anthropology, Polka Dots and
Moonbeams, Donna Lee, Lover Man, Rob-
bin's Nest, Yardbird Suite, LaPaloma, Sorta
Kinda, Arab Dance.
N o w is e x a c t l y the l i m e f o r these
r e i s s u e s to a p p e a r a n d be h e a r d a n d
t h o u g h t a b o u t . A l l o f the a r r a n g e -
m e n t s save one w e r e m a d e b y G i l
E v a n s , a n d that e x c e p t i o n m a k e s a
p o i n t . Snowfall is T h o r n h i l l ' s , a n d
s t y l i s t i c a l l y i t is the s o u r c e of a l l the
o t h e r s ; the a l b u m i s w e l l t i t l e d .
W h a t T h o r n h i l l w a n t e d , of c o u r s e ,
w a s a " s o u n d " f o r his b a n d . T h e fact
that he m a d e t h i s s o u n d m o r e m u s i -
cally interesting than Glenn M i l l e r ' s
clarinet lead or L o m b a r d o ' s loggy
saxes i s to h i s c r e d i t , o f c o u r s e , a n d
that i t w a s o n e w h i c h c o u l d be e v e n
f u r t h e r d e v e l o p e d , m o r e so.
It is i n t h i s g e n e r a l conception
that T h o r n h i l l f o r m u l a t e d that E v a n s
worked then, expanded, and
w o r k e d i n since.
E v a n s is a superb orchestrator,
p e r h a p s he i s one o f the best o r c h e s -
trators alive w o r k i n g i n any music.
A t a n y r a t e , h i s t a l e n t is o b v i o u s l y
vastly s u p e r i o r to his b e i n g a h a c k
f o r e v e n the best d a n c e b a n d o r T V
sound track.
B u t w h a t k i n d of t a l e n t i s i t ? I
t h i n k it i s p r o b a b l y m o s t o f the
things that it has been recently c a l l e d ,
i.e., " e x c e p t i o n a l , " " b r i l l i a n t , " e x c e p t
that I a d m i t t h a t t h i n g s l i k e / Don't
JULY
Artie Bues in the Night with Hot L i p s Page,
vocal and. trumpet.
Roy E l d r i d g e , George Schwartz, Bernie
Glow, Stan Fishelson, trumpets; Bob Swift,
Ollie if Wilson, Harry Rogers, Augostino
Ischia, trombones; Artie Shaw, clarinet;
Rudy Tanza. C h u c k Gentry, Ralph Rosen-
lund, Jon Walton, Louis Prisby, saxes;
Dodo Marmarosa, p i a n o ; Barney Kessel,
guitar; Morris Rayman, bass; Lou F r o m m ,
drums.
A Foggy Day, I Can't Get Started.
I n l i s t e n i n g to t h i s c o l l e c t i o n o f the
v a r i o u s A r t i e S h a w o r g a n i z a t i o n s , one
c a n e a s i l y see w h y s w i n g w a s a t y p e
of j a z z t h a t a p p e a l e d to the g e n e r a l
p u b l i c . In h i s t o r i c a l retrospect, one
c a n see, t o o , w h y D i z z y a n d B i r d a n d
the o t h e r s felt t h a t there m u s t be
s o m e t h i n g m o r e to d o w i t h j a z z t h a n
this.
S w i n g succeeded c o m m e r c i a l l y , and
why not? There wasn't a n y t h i n g
m u s i c a l l y s p e a k i n g to c h a l l e n g e t h e
e a r ; the s t y l e w a s d a n c e a b l e ; n o t h i n g
u n e x p e c t e d o c c u r r e d to d i s t u r b the
c o m p l a c e n t o r to l e n d a n y d y n a m i c
q u a l i t y to e s t a b l i s h e d f o r m u l a s , u n l e s s
a soloist suddenly " t o o k off" or "got
h o t " i n the m i d s t of t h e s t y l i z a t i o n s .
O n h e a r i n g these s i d e s b y S h a w
Wanna Be Kissed o n "Miles Ahead"
s t r i k e m e as cute and fatuous. 1 do
not t h i n k he is the " s u c c e s s o r to
E l l i n g t o n " as the great orchestrator
in jazz.
Because in A m e r i c a n " p o p u l a r "
m u s i c there is h a r d l y any c o m m e n t
whatever except f r o m followers of
j a z z , it i s o f t e n left to t h e m to d i s -
c o v e r the s u p e r i o r t a l e n t s i n a l l p o p -
u l a r m u s i c , b u t that does not m e a n
that E v a n s ' i s b a s i c a l l y a " j a z z "
talent a n y m o r e t h a n A h m a d J a m a l ' s
is o r R o s e m a r y C l o o n e y ' s i s o r t h a n
M o t t Sahl's is. T h e alliance of M i l e s
D a v i s a n d E v a n s is a b r i l l i a n t one
f o r b o t h , b u t so i s the a l l i a n c e o f
J a m a l and Israel Crosby, Ellis L a r -
kins with E l l a F i t z g e r a l d , and several
West Coast pop singers w i t h H a r r y
E d i s o n or R e d M i t c h e l l .
W h a t I a m s a y i n g , I suppose, is
that a l t h o u g h I t h i n k E v a n s is a g o d -
s e n d to A m e r i c a n m u s i c , even a g o d -
has s e n d to c e r t a i n j a z z m e n , w h e t h e r o r
n o t i t is a s p e c i f i c a l l y jazz t a l e n t i n
the sense t h a t H e n d e r s o n ' s w a s , E l -
l i n g t o n ' s i s , even that S y O l i v e r ' s i s ,
o r t h a t ( d e s p i t e t h o s e w i l d oats i n
G e r m a n y ) J o h n L e w i s ' is, I do not
know.
H e a r t h i s r e c o r d : Lover Man a n d
the Arab Dance c o u l d m a k e a n y b o d y
m a r v e l . B u t Polka Dots and Moon-
beams a n d La Paloma are apt o n l y
to m a k e one l o n g f o r h i s p r o m d a y s
of sentimental fox-trotting with his
best g i r l .
today, most of w h i c h are b l a n d l y u n i -
f o r m , we r e a l i z e h o w m u c h we o w e
to the b o p p e r s w h o r e - e v a l u a t e d j a z z ,
w h o s e n s i t i z e d us to w h o l e n e w m u s i -
cal concepts, a n d w h o r e i n t r o d u c e d
to j a z z the q u a l i t y o f s u s p e n s e a n d
a c o n c e r n w i t h the p r o c e s s e s b y w h i c h
m u s i c is m a d e .
H i s t o r i c a l l y , these a r e i n t e r e s t i n g
s i d e s , i f n o t f o r the v a r i o u s m u s i c i a n s
i n v o l v e d s u c h as R o y E l d r i d g e , H o t
Lips Page, B u d d y R i c h , George Wett-
ling, Dodo Marmarosa, Barney Kes-
sel, G e o r g i e A u l d , a n d a r e m i n d e r o f
a s i n g l e p h a s e of j a z z , t h e n f o r a
better p e r s p e c t i v e o f the j a z z scene
today. T h e smoother sidesRoom
With a View ( H e l e n F o r r e s t v o c a l ) ,
Man I L o v e , I Can't Gel Started,
Foggy Daystill lend themselves
r e a d i l y to d a n c i n g , p r o b a b l y m o r e so
than some of o u r c u r r e n t dance
music. The Gramercy Five sides
Scuttlebutt a n d Smoke Gels in Your
Eyeshave a s p a r k l e a n d freshness
of s o u n d e v e n n o w .
A g o o d buy for ardent A r t i e Shaw
f o l l o w e r s at C a m d e n ' s p r i c e o f $ 1 . 9 8 .
M i m i Clar
O n e t h i n g I do k n o w , s o m e t h i n g
w h i c h the D a v i s C a p i t o l s , one t r a c k
o n E v a n s ' r e c e n t "New Wine" l p , a n d
Anthropology, Donna Lee a n d Yard-
bird Suite h e r e I t h i n k a f f i r m : i n n o
respectrhythmically, linearly, emo-
t i o n a l l y does Evans apprehend
C h a r l i e P a r k e r ' s m u s i c or the basic
m e a n i n g of the b o p r e v o l u t i o n as
s u c h ; i n d e e d , E l l i n g t o n h a s at t i m e s
s h o w n t h a t he m a y h a v e a s s i m i l a t e d
m o r e of i t s r e a l n a t u r e t h a n E v a n s
has.
I n fact, n o b o d y i n v o l v e d here d o e s :
a tenor solo attempts F l i p P h i l l i p s ,
a trombone Bill Harris, and, com-
p a r e d to w h a t he w a s to d o a f e w
years l a t e r , L e e K o n i t z r u n s e x e r -
cises. T h o r n h i l l a p p a r e n t l y t h o u g h t
the s t y l e h a d to d o o n l y w i t h h a r m o n y
a n d cute i n t e r p o l a t e d l i c k s . T h e d r u m -
m e r k n o w s i t h a s to d o w i t h r h y t h m s ,
b u t he d o e s n ' t get m u c h p a s t t o s s i n g
i n s n a r e a n d bass e x p l o s i o n s h e r e a n d
thereanywhere apparently.
T h e n t h e r e i s the c o m p o s i n g E v a n s
d i d of s e c o n d a r y t h e m e s s u c h as the
e x c e l l e n t o n e o n Anthropology o r the
g o o d o n e o n Donna Lee; they are
g o o d e n o u g h to m a k e a l m o s t e v e r y -
t h i n g I ' v e s a i d a b o u t h i m fly o u t the
window.
I honestly don't k n o w . B u t it sure
needs d i s c u s s i o n . E v a n s ' t a l e n t i s f o r
Evans. A n d for Miles. But for jazz
beyond that? W h e r e might it lead?
A n d for w h o m ?
M a r t i n Williams
23
D I C K I E W E L L S : Bones for the
Felsted 1 2 " L P F A J 7006.
George Matthews, Berime M o r t o n , V i c
Dickenson, D i c k i e Wells, T r o m b o n e s ; S k i p
H a l l , o r g a n ; M a j o r Holley, bass; Jo Jones,
drums.
Bones for the King, Sweet Daddy Spo-
de-o, You took my Heart.
B u c k Clayton, turmpet; D i c k i e Wells,
trombone; R u d y Rutherford, clarinet-bari-
tone sax; B u d d y Tate, tenor-baritone sax;
Skip Hall, piano; Everett Barksdale,
guitar; M a j o r Holley, bass; Jo Jones,
drums.
Hello Smack, Come and Get it, Stan's
Dance.
T h e t r o m b o n e quartets are r e a l l y
enjoyable a n d f u l l of the f u n that
D i c k i e l o v e s to h a v e w i t h j a z z . T h e
first i s a s l o w b l u e s d e d i c a t e d t o
Tommy Dorsey and begins with
m o u r n f u l mutes, quite D u k e i s h i n
effect, a n d h a s g o o d s o l o s f r o m e a c h
m a n : Matthews, M o r t o n , Dickie and
V i c i n that order, a n d very good
organ by S k i p Hall, who knows how
to h a n d l e t h e i n s t r u m e n t w i t h o u t
abusing it. George M a t t h e w s hasn't
been i n a studio f o r n e a r l y a decade,
s i n c e h i s B a s i e d a y s , a n d i t w o u l d be
n i c e t o h e a r m o r e f r o m h i m at a n -
other sitting. T h e contrast between
his solo and Bennie M o r t o n ' s w h i c h
follows is quite i n t e r e s t i n g , since M a t -
thews' is somewhat of a m o r e hesitant
New Faces at Newport: The R A N D Y
WESTON T r i o ; The L E M W I N -
C H E S T E R Quartet. Metrojazz E1005.
R a n d y Weston, p i a n o ; George Joyner,
bass; G . T . H o g a n , drums.
L e m Winchester, vibes; Ray Santisi,
piano; J o h n Neves, bass; J i m m y Zitano,
drums.
Hi-Fly; Bantu Suite (excerpt) ; Beef
Blues Stew; Machine Blues.
Now's The Time; Polka Dots and Moon-
beams; Take the "A" Train.
A m o n g t h e i n n o v a t i o n s at t h e last
N e w p o r t festival was an afternoon
p r e s e n t a t i o n of n e w l y d i s c o v e r e d t a l -
e n t s . O f these, t w o w h o s e p e r f o r m -
ances were w e l l received b y those
f o r t u n a t e a n d d i s c e r n i n g e n o u g h to
a t t e n d the d a y l i g h t s e s s i o n , a r e p r e -
sented here.
It i s n o t c o r r e c t to c a l l R a n d y W e s -
t o n a n u n d i s c o v e r e d t a l e n t ; he w o n
the Down Beat n e w p i a n i s t p o l l i n
1 9 5 5 . B u t he h a s r e m a i n e d a n e g -
l e c t e d o n e , s h a r i n g t h i s fate w i t h
T h e l o n i o u s M o n k f r o m whose style
his own largely derives. Weston is i n -
troduced by A l l a n M o r r i s o n , N e w
Y o r k e d i t o r of Ebony, a l s o a m o n g the
neglected w h e n the literate a n d i n -
formed writers about jazz are men-
tioned.
T h e N e w p o r t tape m a k e s u p what
i s R a n d y ' s best r e c o r d , therefore
m u c h o v e r d u e . T h e sense o f c o n f i n e -
ment w h i c h kept h i s s t u d i o sessions
24
King. nature, while Bennie comes on very
i n t e n s e a n d s t r o n g . D i c k i e uses h i s
one a n d o n l y m u t e , the one that i m -
parts that fuzzy s o u n d , a n d p l a y s a
b o t t o m blues, w i t h the legato p h r a s i n g
he h a s b e e n n o t e d f o r i n t h e past
d e c a d e . V i c , t h r o u g h o u t the l p , i s the
most facile soloist, a n d p e r h a p s the
most forceful, although D i c k i e dis-
plays more technique on S k i p Hall's
fine t u n e , You Took My Heart. Skip
plays great o r g a n t h r o u g h o u t , a n d
r h y t h m is steady.
T h e m o s t f u n i s Sweet Daddy, a again imparts a bounce feeling more
rocking medium-tempo blues with
c o m e d y repartee between V i c a n d
D i c k i e , w i t h s o m e fine o r g a n a n d s o m e
really gutty b o w i n g bass-vocal m o -
ments f r o m M a j o r H o l l e y . A l t h o u g h
this has been S l a m Stewart's vehicle
for m a n y years, i n some ways M a j o r
h a s m o r e s o u l , i f t h a t t e r m c a n be u s e d
i n d e s c r i b i n g a solo of that nature.
T h e B side reverts to a n o r d i n a r y
c o m b i n a t i o n w i t h less s u c c e s s f u l r e -
sults, a l t h o u g h some of the solo w o r k
is i n t e r e s t i n g , e s p e c i a l l y S k i p H a l l ' s
p i a n o . T h e y d o n ' t c o m e t o g e t h e r as
a g r o u p , a n d the t u n e s a r e r e l a t i v e l y
c a s u a l . T h e r h y t h m i n the first,
B u d d y ' s tune a n d arrangements are
in the F l e t c h e r t r a d i t i o n c i r c a 1936.
B a r k s d a l e has some g u i t a r solos here
f r o m c a t c h i n g fire h a s b e e n d i s p e l l e d .
H e is i n great f o r m here, sure of h a n d
and bubbling with inspiration.
Hi-Fly has been w e l l chosen a n d is
t y p i c a l of the R a n d y W e s t o n style.
A c o n s t r u c t i o n o n fifths, i t suggests
the a n a l y t i c a l a p p r o a c h of M o n k to
jazz p i a n o . B u t once u n d e r w a y ,
R a n d y does not subject h i s m a t e r i a l
to t h e s e a r c h i n g a n a l y s i s t h a t m a k e s
M o n k ' s m u s i c at o n c e b r i l l i a n t a n d
difficult. R a n d y is m o r e concerned
with performance i n terms of linear
c o n s t r u c t i o n s , m e l o d y a n d free s w i n g .
L e m Winchester is a genuine dis-
covery, for which L e o n a r d Feather
receives credit. W i n c h e s t e r has been
a p a t r o l m a n o n the W i l m i n g t o n , D e l a -
w a r e , p o l i c e f o r c e f o r the last ten
years, and an amateur v i b r a h a r p
p l a y e r o n the s i d e . H e m a d e the g i a n t
step t o p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m at N e w p o r t
w i t h o u t too m u c h t r o u b l e . H i s is a
genuine jazz talent.
T h e n o t e s t e l l us t h a t W i n c h e s t e r ' s
"three favorite vibe m e n are ' M i l t
Jackson, M i l t Jackson and M i l t Jack-
s o n . ' " A c t u a l l y he's f a r m u c h m o r e
in the f r e e - w h e e l i n g t r a d i t i o n of
L i o n e l H a m p t o n , w i t h perhaps a gen-
e r o u s h e l p i n g of m a d l i t t l e T e r r y
G i b b s . W i n c h e s t e r is a consonant
rather than a dissonant m u s i c i a n . A n d
like H a m p and T e r r y , once under
w a y , he c a n r e a l l y k e e p g o i n g . W i n -
w h i c h r e m i n d one of D j a n g o a g a i n .
Come and Get It i s a s l o w e r b l u e s
with Barksdale's solo this time com-
i n g closer to T a m p a R e d , a n d t h e r e b y
m o r e i n k e e p i n g w i t h the proceed-
i n g s . I n t e r e s t i n g h e r e i s t h e use o f
stop-time chords against Dickie's
m u t e d solo, w h i c h contains some of
his oblique " w h a t - f o r ? " phrases. M a -
j o r H o l l e y has a short b u t pertinent
b a s s s o l o , a n d t h i s t i t l e i s the m o s t
listenable of the three o n this side.
Stans Dance closes the l p a n d
t h a n a flow, t h i s a g a i n d u e t o B a r k s -
dale's two-four guitar. R u d y R u t h e r -
f o r d h a s a s p o t h e r e as he d o e s o n
Hello Smack, n o n e r e a l l y l o n g e n o u g h
to develop a n i d e a , a l t h o u g h he has
a g o o d , clear tone a n d easy f a c i l i t y
w i t h h i s i n s t r u m e n t , i n t h i s case c l a r i -
n e t . B u d d y ' s s o l o h e r e i s t h e best.
Felsted a n d Stanley D a n c e can take
a b o w f o r the t r o m b o n e quartets a n d
i n g e n e r a l f o r the o v e r - a l l p o l i c y that
l e d to r e c o r d i n g these t o o - o f t e n n e g -
lected m u s i c i a n s , a l l of w h o m have
p l e n t y to say. I n g e n e r a l , t h e i r p o l i c y
is somewhat too c a u t i o u s ; it reverts
to t h e s t a n d a r d l i n e u p , w h i c h t e n d s
to m a k e the l i s t e n e r f e e l t h a t t h e B
half is just another session.
F r a n k Driggs
c h e s t e r h a s a fine m e l o d i c g i f t a n d a
w o n d e r f u l , supple, s w i n g i n g beat, two
qualities that i n themselves can take
a man a long ways i n jazz. H i s vibe
s o u n d is p l e a s a n t l y b l u r r e d .
P e r h a p s there is some o d d q u a l i t y
about the v i b r a h a r p i n s t r u m e n t i n
itself w h i c h lends itself to sustained
p e r f o r m a n c e . F o r one t h i n g , there are
few technical p r o b l e m s e m b o u c h u r e ,
wind, digital technique. M o s t vibe
p l a y e r s m a n a g e to m e s m e r i z e t h e m -
selves as t h e y b e n d o v e r t h e i n s t r u -
ment w i t h its d a z z l i n g d i s p l a y of
metal bars a r r a n g e d i n their c h r o m a -
tic f r a m e w o r k . A bemused and m y -
opic stare, o b l i v i o u s of e v e r y t h i n g
a r o u n d , h a s l o n g b e e n the h a l l m a r k
of the j a z z v i b r a p h o n i s t . P o s s i b l y t h e
b l a n d s o u n d of the i n s t r u m e n t , h y p -
n o t i c a f t e r t h e f a s h i o n o f the B a l i n e s e
g o n g , h a s s o m e t h i n g to d o w i t h the
effect, n o t o n l y o n the p e r f o r m e r b u t
his audience.
W i n c h e s t e r ' s h a r m o n i c palette is
not extensive, n o r are his ideas often
s t a r t l i n g , b u t , o n c e u n d e r w a y , he c a n
certainly keep going. A n d it's pleasant,
swingy music. Apparently Winchester
is n o t f a c e d w i t h m u l l i n g the d e c i s i o n
to t u r n i n b a d g e a n d s t r i k e o u t o n h i s
o w n i n jazz. It's a tough g r i n d ,
b r o t h e r , b u t he s h o u l d h a v e n o t r o u b l e
m a k i n g it.
R o s s Russell
THE JAZZ REVIEW
LESTER YOUNG: The King Cole
Trio with Lester Young and Red Cal-
e n d e r . Score S L P 4019.
Personnel: Lester Y o u n g , K i n g Cole, R e d
Callender ( A titles, 1st title on B ) , July
15, 1942.
V i c Dickenson, trombone; Lester Y o u n g ,
tenor sax; Dodo Marmarosa, p i a n o ; F r e d -
die Greene, guitar; R e d Callender, bass;
H e n r y T u c k e r , drums.
Jumpin at Messner's, 1945.
Maurice " S h o r t y " M c C o n n e l l , trumpet;
Lester Y o u n g , tenor sax; Argonne (Sadik
Hakim) Thornton, piano; F r e d Lacey,
guitar; Rodney Richardson, bass; L y n d e l l
Marshall, drums.
S. M. Blues, 1947.
H o w a r d M c G h e e , trumpet; W i l l i e Smith,
alto sax; Lester Y o u n g , tenor sax; Wesley
Jones, p i a n o ; Curtis Counce, bass; Johnny
Otis, drums.
Jammin' with Lester, 1946.
Score, a West Coast label, pegged
at b a r g a i n p r i c e o f $ 1 . 9 8 h a s r e i s s u e d
some excellent Lester Y o u n g sides,
w h i c h w i t h his death become even
m o r e v a l u a b l e . T h e masters here are
taken f r o m P h i l o and A l a d d i n , f r o m
1942 t h r o u g h 1947.
T h e m o s t i n t e r e s t i n g a r e these f o u r
1942 sides w i t h K i n g C o l e a n d R e d
Callender a c c o m p a n y i n g . These have
been out of p r i n t for some time n o w ,
a n d a l t h o u g h g o o d as C o l e i s , he i s
not the i d e a l a c c o m p a n i s t f o r P r e z .
H e i s m o s t o f t e n t o o b u s y i n the b a c k -
g r o u n d , not g i v i n g P r e z the f i r m
c h o r d s t h a t p r o p e l l e d h i m i n t o the
h e i g h t s he r e a c h e d d u r i n g h i s B a s i e
years. Y e t there is still m u c h excellent
P r e z o n t h e i r f o u r titles. P r e z still h a d
the f l o w t h a t w a s so n o t i c e a b l y l a c k -
B a s i c Reunion. Prestige L P 7147.
B u c k Clayton, Shad Collins, trumpets;
Jack Washington, baritone sax; P a u l Q u i n i -
chette, tenor sax; Nat Pierce, p i a n o ; F r e d -
die Greene, guitar; E d d i e Jones, bass; Jo
Jones, drums.
John's Idea, Baby Don't Tell on Me, Blues
I Like to Hear, Love Jumped Out, Roseland
Shuffle.
T h i s l p i s a w o n d e r f u l i d e a ; the
c h o i c e of m u s i c i a n s a n d t u n e s s h o w s
i n t e l l i g e n c e o n the p r o d u c e r ' s p a r t .
B u t the session is unsuccessful. T h e
reeds a r e to b l a m e , a n d t h e s o u n d i s
a w f u l , at l e a s t o n m y c o p y . I t s o u n d s
like this session was done i n a d r y -
dock or a g y m n a s i u m .
It w a s a n i l l - a d v i s e d g e s t u r e t o a l -
low J a c k W a s h i n g t o n baritone solos
w h e n , as t h e n o t e s state, h i s b a r i t o n e
w o r k was a bit r u s t y a n d his recent
p l a y i n g c o n f i n e d to a l t o . B a r i t o n e i s
a d i f f i c u l t i n s t r u m e n t to get i n s h a p e
f o r , a n d P r e s t i g e m u s t t a k e the b l a m e
here. J a c k W a s h i n g t o n was also a
n o t a b l e s o l o i s t o n a l t o a n d he s h o u l d
have used it here.
P a u l Quinichette, who can usually
s o u n d so w a r m , s o u n d s h a r s h a n d
JULY
i n g f r o m the m a j o r i t y o f h i s p o s t w a r
work.
Jumpin at Messner's has g o o d sen-
sitive d r u m m i n g by H e n r y T u c k e r ,
w h o w a s a w a r e of w h a t w a s n e c e s s a r y
b e h i n d each soloist, a n d has some
interesting near-stride piano by D o d o
M a r m a r o s a . P r e z ' s solo here has near-
cohesiveness. V i c D i c k e n s o n takes a
fast t u r n o n w h a t i s the m o s t e v e n
g r o u p performance on B side.
S. M. Blues d o e s n o t h a v e p a r t i c u -
larly good Prez, and only a short
solo by trumpeter M c C o n n e l l w h o was
a b r i l l i a n t f i n d of the 1 9 4 2 - 4 3 H i n e s
band.
Jammin with Lester is a simple
riff blues, w i t h P r e z t a k i n g a very
s h o r t a n d c o h e s i v e s o l o r i g h t at the
beginning. H o w a r d McGhee plays un-
boppish here a n d W i l l i e S m i t h pulls
o u t a l l the s t o p s o n h i s s o l o , w h i c h
i s t h e l o n g e s t . It w o u l d a p p e a r t h a t
P r e z h a d n ' t w a n t e d to m a k e this side,
a l t h o u g h i t p r o b a b l y w a s c r e d i t e d to
him.
N o composer credits are given for
the t u n e s , n o r a r e t h e r e a n y l i n e r
notes. J u s t the u s u a l p u b l i c i t y b l u r b
and an oddly composed cover consist-
i n g of s o l a r i z e d negative p r i n t s . R e -
g a r d l e s s o f t h e firm's taste, the l p i s
w o r t h h a v i n g , p a r t i c u l a r l y f o r the
1942 t r i o sides. T h o s e w h o m i g h t
have p u r c h a s e d an l p of reissues on
Intro (same outfit) entitled " S w i n g -
i n g Lester Y o u n g " w h i c h came out
o v e r a y e a r a g o , w i l l find t h r e e c o m b o
titles r e p e a t e d . F r a n k Driggs
v e r y u n e v e n , n o t at a l l l i k e he d i d o n
t h e first "For Basie" l p t h a t he d i r e c t -
ed. It's a shame, because the t r u m p e t
w o r k is of h i g h o r d e r a n d the tunes
a m o n g the best i n B a s i e ' s p r e w a r
repertoire.
N a t P i e r c e w o u l d be f a r b e t t e r off
playing Nat Pierce than imitating
B a s i e . H e p l a y s a l l the n o t e s b u t w i t h -
o u t the c r i s p n e s s t h a t B a s i e h a s , a n d
E d d i e J o n e s , g o o d as h e i s , i s n ' t
W a l t e r P a g e . T h e settled beat w h i c h
P a g e h a d m a d e the p r e s e n c e o f t h e
r h y t h m felt b u t n o t o b v i o u s , the w a y
Basie's current section does.
I ' d l i k e to h e a r a n o t h e r s e s s i o n l i k e
this, w i t h perhaps some other Basie
a l u m n i w h o , as s o l o i s t s h a v e n o t b e e n
given their due: E d Lewis, D a n M i n o r ,
Eddie D u r h a m (whose guitar and Records shipped anywhere
t r o m b o n e a n d a r r a n g i n g talents are
readily available, C. Q. Price, T a b modern music - Dept. j
S m i t h ( i t w o u l d be n i c e t o h e a r h i m 627 N . K I N G S H I G H W A Y
o u t of the R & B f i e l d a g a i n ) , a n d ST. LOUIS 8. M O . . U . S . A .
others. B r i n g J a c k W a s h i n g t o n back ALL R E C O R D S R E V I E W E D IN J A Z Z R E V I E W
A V A I L A B L E T H R U U S O U R S E R V I C E IS FAST
a g a i n , b u t g i v e h i m a m o n t h o r so to
A l l records shipped are factory fresh. Send for
w o o d s h e d o n b a r i t o n e , please. D o n ' t details on bonus offer of FREE J A Z Z LPs.
forget B u s t e r S m i t h , either. Foreign Orders W e l c o m e .
M A M M O T H LP SALEFREE C A T A L O G U E S
F r a n k Driggs $1.00 Deposit O n C O D s N o C O D s Overseas
25
The Golden Era of Dixieland Jazz t h a t i s k n o w n to p e r v a d e l a t e - h o u r a place or two, d o w n r i g h t satire.
1887 - 1937, V o l u m e s I a n d I I , D e s i g n r e c o r d dates ( h e i n v e s t s t h e p h r a s e I t m a y be the a t t i t u d e t o w a r d bass
D L P 38 and D L P 91. " 4 a . m . " w i t h a n a i r of delicious players typified i n M r . Lutz's remarks
Pee Wee E r w i n , trumpet; Buster Bailey, d e p r a v i t y ) that I f o u n d myself fever- a b o u t M i l t H i n t o n t h a t c a u s e d the
clarinet; V i c Dickenson, trombone; Claude i s h l y c l a w i n g open the envelopes a n d slap-bass solo to go out of style. It's
H o p k i n s , p i a n o ; George Wettling, d r u m s ;
r u s h i n g the r e c o r d s to m y t u r n t a b l e . d i s c o u r a g i n g to h a v e a m u s i c a l e n -
M i l t H i n t o n , bass.
I w a n t e d to r e v e l i n the " s h e e r d e - d e a v o r m i s t a k e n f o r s o m e s o r t of
V o l . I: When The Saints Go Marching
In, Basin St. Blues, Struttin' With Some l i g h t " of " . . . basic d i x i e l a n d , easy sideshow hula-hoopery. M i l t demon-
Barbecue, Royal Garden Blues, Muskrat to u n d e r s t a n d , e a s y t o l i s t e n t o , a n d strates o n several t r a c k s that he is
Ramble, Tin Roof Blues, I Would Do Any- p r i m a r i l y m u s i c that was i n d i c a t i v e still a master of this difficult tech-
thing For You, Birth of the Blues. o f the g o l d e n e r a o f t h i s g r e a t s t a n d -
V o l . II: High Society, Relaxation Blues,
n i q u e , d e l i c a t e l y b a l a n c i n g the c l o g -
a r d bearer of A m e r i c a n M u s i c the d a n c e p a t t e r n s o f the s l a p p e d s o u n d
South Rampart Street Parade, Ja Da, Jazz
Me Blues, Yellow Dog Blues, Weary Blues, y e a r s b e t w e e n the h e y d a y of S t o r y - w i t h the c e n t r a l p i z z i c a t o line. B e a u -
Late Date. ville i n old N e w O r l e a n s a n d the tiful, musical fun.
Goodman era." George Wettling plays stimulating
Someone n a m e d A b b o t L u t z has T h e a c t u a l m u s i c o n the r e c o r d s , t i m e a l l the w a y , a n d a c o u p l e of h i s
w r i t t e n a b r a c e of l i n e r notes de- a n d a few c o l d towels, restored m y solos are m a r v e l o u s . ( D i d y o u ever
s c r i b i n g h o w h e c o n c e i v e d the i d e a equilibrium rapidly, and I realized notice h o w similar F r a n k Isola's con-
for this series: his chance meeting that I h a d been h a d . T h i s is m u s i c c e p t i o n o f t i m e i s to G e o r g e ' s ? )
with Claude H o p k i n s and their com- of 1958, not 1887-1937. Y o u c a n hear Buster, V i c , Pee Wee, M a r t y , and
p i l a t i o n o f a " l u l u o f a l i s t " of D i x i e - it a n y e v e n i n g at the M e t r o p o l e , o r A r v e l l have m a d e t h e i r peace w i t h this
l a n d s i d e m e n f o r a r e c o r d date. H e N i c k s , or Condon's, being served up f o r m a n d repertoire l o n g ago, a n d
describes the m u s i c i a n s a n d their b y b a s i c a l l y the s a m e m u s i c i a n s i n function musically within it, adding
music i n good old Broadway lingo. the same sort of package. T h e tunes a f e w m o d e r n fixtures, b u t g e n e r a l l y
T h o u g h t h e i m p a c t o f t h e essays i s s e l d o m change because the customers p r o d u c i n g w h a t is expected of t h e m
stronger i f they are r e a d i n t h e i r h a v e l e a r n e d t h a t i t i s de rigueur to b y the d i x i e l a n d b u y e r . C l a u d e i s n o t
entirety, the f o l l o w i n g excerpts m a y ask f o r the t r a d i t i o n a l r e p e r t o i r e , a n d the i m p r o v i s e r - c o m p o s e r t h a t s o m e o f
s e r v e to i n d i c a t e M r . L u t z ' s p i t h y the m u s i c i a n s h a v e l e a r n e d t h a t a d - his associates a r e ; h i s p l a y i n g sounds
style. herence to t h i s t r a d i t i o n e l i m i n a t e s a little m o r e o l d - f a s h i o n e d because of
" O n trombone . . . g l u m , sad faced the n e c e s s i t y o f w r i t i n g , r e h e a r s i n g , the a b s e n c e o f i n s p i r a t i o n . T h e r e a r e
V i c D i c k e r s o n [ s i c ] . V i c gets t h a t o l d or m e m o r i z i n g new music. T h e i r play-
m o m e n t s w h e n R e x r e m i n d s o n e of
i n g w i t h i n these c o n f i n e s , h o w e v e r ,
fashioned slush bucket sound a n d no his early p l a y i n g , but he has a terrible
is c o n t e m p o r a r y m u s i c w i t h roots i n
man alive today can gargle a vibrato t e n d e n c y t o p a n d e r t o t h e tasteless
the s o - c a l l e d G o l d e n E r a .
into his instrument with any m o r e element of h i s audience, m i x i n g a
raucus [sic] v i r i l i t y . " T h e o r i g i n a l melody of each tune great d e a l of h o g w a s h w i t h s p o r a d i c
" L i s t e n to h i m [ M i l t H i n t o n ] get is g i v e n a m u c h m o r e p e r f u n c t o r y efforts t o p l a y w e l l . T h e d r e a d f u l l y
pretty music and a firm slapping t r e a t m e n t t h a n the i n d i v i d u a l s o l o s . c o n t r i v e d shouts a n d grunts of en-
s o u n d w h e n h e t a k e s off i n Saints. E v e r y o n e k n o w s h o w t u n e s l i k e The c o u r a g e m e n t b e h i n d the v a r i o u s s o l o s
Y o u ' v e got to j u m p . . . . Y o u ' l l h a v e Saints are s u p p o s e d to go, but n o o n Relaxation Blues are d o w n r i g h t
to s m i l e . . . a n d i f y o u c a n p i c t u r e one sounds v e r y enthusiastic about e m b a r r a s s i n g . I don't recognize the
Milt slapping away with a cigar p l a y i n g t h e m . H e r e a n d t h e r e I detect voice, but the h o k e is f a m i l i a r .
d r o o p e d f r o m the c o r n e r of h i s m o u t h , a note of weariness, i r o n y , a n d i n B i l l Crow
a b i g h a p p y g r i n on his face a n d all
the m u s i c i n the w o r l d c o m i n g o u t of
that d o g h o u s e fiddle, y o u ' l l have a
p i c t u r e of a true d i x i e l a n d scene."
" I t a l l started real great . . . M a r t y
N a p o l e o n forgot a l l about the session
a n d h a d t o be c a l l e d at h o m e . . . .
H e r a c e d i n 1/2 l a t e [ s i c ] . T h e f i r s t
t i m e t h i s has ever h a p p e n e d to h i m .
H e f o r g o t to put o n a s h i r t , a l t h o u g h
he h a d a tie a r o u n d h i s n e c k . "
" G e o r g e W e t t l i n g . . . the o n l y
m a n o n the date that d i d n ' t u n d o h i s
collar a n d tie. . . . T h e only time a
c i g a r e t t e left h i s m o u t h w a s to t a k e
a d r i n k . " [Thirsty fibers?]
" V i c D i c k e n s o n d i d n ' t w a n t to t a l k ,
just w a n t e d to p l a y t r o m b o n e . H e ' s
a m u s i c i a n ' s m u s i c i a n , i f there ever
was o n e . "
"Everyone brought their own
b r a n d plus an extra bottle for a
friend. . . . T h a t squeak i n Relaxation
Blues i s a c o r k b e i n g p u l l e d o u t o f
a bottle."
M r . L u t z ' s w r i t i n g i s so e v o c a t i v e
of the a t m o s p h e r e of exotic a b a n d o n

26 THE JAZZ REVIEW

B R O W N I E M c G H E E , S O N N Y EXAMPLE A
T E R R Y : Back Country Blues. Savoy
MG 14019. 1. M c G H E E - T E R R Y : Tell Me Baby. TURNER: Thai's When It Really
J O E T U R N E R : Careless Love. S a v o y Tell me, baby, Hurts.
M G 14016. Where did you stay last night? Tell me, pretty baby,
JOE TURNER: And the Blues'll (Lawd, lawd, lawd) Where'd you stay last night?
Make You Happy Too. Savoy M G Y o u r shoes a i n ' t b u t t o n e d , Well, your hair's all nappy,
14012. Your clothes don't fit you right. Your clothes ain't on you right.
O s t e n s i b l y , t h e r e d o e s n ' t s e e m to be 2. M c G H E E - T E R R Y : Tell Me Baby. T U R N E R : Ooh Wee Baby.
a n y r e a s o n to l u m p these t h r e e a l - Tell me, baby, O o h wee, baby,
bums into a single discussion. A f t e r Who can your lover be? You sho' looks good to me.
all, Brownie M c G h e e and Sonny T e r r y (Lawd, lawd, lawd) W e l l , tell me pretty mama,
are country, Joe T u r n e r typifies city. W e l l , the reason I ask. Who may your great lover be?
A n d t h o u g h " b l u e s is b l u e s , " e a c h You sho' look good to me.
a r t i s t p o r t r a y s the r e g i o n a l o u t l o o k , 3. M c G H E E - T E R R Y : Dissatisfied T U R N E R : Johnson and Turner Blues.
s o c i a l c u s t o m s a n d c i r c u m s t a n c e s of Blues. I c r i e d last n i g h t
his o w n e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e m o r e so- W h e n y o u see, see m e l a u g h i n ' A n d I c r i e d the n i g h t b e f o r e .
phisticated T u r n e r blues j u m p f r o m L a u g h i n ' to k e e p f r o m c r y i n ' I'm gonna change my way of livin
w i n e to w o m e n to s o n g a n d b a c k t o Gonna change my ways of livin, S o I w o n ' t have to c r y n o m o r e .
w o m e n , w h i l e the M c G h e e b l u e s ex- S u r e w a n t to c h a n g e m y m i n d .
p l o r e m o r e t h o r o u g h l y the s u b j e c t 4. M c G H E E - T E R R Y : Bottom Blues. TURNER: Lucille.
m a t t e r o f l i f e as a w h o l e . W e l l , meet m e i n the b o t t o m , W h e n I first m e t L u c i l l e ,
H o w e v e r , the one t h i n g t h a t s t r i k e s B r i n g m e m y boots and shoes. I h a d money a n d clothes too.
m e a b o u t these r e c o r d s a n d the t h i n g Y o u c a n tell b y that N o w she's g o n e a n d left m e
t h a t l i n k s t h e m i s the i n t e r c h a n g e o f I a i n ' t got n o t i m e t o l o s e . O h L o r d , I ' m w e a r i n ' a boot
certain stanzas a n d m o t i f s f r o m one and a shoe.
s o n g to a n o t h e r w h a t s t u d e n t s o f
f o l k m u s i c d e s i g n a t e as " f l o a t i n g "
l i n e s o r verses. I n the t r u e sense o f
f o l k m u s i c , the b l u e s is n o t j u s t the EXAMPLE B
singer's p r o p e r t y , but that of the e n -
tire f o l k ; a man's " c o m p o s i t i o n " con-
1. M c G H E E : Tell Me Baby. See See Rider : 1

t a i n s e n o u g h of h i s p e r s o n a l i t y as a n
T e l l me, baby, See See R i d e r ,
i n d i v i d u a l h u m a n b e i n g but also re-
Where did you slay last night? Where did you stay last night?
flects the m i n d a n d h e a r t o f the p e o -
(Lawd, lawd, lawd) Lord, Lord, Lord!
p l e as a w h o l e . A s a u t h o r s o f t h e i r
Your shoes ain't buttoned, Your shoes ain't buttoned,
o w n blues songs, M c G h e e a n d T u r n e r
Your clothes don't fit you right. Clothes don't fit you right.
q u a l i f y as e x p o n e n t s o f the sticking
Y o u didn't come home
theory, the t e r m b a l l a d s c h o l a r s e m -
T i l l the s u n w a s s h i n i n ' b r i g h t .
p l o y to c l a s s i f y a s o n g s t i t c h e d to-
2. T U R N E R : Milk and Butter Blues. J . R U S H I N G : Evil Blues.
gether out of e x i s t i n g b a l l a d s , a n d
If you see my baby If you see my baby,
w h i c h a p p l i e s i n the case o f b l u e s as
Tell her I s a i d , "Hurry home." Tell her t o hurry home.
well. Indeed, v a r i o u s blues stanzas
I ain't had no m i l k a n d b u t t e r I ain't had no l o v i n '
h a v e floated t h r o u g h the b l u e s o f p r e -
S i n c e my gal's been gone. Since my baby's been gone.
r e c o r d i n g t i m e s ( w h i c h we k n o w o f
through oral tradition or written col- 3. T U R N E R : Hollywood Bed. J . R U S H I N G : Evil Blues.
l e c t a n e a ) to M a R a i n e y to J o e T u r - S h e ' s got g r e a t b i g legs, She's little a n d l o w ,
n e r to R a y C h a r l e s a n d r o c k a n d r o l l A n d she's built up from the ground. She's built up from the ground.
b l u e s f r o m the c o u n t r y to the c i t y She's a tailor-made w o m a n . But that's m y b a b y ;
w h i c h s p e a k o f the s a m e i d e a s i n the S h e a i n ' t n o n e o f those h a n d - She makes m y love come d o w n .
s a m e l a n g u a g e . T e x t s c o n t a i n the me-downs.
same v e r b a l elements a n d change i n 4. T U R N E R : Playboy Blues. Mamie Desdume's Blues."
the m a n n e r o f a k a l e i d o s c o p i c p a t - I w a l k the streets a l l n i g h t l o n g S t o o d o n the c o r n e r
t e r n as e a c h s i n g e r i m p r o v i s e s t h e m T i l l m y feel are soakin wet, W i t h h e r feels soakin wet,
into his own design. I a i n ' t seen n o b o d y B e g g i n ' each a n ' every
F o r e x a m p l e , a q u i c k c h e c k of the L o o k l i k e m y b a b y yet. Man t h a t she m e t
M c G h e e - T e r r y r e c o r d a g a i n s t the t w o 5. T U R N E R : Last Goodbye Blues. W I L L I E M A B O N : I'm Mad.
T u r n e r s i d e s y i e l d s the f o l l o w i n g W e l l , I asked my baby Ax my baby
p a r a l l e l s (in i t a l i c s ) : E X A M P L E A Could she stand to see me cry. Could she stand to see me cry.
Other T u r n e r and M c G h e e lines S h e s a i d , "Yes, d o g g o n e y o u b i g S h e s a y , "Yes, I could stand to
a n d s t a n z a s c a l l to m i n d s i s t e r texts boy, see you
on o t h e r r e c o r d s , o r h a v e a p p e a r e d I could stand to see you d i e . " Buried alive."
so o f t e n as to b e c o m e s t a n d a r d i n the 6. M c G H E E : Dissatisfied Blues. Good Morning Blues*
idiom: E X A M P L E B I woke up this m o r n i n ' I l a i d d o w n last n i g h t
1
Langston Hughes & A r n a Bontemps, R o l l i n ' from side to side T u r n i n g from side to side
The Book oj Negro Folklore (New I was not sick Y e s , I w a s t u r n i n g f r o m s i d e to
Y o r k : D o d d , M e a d , 1 9 5 8 ) , p. 3 9 0 . B u t I was just dissatisfied. side,
- Ibid, p. 3 9 4 , I was not sick,
Ibid. p. 38!!.
:
I was just dissatisfied.

JULY 27
STANDARD LINES AND VERSES N o w I ' m g o i n ' home a n d make love ( "Careless L o v e " ) ; Pete J o h n s o n , D o n
1. M c G H E E : The Way I Feel. to m y w i f e . Byas, Frankie N e w t o n ; L e o n a r d Ware,
D o n ' t believe I ' m s i n k i n , J o e d r a w s a b e a u t i f u l i m a g e w h e n he guitar; A l H a l l , bass; H a l West,
Just look what a hole I ' m i n . c o n c l u d e s i n Howlin' Winds (". . . drums; Charles Gray, trumpet; Ells-
2. M c G H E E : Dissatisfied Blues. Happy T o o " ) : worth Perkins, guitar; Riley H a m p -
I c a n r e a d y o u r letters b u t I I k n o w I love y o u ton, alto; Otis F i n c h , tenor; Ells-
Sure can't read y o u r m i n d . ' C a u s e the r a i n w r o t e i t o n m y w i n - worth Liggett, p i a n o ; Robert M o o r e ,
3. M c G H E E : Dissatisfied Blues. dowpane. b a s s ; J a m e s A d a m s , d r u m s (". . .
W h e n a w o m a n gets d i s s a t i s f i e d M c G h e e ' s Diamond Ring offers a H a p p y T o o " ) . T h e t o n e of the t e n o r
She hangs her head and cries; p a r a d o x i n its n a r r a t i o n o f the r o u g h men s o m e h o w epitomizes the " c i t y "
W h e n a m a n gets d i s s a t i s f i e d , goings-on i n a jewelry-store robbery s o u n d , i n w h i c h m u c h m o r e heat ( i n
H e flags a t r a i n a n d r i d e s . a n d the t h i e f ' s s u b s e q u e n t j a i l i n g , de- the sense of p a s s i o n ) i s g e n e r a t e d , i n
l i v e r e d i n n o c e n t l y to a sweet, b a l l a d - c o n t r a s t to the b u c o l i c f e e l i n g o f the
4. T U R N E R : Last Goodbye Blues.
l i k e t u n e . B r o w n i e tags s o m e o f h i s country guitar and harmonica.
T h e sun's g o n n a shine i n m y back
verses w i t h s p o k e n a s i d e s to S o n n y M u s i c a l l y , both T u r n e r a l b u m s are
door someday.
T e r r y as the l a t t e r b e g i n s h i s s o l o : of e q u a l l y h i g h c a l i b e r . "Careless
5. M c G H E E : Diamond Ring.
Gone Baby Gone: Love" contains an extra-good Rocks
I got m y s e l f a p i s t o l ,
" P l a y m e s o m e blues." in My Bed i n w h i c h J o e r e a l l y e m p h a -
It w a s a f o r t y - f o u r .
Bottom Blues: sizes those r o c k s ; a l s o the Johnson and
6. T U R N E R : Mad Blues.
"Walk awhile!" Turner Blues w i t h its v e r y n i c e J o h n -
I woke up this m o r n i n ' and found
When It's Love Time: son and T u r n e r antiphony and Joe's
m y baby gone. " O h yes, S o n n y b o y ! " " P l e a s e , M r . J o h n s o n , d o n ' t p l a y the
7. T U R N E R : Rocks in My Bed. A n d I love M c G h e e ' s d o l e f u l l y re- b l u e s so s a d . " I n " . . . Happy Too", I
I f there t w o p e o p l e i n the w o r l d I signed " T r o u b l e , trouble, trouble," l i k e d Hollywood Bed, Howlin Winds,
just can't stand, spoken at the e n d o f So Much Milk and Butler Blues a n d Ooh Wee
T h a t ' s a t w o - f a c e d w o m a n , yes a n d Trouble. Baby.
a lyin' man. T u r n e r , t o o , t a l k s to P e t e J o h n s o n The Brownie - McGhee Sonny-
B y r e a s o n of the floating s t a n z a s , o n Johnson and Turner Blues ( " C a r e - T e r r y a l b u m ( w h i c h has a terrific
the c i r c u l a t i o n o f the m a t e r i a l b y e a r , less L o v e " ) : " Y e a h , l o o k o u t g a t e ! " cover of r a i l r o a d tracks a n d telephone
as w e l l as the p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n the w h e n the p i a n o s t a r t s t o w a l k . J o e p o l e s c u r v i n g off i n t o the c o u n t r y -
i d i o m of m a n y i n d i v i d u a l s w i t h a m a k e s use o f h i s s p e a k i n g v o i c e l i k e s i d e ) i s m u s i c a l l y s t i m u l a t i n g y e t at
c o m m o n type of language and social a swinging instrument by rhythmical- the s a m e t i m e v e r y r e s t f u l . P e r h a p s
s t a t u s , the b l u e s of the c o u n t r y , of the ly stating c o m m e n t s after v o c a l l i n e s : this restfulness pervades ( i n spite of
c i t y , even r h y t h m a n d blues rotate o n " T h a t ' s the stuff y o u g o t to w a t c h ! " S o n n y ' s r h y t h m i c c o m b u s t i o n a n d the
o n e u n i v e r s a l a x i s of t r a d i t i o n , de- (Watch That Jive from "Careless s o l i d r o c k of the b a n d t r a c k s ) b e c a u s e
spite surface country-city-juke-box L o v e " a n d " W h a t ' s the m a t t e r n o w ? " o f the i m m e d i a t e c o n t a c t a n d i n t i m a c y
d i s s i m i l a r i t i e s that show u p under (S. K. Blues i n " C a r e l e s s " ) . J o e a l s o b e t w e e n the l i s t e n e r a n d M c G h e e ,
c l o s e s c r u t i n y . T h u s the c o n n e c t i o n r i d e s o v e r the i n s t r u m e n t a l p o r t i o n whose personal observances a n d reac-
b e t w e e n Back Country Blues, Careless of Whistle Stop Blues w i t h a sweet- tions are s o m e h o w u n i v e r s a l ; i n lis-
Love, a n d And the Blues'll Make You t a l k i n g entreaty that any g i r l w o u l d t e n i n g to M c G h e e , one s o r t o f t r a d e s
Happy Too. find h a r d to r e s i s t . human experiences with h i m .
N o w for an i n d i v i d u a l examination A l b u m ' s best t r a c k s G o n e Baby
of e a c h l p . S i n c e I ' v e b e e n p r e o c c u - I t ' s a r e l i e f to h e a r T u r n e r i n a n Gone, Tell Me Baby, Sunn Pretty,
p i e d so f a r w i t h texts, I m a y as w e l l authentic blues context rather than Bottom Bluesfeature Terry's accom-
remain with them a little longer. the m a n u f a c t u r e d r o c k - a n d - r o l l set- p a n i m e n t to M c G h e e ' s v o i c e a n d g u i -
Turner's opening lines in Whistle t i n g s i n w h i c h he so o f t e n gets i n - tar. W h e t h e r S o n n y ' s h a r m o n i c a d u -
Stop Blues a n d Ooh Wee Baby volved nowadays. T h o u g h Joe can plicates M c G h e e ' s lines, furnishes
(". . . H a p p y T o o " a l b u m ) s t a r k l y b r i g h t e n and enliven even rock a n d p o l y p h o n i c b a c k g r o u n d s as i n Tell
captivate by immediately establishing r o l l , he n a t u r a l l y c o m e s o u t a h e a d Me Baby, o r s i m p l y s u p p l i e s c h o r d a l
the t i m e , s e t t i n g , a n d m o o d t h a t is to with superior working material. A c - or boogie rhythms w h i c h burst into
follow: c o m p a n y i n g m u s i c i a n s i n different u n i n h i b i t e d b r e a k s as i n Bottom
Whistle Slop Blues: c o m b i n a t i o n s o n the v a r i o u s t r a c k s Blues a n d Sittin Pretty, he delights
T h e r e g o e s the t w e l v e o ' c l o c k are Pete Johnson, p i a n o ; Frankie b e c a u s e h e s o u n d s so " u n e d u c a t e d . "
whistle: N e w t o n , t r u m p e t ; D o n B y as, t e n o r ; Brownie performs well by himself,
D i n n e r t i m e for everyone but me. Teddy B u n n , guitar; Russell Jacquet with Terry, or fronting a small band
Ooh Wee Baby: ( w h i c h here includes M i c k e y B a k e r ,
It w a s e a r l y o n e M o n d a y m o r n i n g guitar; L e o n a r d G a s k i n , bass; Ernest
A n d I w a s o n m y w a y to s c h o o l . Hayes, piano; Eugene Brooks, drums,
Turner's Sunday Morning, from i n a d d i t i o n to T e r r y ) . B a n d t r a c k s ,
"Careless Love," amusingly juxta- which don't exactly sound "back coun-
poses sacred a n d p r o f a n e ideas i n a t r y , " c o n s i s t o f When It's Love Time,
single stanza: Vd Love to Love You, Love's a Dis-
I been blue every S a t u r d a y ; ease, My Fault.
T h i s S u n d a y m o r n i n g I feel a l l Certainly Brownie McGhee, Sonny
right. T e r r y , and Joe T u r n e r each take ad-
I been blue every S a t u r d a y ; v a n t a g e o f a n d p u t t o best use the
T h i s S u n d a y m o r n i n g I feel a l l characteristics of their particular
right. styles.
I m a d e peace w i t h m y m a k e r , M i m i Clar

28 THE JAZZ REVIEW

 T H E W A R D S I N G E R S , T H E cast ) ; g o s p e l m u s i c is g r a d u a l l y be- off i n t o a n i c e m e l a n g e of g o s p e l
DRINKARD SINGERS, JEFF A N D i n g r e v e a l e d to a w i d e r a u d i e n c e t h a n music.
C H A R L E S B A N K S : Newport Spirit- ever before. Se\eral items c a p t u r e d my atten-
ual Stars, S a v o y M G 1 4 0 1 3 . The Newport Spiritual Starsthe tion on individual numbers. The
F a m o u s W a r d S i n g e r s , the D r i n k a r d W a r d Singers' guitar player obtains
S i n g e r s , a n d Jeff a n d C h a r l e s B a n k s a country, almost hill-billy sound and
I d i r e c t o r s o f the B a c k H o m e C h o i r ) o n Our God Is Real I i n w h i c h the
h a v e recorded for Savoy a number L o r d s P r a y e r s w i n g s ) the g u i t a r p a r t
It is s i g n i f i c a n t , I t h i n k , t h a t the of select p e r f o r m a n c e s . The liner repeats r e f r a i n s o v e r b e h i n d s o l o a n d
past c o u p l e o f N e w p o r t J a z z F e s t i v a l s stresses t h a t the s e s s i o n d i d n o t t a k e chorus like an extra vocalist. The
have included gospel music i n their p l a c e as the a r t i s t s s a n g i n a c h u r c h B a n k s l i n e o u t p h r a s e s to e a c h o t h e r
p r o g r a m s . It is s o m e w h a t s y m b o l i c of i n N e w p o r t the last S u n d a y o f the a n d m a n a g e to c o m b i n e antiphony
the g r o w i n g c o n c e r n a n d a w a r e n e s s f e s t i v a l ; r a t h e r the d a t e w a s m a d e i n a n d d u e t to the e x t e n t of s o u n d i n g
of j a z z m e n , c r i t i c s a n d l i s t e n e r s of the s t u d i o as a r e s u l t o f the e n t h u s i - l i k e m o r e t h a n t w o p e r f o r m e r s ; they
the b a c k g r o u n d s a n d t r a d i t i o n s of a s t i c r e s p o n s e of the c r i t i c s a n d the get a r e a l w i g - w a g g o i n g i n Happy
j a z z , n o t m e r e l y as e s o t e r i c a l l y i n t e r - audience. in My Glory. The D r i n k a r d s produce
e s t i n g l o r e o f the p a s t , b u t as a n E a c h of the g r o u p s h a s f o u r t r a c k s : some delightfully abandoned shouts
immediate reality, vitally intertwined the W a r d S i n g e r s d o Talk About i n When Jesus Shall Come a n d the
and bound up w i t h the present. Rain, Our God Is Real, I'm So Glad. c h o r u s o n the s a m e t u n e c u t s off its
T h a n k s to the N e w p o r t J a z z F e s t i v a l : a n d In His Arms; the Drinkard w o r d s w i t h the c r i s p n e s s of a b b r e -
the r e c o r d i n g c o m p a n i e s w h o a r e i n - S i n g e r s , a f e m a l e g r o u p , d o When I v i a t e d d r u m beats. T h e t a m b o u r i n e
creasing their output of gospel L P ' s : Rise in the Morning, A Sinner Like r h y t h m s o n When I Rise in the Morn-
a n d the r a r e l a p s e s i n t o s a n i t y o n the Me, When Jesus Shall Come, and I ing r i p p l e o u t l i k e a r i d e c y m b a l .
p a r t of t e l e v i s i o n p o w e r s ( M a h a l i a Can't Turn Around; Jeff a n d C h a r l e s E x c e l l e n t notes b y H . A l a n S t e i n
J a c k s o n m o s t f r e q u e n t l y v i s i t s us v i a B a n k s d o Happy in Glory, Show' Me g i v e a s h o r t h i s t o r y of s p i r i t u a l m u s i c
video but Clara Ward recently the Way, I've Got the Witness, and a n d p o i n t u p its r e l a t i o n to j a z z .
b r i g h t e n e d up a Steve A l l e n b r o a d - For My Sake. T h e p a c k a g e s e c t i o n s M i m i Clar

THE ROBERTA M A R T I N SINGERS, harmonic. and melodic patterns m i c a l l y , the s u m t o t a l s o u n d b e i n g

Savoy M G 14008. t h r e a d e d i n a n d o u t of the s o n g f a b - less r o u g h t h a n g r o u p s l i k e the D a v i s
THE FAMOUS WARD SINGERS: r i c s I to m e n t i o n b u t a few ). S i s t e r s o r the O r i g i n a l G o s p e l H a r -
Packing Up, S a v o y M G 1 4 0 2 0 . The Roberta M a r t i n Singers would monettes, but more keenly agitated
be a n e x c e l l e n t g r o u p w i t h w h i c h to in a u n i q u e l y female way than either
"initiate the listener u n a c q u a i n t e d of the a f o r e m e n t i o n e d o r the R o b e r t a
w i t h the f i e l d o f g o s p e l m u s i c . T h e M a r t i n S i n g e r s . T h e r e c u r r i n g so-
g r o u p is n o t as s t r i k i n g , c a p t i v a t i n g , p r a n o c r i e s o f ecstacy h e l p p r o p a g a t e
T o o n e n e w l y e x p o s e d to g o s p e l o r s p e c t a c u l a r as s o m e o r g a n i z a t i o n s , the W a r d S i s t e r s ' e x c i t a b i l i t y .
s i n g i n g , c e r t a i n aspects o f i t m a y r e - b u t f o r the n e w c o m e r , it w i l l seem Packing Up, with the Ward
q u i r e a b i t of a c c l i m a t i z a t i o n a n d ex- m o r e r e s t f u l , e v e n at t h e h e i g h t s of S i n g e r s u n d e r the d i r e c t i o n o f C l a r a
p l a n a t i o n . F o r e x a m p l e , the f r e s h p a i r its s i n g i n g , t h a n g r o u p s l i k e the W a r d W a r d a n d her M o t h e r M r s . G e r t r u d e
of e a r s m a y b e c o m e e x a s p e r a t e d at S i n g e r s . T h e r e is a sweetness a b o u t W a r d , s t a r s , i n a d d i t i o n to the l e a d e r s .
t r y i n g to c a t c h the w o r d s o f the u p - the R o b e r t a M a r t i n S i n g e r s , n o t i n Marian Williams, Kitty Parham.
t e m p o s o n g s , a n d f a i l to r e a l i z e t h a t the s u g a r y sense, b u t m o r e as a r e s u l t Frances Steadman, and W i l l a W a r d .
e n u n c i a t i o n i s s a c r i f i c e d i n s u c h cases of t h e i r s i n c e r i t y a n d faith. M a k e no M i s s Steadman's resonant alto voice
f o r the s a k e o f r h y t h m i c p r o p u l s i o n . m i s t a k e , t h o u g h , the g r o u p h a s v i t a l - s o l o s i n I've Opened My Mouth to
T h e new listener m a y w o n d e r also ity a n d generates a f i n g e r - s n a p p i n g the Lord, Climbing Jacob's Ladder,
at the s h o u t e d i n t e r j e c t i o n s a n d h o l - beat. a n d We're Gonna Have a Time. Miss
lered c l i m a c t i c phrases of the singers, N u m b e r s l i k e Sinner Man swing Williams' soprano leads on Good
u n t i l he r e c o g n i z e s the emotional q u i e t l y ; t h o s e l i k e Walk in Jerusalem News, That's For Me, a n d Packing
a n d s p i r i t u a l i m p e t u s t h a t l e a d s to g r a d u a l l y b u i l d u p i n i n t e n s i t y of Up. K i t t y P a r h a m t a k e s c h a r g e o n
"yelling." f e e l i n g ; t h o s e l i k e When He Set Me We Shall Be Changed and Clara
L a t e r , t o o , he w i l l b e c o m e a w a r e Free r o c k w i t h a c r a d l e - l i k e g e n t l e - W a r d steps f o r w a r d i n I'm Holding
t h a t the a l m o s t w h i s t l i n g s o p r a n o n e s s ; a n d t h o s e l i k e God Is So Good On a n d she d u b s i n a l l p a r t s h e r s e l f
cries of the w o m e n w i t h t h e i r counter- to Me possess a n a l m o s t a n g e l i c p u r - i n What a Friend We Have in Jesus.
p a r t i n t h e f a l s e t t o v o i c e s o f the m e n i t y . O n Nothing But God, Every Now W h i l e the c h o r u s often trades a n -
i s s u e f r o m the s a m e e m o t i o n a l s t r e a m . and Then, When He Set Me Free, t i p h o n a l c o m m e n t s w i t h the s o l o i s t s ,
P r e t t y s o o n , the n e w c o m e r might It's Amazing, a n d Dark Hours, the a n u m b e r of the t u n e s s u b s t i t u t e i n -
c o m e to i d e n t i f y the s t a n d a r d m u s i c a l v o c a l t i m b r e s o f the o n e m a l e s i n g e r s t r u m e n t a l r e s p o n s e s f o r the v o c a l
f o r m u l a e that have c r y s t a l l i z e d into p r e s e n t a m o n g the f o u r w o m e n c o n - fill-ins as the W a r d S i n g e r s h a r m o n i z e
l a n d m a r k s o f the g o s p e l p e r f o r m a n c e : trast n i c e l y w i t h the a l l - f e m i n i n e the l i n e s i n a v e r t i c a l , m o r e c h o r a l l y
the i n e v i t a b l e r i t a r d at the e n d of sound. conventional manner. Since they
e v e n the fastest of s o n g s ; t h e o m n i - T h e W a r d S i n g e r s , o n the o t h e r sound like standard glee-club arrange-
present l e a d e r - c h o r u s c a l l a n d re- h a n d , represent a more instantly m e n t s , I d o n ' t find the l a t t e r s o n g s
sponse patterns or vocal-instrumental s t a r t l i n g g o s p e l g r o u p t h a n the R o - as a t t e n t i o n - s u s t a i n i n g o r m u s i c a l l y
a n t i p h o n y ; the i n n o c e n t l y - d e c e i v i n g b e r t a M a r t i n S i n g e r s , i n t e r m s o f the r e w a r d i n g as the s w i n g e r s o r m e l i s -
s l o w verses t h a t set the stage f o r a past e x p e r i e n c e o f the n e w l i s t e n e r . matically m e a n d e r i n g slow tunes.
r o m p i n g s h o u t ; the stock r h y t h m i c . T h e g r o u p as a w h o l e v i b r a t e s r h y t h - Mimi Clar

J U L Y 29
These Foolish Things b y L e s t e r Y o u n g
1st version 1 9 4 5 A l a d d i n 601
These Foolish Things b y L e s t e r Y o u n g
2nd
MGN
version
1005
early 1 9 5 0 ' s N o r g r a n
T h e c a r e e r o f the l a t e L e s t e r Y o u n g
is r a t h e r o d d l y c h r o n i c l e d i n jazz c r i t i -
c i s m a n d h i s t o r y . W h i l e he i s n e a r l y
u n a n i m o u s l y c r e d i t e d as b e i n g one of
the s e m i n a l c r e a t o r s i n the h i s t o r y o f
the a r t , n e v e r t h e l e s s his greatest
w o r k s are seldom c o m m e n t e d u p o n .
S o m e t i m e s one h a s the i m p r e s s i o n
that the greatest w e i g h t i s g i v e n to
the w o r k s p r o d u c e d i n c o n j u n c t i o n
w i t h B a s i e , s u c h as The World is Mad
a n d Taxi War Dance. C e r t a i n l y , p e r -
f o r m a n c e s s u c h as these a r e w e l l de-
s e r v i n g o f the h o n o r s g r a n t e d t h e m ,
b u t t h e y are n o t c r e a t i o n s o f L e s t e r
Y o u n g . R a t h e r t h e i r g r e a t n e s s lies
precisely i n their totality, w h i c h is
m a d e up not alone of Y o u n g ' s c o n -
t r i b u t i o n s , as i n t e r e s t i n g as they are,
b u t o f those o f B a s i e a n d the b a n d
w i t h the o t h e r s o l o i s t s s u c h as W e l l s ,
C l a y t o n , a n d E d i s o n as w e l l .
A thesis w o r t h c o n s i d e r i n g is t h a t
Y o u n g ' s finest w o r k s w e r e m a d e a f t e r
he left B a s i e a n d that they e x t e n d
f r o m Afternoon of a Basie-ite i n 1943
to This Year's Kisses i n 1 9 5 6 . N o w ,
this is somewhat of a heterodox o p i n -
i o n . T h e by n o w usual a p p r o a c h is
s u m m e d up i n the f o l l o w i n g c i t a t i o n
f r o m R a y m o n d H o r r i c k s ' Count Basie
and his Orchestra;
. . . r u n n i n g f r o m the m i d - 1 9 4 0 ' s
30
to the p r e s e n t d a y , t h e r e i s the
evidence of a decline i n s p i r i t ;
h i s p l a y i n g s t y l e , o n c e so r a d i -
c al and full of fresh ideas, has
become m o r e of a r o u t i n e , a n d
the m a j o r i t y of h i s r e c o r d dates
s e e m to be t r e a t e d w i t h the " j u s t
another j o b " attitude. I n this
last p h a s e o f h i s c a r e e r L e s t e r
has been f i n a n c i a l l y successful
while r e p l a y i n g the various
phrases a n d devices w h i c h were
o n c e so r e v o l u t i o n a r y ; f r e q u e n t -
l y he h a s g i v e n to s e n s a t i o n a l i s t
audiences exactly what they wish
to h e a r ( n a m e l y , h o n k i n g n o i s e s
and other v u l g a r m a n n e r i s m s ) .
s a r e s u l t he h a s b e c o m e the
A v i c t i m of an i n c r e a s i n g e n n u i ,
t he t i r e d n e s s o f h i s a p p e a r a n c e
o v e r f l o w i n g a n d s p r e a d i n g its
w a y i n t o the o n c e so i n v e n t i v e
m i n d . N o w a d a y s Lester is sel-
d o m j o g g e d o u t o f h i s state o f
lethargy.
I s u b m i t t h a t s u c h a j u d g m e n t as
the a b o v e is q u i t e f a l s e a n d t h a t a
simple e x a m i n a t i o n of Y o u n g ' s re-
c o r d e d w o r k f r o m the m i d - f o r t i e s o n
will amply verify my contention. A s
e v i d e n c e , I p r o p o s e t h a t we c o n s i d e r
two of Y o u n g ' s purest masterpieces,
h i s t w o v e r s i o n s o f These Foolish
Things, o n e d a t i n g f r o m the m i d -
f o r t i e s , the o t h e r f r o m the e a r l y
fifties.
O n l y three factors are constant i n
both improvisations. First, they are
b o t h e x a m p l e s o f the f r e e v a r i a t i o n
a p p r o a c h w h i c h G u n t h e r S c h u l l e r has
d e s c r i b e d as " i n the s t r i c t e s t sense n o
v a r i a t i o n at a l l , s i n c e i t d o e s n o t p r o -
c e e d f r o m the b a s i s o f v a r y i n g a g i v e n
t h e m a t i c m a t e r i a l b u t s i m p l y reflects
a player's ruminations on an un-
varying [Schuller's italics] chord pro-
g r e s s i o n . " S e c o n d l y , b o t h e x h i b i t the
phenomenal rhythmic flexibility of
Y o u n g at h i s best, w h i c h i s m o s t a p -
parent i n his up-tempo w o r k s but
w h i c h is e q u a l l y p r e s e n t i n s l o w e r
t e m p i as w e l l . T h i s f l e x i b i l i t y m a k e s
the c o n s t a n t 4 / 4 r h y t h m act as a
p l a c e to w h i c h Y o u n g c a n r e t u r n f r o m
t i m e to t i m e , o n l y to b e g i n a f r e s h
r h y t h m i c flight, as w e l l as a s t a b l e
element f r o m w h i c h h i s o w n r h y t h -
m i c ideas r e b o u n d . Indeed, i n up-
tempo works this freedom almost
d r a w s the a t t e n t i o n a w a y f r o m h i s
g r e a t m e l o d i c g i f t s . T h i r d l y , these
w o r k s are i n an A A B A B A f o r m , each
lasting forty-eight bars.
F r o m the o p e n i n g b a r s o f the f i r s t
v e r s i o n we a r e a w a r e Y o u n g h a s b e -
g u n to c o n s t r u c t a m e l o d i c s t u d y o f
great o r i g i n a l i t y . C o n s t a n t l y floating
in a n d a r o u n d the beat, Y o u n g c o n -
tinues a steadily d e v e l o p i n g r u m i n a -
t i o n (to use S c h u l l e r ' s t e r m ) u n t i l i n
the last b a r s o f the first b r i d g e he
b r i e f l y states a f r a g m e n t o f t h e o r i g i -
n a l m e l o d y , o n l y to a b a n d o n it a l m o s t
i m m e d i a t e l y t o s u r g e o n to the last
e i g h t b a r s o f the first c h o r u s a n d
f r o m t h e r e to the h a l f c h o r u s f o l l o w -
i n g . T h e r e are no f u r t h e r citations of
the o r i g i n a l .
THE JAZZ REVIEW
 EVERGREEN REVIEW

of
C o n s i d e r i n g this w o r k i n the l i n e
Young's development, certain
Save $2.00 by Issue #8 j u s t out, f e a t u r i n g w o r k s by:

t h i n g s a r e s t r i k i n g . H i s s o n o r i t y be-
came slightly heavier a n d thicker, a l - subscribing now jack k e r o u a c
t h o u g h he still c o n t i n u e d to eschew boris pasternak
the use o f a v i b r a t o , t h u s m a i n t a i n i n g
an airiness of s o u n d m a d e possible b y
to the lively magazine e. e . c u m m i n g s
this lack of v i b r a t o c o m b i n e d w i t h
the r h y t h m i c i n t e r p l a y o f Y o u n g ' s with the biggest names| William s a r o y a n
r h y t h m with the r h y t h m section. T h i s
anthony c. w e s t
provided a strange contrast taken to-
in modern literature
gether w i t h heavier s o n o r i t y w h i c h alien ginsberg
Y o u n g began to utilize. Y e t it must
be e m p h a s i z e d t h a t the e s s e n t i a l g r e a t - Horace gregory
ness o f t h e w o r k l i e s n o t i n these ele-
ments alone, b u t only taken i n con- arthur adamov
junction with the melodic beauty of
Young's line.
paul g o o d m a n
T h e r e is the s i m i l a r i t y i n f o r m a l and others, plus
outline mentioned above between the T h e E v e r g r e e n G a l l e r y , a n e w i l l u s t r a t e d sec-
tion on contemporary art. Edited b y Barney
two versions, a n d it is very p r o b a b l e R o s s e t a n d D o n a l d A l l e n . $1 p e r c o p y .
that Y o u n g h a d t h e e a r l i e r v e r s i o n
well i n m i n d when he p r o d u c e d the EVERGREEN REVIEW, Dept. JR, M Univiriity PI., N.Y. 3
second. Y o u n g begins the second ver- Please enter my subscription beginning with the cur-
rent volume No. 8 (Send no money; you will be
sion with a brief quotation of the billed later.)

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he d o e s n o t a g a i n r e c u r . O n c e m o r e (Canadian and Foreign subscriptions: Eight Issues,
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the m o s t s t r i k i n g f e a t u r e o f t h e w o r k
is t h e m e l o d i c d e v e l o p m e n t , w h i c h i s Name.
s u r e l y e q u a l to t h e first v e r s i o n i n
b e a u t y , a n d w h i c h i n t h e last e i g h t Address.

b a r s o f t h e first c h o r u s r i s e s to a
City . Z o n e . . . . State.
peak that is c l e a r l y s u p e r i o r to a n y -
t h i n g i n the first v e r s i o n a n d that, to
m y k n o w l e d g e , is not surpassed by
a n y t h i n g else i n Y o u n g ' s recorded
work.
But again it is not just the melodic
elements i n i s o l a t i o n w h i c h m a k e the
greatness of this p e r f o r m a n c e , W e
find s t i l l that t h e r h y t h m i c c o n t r a s t
b e t w e e n Y o u n g a n d t h e r h y t h m sec-
tion is of great importance, plus the
b e a u t y of h i s s o n o r i t y . A n d a w o r d
must be s a i d o f this factor. Y o u n g ' s
sound has i n this record, a n d i n
others of the same p e r i o d , become
even t h i c k e r a n d h e a v i e r , a n d there
is a s l i g h t l y m o r e p e r c e p t i b l e use o f
vibrato. Indeed, i n some works of this
period, although for brief moments
only, Y o u n g almost sounds like B e n in A u g u s t What is a Jazz Singer? by Nesuhi Ertegun.
Webster. Y e t there is still the f u n d a -
mental airiness of sound w h i c h is a A n a r t i c l e on Blind L e m o n J e f f e r s o n b y
constant characteristic of Young's
work.
Paul O l i v e r , R a l p h Berton's story o n t h e
N o r s h o u l d i t b e t h o u g h t t h a t these H a l f N o t e , a n d m o r e C o n v e r s a t i o n s with
works are u n t y p i c a l of Y o u n g ' s pro- J a m e s P. J o h n s o n b y T o m D a v i n . R e c o r d s
duction i n the latter part of h i s c a -
r e v i e w e d include G e n e A m m o n s , Buster
reer. O n e c o u l d c i t e s u c h e q u a l l y effec-
tive r e c o r d i n g s as t h e s p l e n d i d Slow Bailey, C h e t Baker, B u d d J o h n s o n , G e r r y
Motion Blues a n d Stardust. It is most M u l l i g a n , Blue M i t c h e l l , S o n n y Stiff, a n d
u n f a i r t o i g n o r e s u c h f i n e i t e m s as
these s i m p l y f o r t h e l a c k o f s p a d e -
Z o o t Sims. R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N S o f early
work o n the part of critics w h o are Louis A r m s t r o n g r e c o r d i n g s . R e v i e w b o o k s ,
content to a c c e p t c r i t i c a l e r r o r s a n d
T H E B L U E S , a n d N a t H e n t o f f ' s J A Z Z IN
cliches w i t h o u t i n v e s t i g a t i o n .
H . A . Woodfin PRINT.

JULY 31
 REVIEWS: BOOKS
M O N K ' S M U S I C : Thelonius Monk's
Piano Originals, revealing instincts of
The Genius of Jazz. A S R E C O R D E D
O N R I V E R S I D E R E C O R D S . Con-
tents: Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are;
Brilliant Corners; Functional. Charles
C o l i n , 1958.
M o n k w a s one of t h e f e w m o d e r n
p i a n i s t s w h o m a n a g e d to r e a c h m e
as I w a n d e r e d f a c e l e s s l y t h r o u g h the
d i s m a l s w a m p of ' T h e G r e a t N e w
O r l e a n s R e v i v a l s o m e t e n o r fifteen
years ago. I remember that Bill
G r a u e r presented a r a d i o shot over
W N Y C i n 1946 or 1917 w i t h B o b
W i l b e r ' s W i l d c a t s (of w h o m , or w h i c h ,
I was one) a n d a g r o u p headed by
M o n k . I n the c o u r s e o f the b r o a d c a s t
G r a u e r a s k e d M o n k w h a t he t h o u g h t
of the W i l d c a t s . " W e l l , " s a i d M o n k ,
o v e r the a i r , " a t least w e ' r e musi-
cians." H i s remark shook me up,
t h a n k G o d . a n d I o w e to it the i n c r e d -
i b l e s p l e n d o r w h i c h I possess t o d a y
a n d vice versa.
I have included this a u t o b i o g r a p h i -
c a l m a t e r i a l to s h o w t h a t M o n k ' s
m u s i c is n o t n e w a n d s t r a n g e to m e .
I o w n a lot of h i s r e c o r d s , h a v e o f t e n
heard h i m i n person, and have w o r k e d
w i t h quite a few m u s i c i a n s w h o have
w o r k e d w i t h h i m . S o , when I saw this
v o l u m e of Monk's Music i n the m u s i c
shop, I snatched it u p and r a n h o m e
to p l a y i t . B u t I c o u l d n ' t . It d i d n ' t
m a k e a n y sense. I d e c i d e d I l a c k e d the
flat, h o r i z o n t a l h a n d p o s i t i o n w h i c h
G u n t h e r S c h u l l e r s a i d M o n k uses, a n d
I w a s j u s t g e t t i n g r e a d y to s t o m p m y
hand when M a r t i n W i l l i a m s called
u p a n d a s k e d m e to r e v i e w the b o o k .
W e l l s i r , I f o u n d o u t t h a t the
p r i n t e d s c o r e d i d n ' t agree w i t h w h a t
I h e a r d o n the r e c o r d , so I w e n t u p to
the p u b l i s h e r ' s office to c o n f r o n t the
transcriber.
H e s a i d he k n e w , m a n . b u t M o n k
i s , l i k e , so f a r o u t , t h a t he h a d t o
you k n o w m a k e some corrections.
A n d there y o u have it. T h e seventy-
one i n a c c u r a c i e s w h i c h I c o u l d n o t a t e
32
i n t w o h e a r i n g s o n the s c o r e o f Func-
tional are therefore not really i n a c -
c u r a c i e s . T h e y a r e the r e s u l t of m i s -
g u i d e d e d i t i n g a n d carelessness. D o
y o u k n o w a b o u t the s t u d e n t w h o c a m e
to H a r o l d B a u e r w i t h a c a r e f u l l y p r e -
p a r e d r e n d i t i o n of t h e Moonlight
Sonata o n the w h i t e k e y s o n l y ? H e
w a s g o i n g to a d d the b l a c k k e y s l a t e r ,
b e c a u s e s o m e b o d y h a d t o l d h i m the
black keys were for expression.
Brilliant Corners a n d Ba-lue Boli-
var Ba-lues-are have an opening and
c l o s i n g s t a t e m e n t o f the " t u n e , ' ' w i t h
M o n k ' s solo s a n d w i c h e d i n between.
N o i n d i c a t i o n i s g i v e n o f the p r e s e n c e
of a n y o t h e r i n s t r u m e n t s o n the r e c -
o r d , a n d a n y r a r e b i r d w h o o w n s the
m u s i c b u t n o t the r e c o r d w o u l d t h i n k
t h a t he h a d a b o o k r e p r o d u c i n g t h r e e
p i a n o s o l o s , w h i c h i s n o t the case.
Functional i s the o n l y p i a n o s o l o p e r -
f o r m e d . T h e p r i n t e d m e l o d y of Bril-
liant Corners is a misspelled v e r s i o n
o f the a l t o a n d t e n o r l e a d , g i v e n a
r u d i m e n t a r y bass i n o r d e r to m a k e
it a p i a n o p i e c e . I n t h i s f o r m i t a p -
p e a r s n o w h e r e o n the r e c o r d . Ba-lue
Bolivar Ba-lues-are f i n d s the u n i s o n
l e a d r u n i n t o the p i a n o f i l l s , so t h a t
one w o u l d t h i n k t h e m to be one c o n -
t i n u o u s m e l o d i c l i n e . A n d the s e c o n d
c h o r u s of the m u s i c is a r e p e a t of t h i s
shapeless a r t i f a c t , w h e r e a s o n the
s e c o n d c h o r u s o f the r e c o r d M o n k
plays some consecutive sixths and
h a r d l y a n y f i l l - i n s at a l l . I w o u l d h a v e
p r e f e r r e d to sec t h r e e staves, one w i t h
the m e l o d y , a n d the o t h e r t w o w i t h
M o n k ' s actual accompaniment. Func-
tional c o m e s off best, e x c e p t f o r the
seventy-one i n a c c u r a c i e s already m e n -
t i o n e d , a n d e x c e p t f o r the last c h o r u s ,
w h i c h seems to be a n a t t e m p t at c o n -
d e n s a t i o n of t w o of the recorded
c h o r u s e s . T h e final c a d e n c e , w h i c h
dissolves slowly u p w a r d , is l a r g e l y
o m i t t e d . I guess n o b o d y w a n t e d to
waste p a p e r o n a l o t of t i e d w h o l e
notes, a n d b e s i d e s , the p a g i n a t i o n of
t h e b o o k h a s to c o m e o u t even,
doesn't i t ?
T h e q u a l i t y of the t r a n s c r i p t i o n i s
very uneven. S o m e of M o n k ' s most
d i f f i c u l t p a s s a g e s ( s u c h as i n the u p -
t e m p o s e c t i o n o f Brilliant Corners)
s e e m to be n o t a t e d p e r f e c t l y , w h e r e a s
s i m p l e q u a r t e r n o t e s i n a q u i e t sec-
t i o n o f Functional are left out, a n d
m y s t e r i o u s b a s s figures a p p e a r , p e r -
h a p s left o v e r f r o m Play Popular
Piano b y W a l t e r S t u a r t o r East Coast
Jazz Scene b y J a z z b o C o l l i n s . T h e
t r a n s c r i b e r e x p l a i n e d to me that he
w a s n ' t t r y i n g to be c o m p l e t e l y ac-
curate, and this striving for i m p e r -
f e c t i o n i s so w e l l r e a l i z e d t h a t i t
w o u l d be i m p o s s i b l e to l i s t e v e r y e r r o r
( s u c h as t h e e l e v e n m i s t a k e n D - f l a t s
i n the t h i r d b a r o f the t w e l f t h c h o r u s
of Functional). Geminat peccatum
quem delicti non pudet, as I m u r -
m u r e d to m y s e l f at the t i m e .
It's p e r h a p s not w o r t h m e n t i o n i n g ,
b u t the c o v e r p i c t u r e o f M o n k i s h i d -
eous. W h o e v e r r e t o u c h e d i t g a v e h i m
one eye a n d t h o u g h t h i s b e a r d w a s a
double c h i n . H i s name is misspelled
on the title p a g e . T h e c o v e r s a y s t h a t
the s o u r c e r e c o r d i s R i v e r s i d e R L P
1 2 - 2 4 2 ( " M o n k ' s M u s i c " ) ; the s o u r c e
r e c o r d s a r e c o r r e c t l y l i s t e d i n the text
as R L P 1 2 - 2 2 6 a n d R L P 1 2 - 2 3 5 .
Charles C o l i n publishes a great
d e a l of v a l u a b l e m a t e r i a l f o r y o u n g
musicians, rather than for musicolo-
gists. O n e therefore s h o u l d n ' t expect
s u c h v o l u m e s to h a v e s t r i c t a c c u r a c y ,
a n d I w a s n ' t l o o k i n g f o r it w h e n I
c o l l a t e d t h i s m u s i c w i t h the r e c o r d -
ings. But I can't help feeling disap-
p o i n t e d t h a t the m u s i c o f M o n k , w h o
is so i n f l u e n t i a l at the p r e s e n t t i m e ,
c o u l d not have been m o r e c a r e f u l l y
p r e p a r e d . M r . C o l i n has also p u b -
l i s h e d S o n n y R o l l i n s ' Freedom Suite
a n d h a s a B u d P o w e l l a l b u m i n the
w o r k s . I h o p e B u d gets a b e t t e r p r e s -
entation t h a n M o n k d i d . M a y b e they
o u g h t to p u t o u t a b o o k o f R e d G a r -
l a n d s o l o s ; G a r l a n d u s e d to be a
b o x e r , a n d c o u l d see t h a t j u s t i c e w a s
done.
Dick Wellstood
T H E J A Z Z R E V I E W
JAZZ IN PRINT
R a l p h G l e a s o n i n The San Fran-
cisco Chronicle, i n a piece titled
" D o w n Beat H a v i n g A n o t h e r Shake-
U p : " D e s p i t e its i m p o r t a n c e , w h i c h
grew upon i t almost b y accident,
there has s e l d o m been a n y evidence
that the m a g a z i n e itself was edited
o r p u b l i s h e d w i t h a n y sense o f r e -
sponsibility commensurate with the
effect t h a t its s t o r i e s a n d r e v i e w s h a v e
had o n jazz musicians. . . . R a d i o
s t a t i o n s a r e l i c e n s e d b y the F C C t o
o p e r a t e i n the p u b l i c i n t e r e s t . M a g -
a z i n e s l i k e Down Beat, w h i c h h a v e a
s o m e t i m e s v i t a l r o l e i n the l i v e s a n d
careers of i m p o r t a n t A m e r i c a n artists,
h a v e at least the m o r a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y
to o p e r a t e i n the p u b l i c i n t e r e s t . O n e
c a n o n l y h o p e t h a t the i n c o m i n g r e -
gime h a s the d e s i r e a n d will be
allowedto do this."
Time, M a r c h 9, h a s a story o n
R a l p h Gleason i n its press section.
First time, to m y knowledge, a jazz
c r i t i c has received that k i n d o f at-
tention.
T h e F e b r u a r y Jazz ( 3 6 , r u e G e o r g e ,
Marseille) has a n interesting inter-
view w i t h A n d r e H o d e i r and a piece
o n B o r i s V i a n . "C'est B a s i e " says
H o d e i r , "qui a tue la mode du cool."
T h e M a r c h , 1 9 5 9 , Goodchilds Jazz
Bulletin ( 1 7 2 / 4 A r k w r i g h t Street,
N o t t i n g h a m , E n g l a n d ) notes a m o n g
n e w l p a l b u m s : George Lewis Plays
Herbie Mann.
S a m e issue has a v a l u a b l e l i s t i n g
(with critical commentary) of most
of t h e j a z z m a g a z i n e s i n E n g l a n d
w i t h a d d r e s s e s , p r i c e , etc.
JULY
N o w that Pete R u g o l o is w r i t i n g
the " j a z z " b a c k g r o u n d f o r R i c h a r d
Diamond, following Henry Mancini's
w o r k for Peter G u n n , J o h n Cassavetes
w i l l s t a r as J o h n n y S t a c c a t o , a n o t h e r
p r i v a t e eye s e r i e s . O f c o u r s e , t h e r e ' l l
be a j a z z b a c k g r o u n d . T h e C a n d o l i
B r o t h e r s w o u l d be g o o d f o r t h a t o n e .
T h e T r a d i t i o n a l Jazz C l u b of M o n t -
r e a l issues a c l u b b u l l e t i n . P e t e r E v a n s
is C h a i r m a n o f the C l u b , P . O . B o x
1422, Place d ' A r m e s , M o n t r e a l , P . Q .
Bulletin N o . 2 7 quotes f r o m Joe Bat-
ten's Story of Sound Recording (pub-
lisher? ) : " A t this time M a R a i n e y ,
the first o f the g r e a t b l u e s s i n g e r s t o
record and achieve general popular-
i t y , m a d e h e r first r e c o r d f o r a n
A m e r i c a n c o m p a n y . It was a d v e r t i s e d
as e l e c t r i c a l l y r e c o r d e d ; t h i s l e d t o
protests o n the p a r t o f p u r c h a s e r s ,
w h e r e u p o n it t h e n t r a n s p i r e d t h a t the
j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r these w o r d s o n t h e
l a b e l was that w h e n M a R a i n e y h a d
s u n g i n t o the o l d r e c o r d i n g h o r n a n
e l e c t r i c l i g h t h a d been t u r n e d o n i n
the s t u d i o . "
T h e F e b r u a r y 8 San Francisco Sun-
day Chronicle had another special
Record and High Fidelity section,
e q u a l e d i n the n e w s p a p e r f i e l d o n l y
b y The New York Times s u p p l e m e n t s .
R e p r i n t e d i s B o b C o n l e y ' s excellent
a r t i c l e o n the stereo p i o n e e r s , o r i g i -
n a l l y i n the Times.
W i n H o l l a n d submits this quote
f r o m a n article by Douglas Haskell
i n the F e b r u a r y Architectural Forum.
H a s k e l l is w a l k i n g d o w n B r o a d w a y :
" U n d e r the b e w i l d e r i n g p l a y o f l i g h t
by Nat Hentoff
a n d shade and reflection a n d cross-
r e f l e c t i o n , the w h o l e c u b i s t i c p i l e - u p
takes o n a f a s c i n a t i n g a e r i a l q u a l i t y .
M o r e o v e r , as i n m o d e r n j a z z , a n d i n
s o m e k i n d s o f m o d e r n p a i n t i n g , the
p r o c e s s seems to g o o n a n d o n b e i n g
' m a d e u p as i t goes a l o n g , ' a n d t h e r e
is n o s u c h t h i n g as a d e f i n i t e , s t r o n g -
l y w i l l e d final s h a p e , b u t s i m p l y a n
e n d l e s s p l a y w i t h a set o f t h e m e s . . . "
L i k e m a n y experts i n other arts
who try to transassociate. M r . H a s -
kell is out o f his depth. W o r k s the
other w a y r o u n d t o o , often, when
w r i t e r s on j a z z use t e r m s f r o m p a i n t -
ing, classical music, literature, etc.
T h e k n o w l e d g e o f other arts can a l -
ways help an expert i n h i s o w n , but
o n e s h o u l d a l w a y s be s u r e o f h i s t e r m s .
I t ' s t o o b a d S . I . H a y a k a w a i s so
l i m i t e d i n h i s j a z z tastes. A Language
in Action supplement f o r jazz c r i t i -
cism could be valuable. A n y b o d y like
to s t a r t s u b m i t t i n g a series o n s e m a n -
tics i n j a z z c r i t i c i s m ? I d o n ' t m e a n
o n l y p a r o d y , w h i c h i s easy e n o u g h ,
but ideas o n h o w some common
g r o u n d in re t e r m i n o l o g y c a n b e
reached between writers, m u s i c i a n s ,
a n d a u d i e n c e . I f one r e a d s The Score,
for example, it's usually possible to
u n d e r s t a n d the c l a s s i c a l c r i t i c ' s t e r m s ,
w h e t h e r one a g r e e s w i t h h i m o r n o t ,
but most o f jazz m a g a z i n e w r i t i n g ,
w h a t e v e r else i t is a n d i s n ' t , is v a g u e ,
a n d o f t e n s o f u z z y as t o b e w o r t h l e s s .
A record shop near L e n o x A v e n u e
a n d 1 2 5 t h S t r e e t a d v e r t i s e d The Ala-
bama Concerto (Riverside) b y John
Benson Brooks and featuring Cannon-
b a l l A d d e r l e y as " C a n n o n b a l l P l a y s
C l a s s i c a l M u s i c , " notes H o w a r d H a r t .
33
 H o r i z o n P r e s s a n n o u n c e d t h a t The
NEW Encyclopedia of Jazz by
L e o n a r d F e a t h e r w i l l be p u b l i s h e d i n
l a t e 1 9 5 9 . T h i s w i l l be the b i g g e s t
o n e yet. O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s ex-
pects t o p u b l i s h A l b e r t M c C a r t h y ' s
Who's Who, a comprehensive jazz
b i o g r a p h i c a l d i c t i o n a r y , i n 1960.
P a u l N o s s i t e r is g i v i n g a course on
j a z z at t h e B o s t o n C e n t e r f o r A d u l t
E d u c a t i o n . A n d as p a r t of the U n i -
versity of C h i c a g o F i n e A r t s P r o -
g r a m , p i a n i s t E d d i e B a k e r is g i v i n g
an eight-week lecture a n d discussion
series o n j a z z u n t i l M a y 2 1 . I n a
c o l u m n o n the i n t e r c o l l e g i a t e c o m -
p e t i t i o n f o r s c h o l a r s h i p s to the 1 9 5 9
s u m m e r session of T h e S c h o o l of J a z z
i n L e n o x (a c o m p e t i t i o n m a d e pos-
s i b l e b y a g r a n t f r o m the S c h a e f e r
Brewing Company), John McLellan
w r i t e s : " I n i t s u n o b t r u s i v e w a y , the
S c h o o l o f J a z z at L e n o x h a s b e e n
quietly d o i n g what N e w p o r t has been
noisily p r o m i s i n g for a long time."
I n a r e c e n t Jazz in Print, I won-
d e r e d at s o m e o f t h e h y p e r b o l e i n
Bruce Cook's Django Reinhardt arti-
c l e i n HiFi Review. S a y s C o o k : it
was the e d i t i n g . T h e title ( h e a l s o
w r i t e s ) , " M a n H e W a s the G r e a t e s t , "
was not h i s .
T h e M a r c h Jazz-Hot has pieces on
B u c k C l a y t o n and the H o r a c e S i l v e r
Quintet, a m o n g other articles. A n d
one H o p F r o g h a s r e v i v e d Revue de
Presse. I ' m g l a d to see it h a p p e n , b u t
I still miss B o r i s V i a n . W e do appre-
c i a t e a l l that s p a c e f o r Jazz Review
a n d the " p l u s v i v e s f e l i c i t a t i o n s . "
" J a z z Over T o k y o , " by R i c h a r d
G e h m a n i n the M a r c h 14 Saturday
Review: " I m i t a t i o n is still w i d e l y
p r a c t i c e d ; i t ' s the m a i n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c
of J a p a n e s e j a z z . W e e v e n h a d one
singer who called herself Ella
V a u g h a n . H e r real n a m e was K i y o k o
M a r u y a m a . . ." About a rock-a-billy
g r o u p : " . . . they succeed only i n
e m p h a s i z i n g the latent h o m o s e x u a l i t y
that i s e v i d e n t i n the unconscious
p a r o d i e s of g e n u i n e f o l k m u s i c o n
w h i c h the S t a t e s r o c k ' n ' r o l l s t a r s h a v e
built their reputations." A n y com-
m e n t o n that o n e ? S a m e i s s u e h a s
H . A . W o o d f i n on Fats N a v a r r o , and
M a u r i c e F a u l k n e r on L u k a s Foss's
"Non-Jazz Group Improvisation," a
s u b j e c t r e f e r r e d to i n a p r e v i o u s
Jazz in Print.
A c c o r d i n g to The New York Times,
D r . B a r r y U l a n o v has been pro-
moted to associate professor at
B a r n a r d College.
34
T h e M a r c h Jazz monthly h a s B r u c e
K i n g ' s " A R e a s s e s s m e n t of N e w
Orleans Jazz on A m e r i c a n Music-
R e c o r d s " a n d " J o h n n y H o d g e s " by
B u r n e t t J a m e s . A l s o g o o d to see
A l b e r t M c C a r t h y ' s page, Discographi-
cal Forum. H e announces that Cassell
w i l l p u b l i s h h i s Jazz Discography
1958, a l i s t i n g of a l l n e w j a z z r e c o r d -
ings issued i n 1958. M c C a r t h y w o u l d
"welcome data f r o m collectors in
A u s t r a l i a , the A r g e n t i n e , B r a z i l , H o l -
land, J a p a n and N o r w a y concerning
a n y jazz items issued i n those c o u n -
tries d u r i n g 1958. . . . C o l l e c t o r s w h o
can send i n f o r m a t i o n s h o u l d i n c l u d e
personnels, recording dates and
master numbers whenever possible."
Y o u c a n w r i t e M c C a r t h y at Jazz
monthly, St. Austell, Cornwall,
England.
B r i t i s h novelist and critic P h i l l i p
T o y n b e e w r i t e s i n The Sunday Ob-
server, F e b r u a r y 2 2 , o f h e a r i n g a j a z z
g r o u p at a p a r t y g i v e n b y T h e M u -
s e u m of the C i t y o f N e w Y o r k : " . . .
A n d at the e n d the g r e a t P e e - w e e
R u s s e l l , n o w n e a r i n g seventy . . ."
W h a t reference b o o k does T o w n b e e
use, o r d o e s n ' t he b o t h e r w i t h one
w h e n he w r i t e s a b o u t j a z z ?
T o m D a v i n , this magazine's expert
on ticklers I ragtime p i a n i s t s ) , w r i t e s :
" I see b y the p a p e r s t h a t the o l d
p i m p s a n d t i c k l e r s ' styles of f u l l - b a c k ,
flared-skirt clothes are c o m i n g back.
The Men's Fashion Council in L o n -
d o n h a d a s h o w i n g that e x h i b i t e d
flared-skirt coats ( i n r e d ! ) with l i n -
ings of r e d , too, w i t h patterns of foxes
a n d h o u n d s a l l o v e r . T h i s w o u l d be
considered undignified by any stylish
city p i m p 40 years ago."
H o w about a ticklers' fashion festi-
v a l at N e w p o r t ? I n the a f t e r n o o n , of
c o u r s e , f o r the s c h o l a r s .
John McLellan i n the Boston
Traveler on E l l i n g t o n : ". . . D u k e . . .
r u n n i n g t h r o u g h n e w t h e m e s at a n
u p r i g h t i n h i s s u i t e . T e l l i n g a few
f r i e n d ? a b o u t the m o c k i n g b i r d he
heard from his car window. A n d i n -
c o r p o r a t i n g t h i s a u r a l f r a g m e n t of
sound into a new song. O r seeing a
c l o u d o f fireflies o n a s u m m e r n i g h t .
A n d c o m b i n i n g this v i s u a l image w i t h
the s o u n d o f b u l l f r o g s i n a s w a m p
for another new s o u n d . "
A question f r o m P a u l Sampson
a p p a r e n t l y reflects s o m e d o u b t a m o n g
o t h e r r e a d e r s c o n c e r n i n g the p a g e
w i t h two Steve A l l e n a l b u m covers i n
the F e b r u a r y Jazz Review. T h a t p a g e
w a s a n a d f r o m Steve A l l e n , a n d we
appreciate his support.
Composer Ulysses K a y on music
e d u c a t i o n i n R u s s i a , as r e p o r t e d b y
A a r o n E i n f r a n k i n the M a r c h 2 2
San Francisco Sunday Chronicle:
" H e s a i d t h a t the n u c l e u s o f R u s s i a ' s
vast m u s i c p r o g r a m w a s the s e v e n -
year school which musically inclined
c h i l d r e n e n t e r at the age o f s e v e n .
T h e y a t t e n d the r e g u l a r e l e m e n t a r y
s c h o o l as w e l l , g o i n g to the m u s i c
s c h o o l f o r eight h o u r s a week. T h e r e
is no c h a r g e f o r t u i t i o n , a n d M r . K a y
noted t h a t the s c h o o l which the
A m e r i c a n composers visited had an
e n r o l l m e n t of 9 0 0 u n d e r the s u p e r -
v i s i o n of a faculty of 216. H e added
w i t h a little awe that ' i n M o s c o w
a l o n e t h e r e a r e 4 0 o f these s c h o o l s .
. . .' H e s a i d t h a t i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s
the e a r l y t r a i n i n g o f a m u s i c i a n i s
u s u a l l y h a p h a z a r d , d e p e n d i n g o n the
q u a l i t y of p r i v a t e teachers. B u t i n
R u s s i a the p a r e n t s m e r e l y t a k e t h e i r
c h i l d to a s c h o o l f o r a n a p t i t u d e t e s t ;
i f the y o u n g s t e r p r o v e s p r o m i s i n g he
is g i v e n a priceless, w e l l - g r o u n d e d
b a c k g r o u n d i n m u s i c c o m m e n c i n g at
the age o f s e v e n o r e i g h t w h i l e h i s
A m e r i c a n c o u n t e r p a r t is b u s y t a p -
ping simple rhythms on wooden
b l o c k s . A f t e r the s e v e n - y e a r s c h o o l ,
c o m p e t i t i v e e x a m s w e e d o u t the lesser
t a l e n t s w h o e i t h e r g o to w o r k o r f o l -
low some other course of study. T h o s e
w h o pass these t o u g h e x a m s a t t e n d
a musical h i g h school for four years.
O n l y the m o s t g i f t e d c o n t i n u e t h e i r
s t u d i e s at o n e o f R u s s i a ' s 2 2 m a j o r
c o n s e r v a t o r i e s . " D u r i n g h i s last y e a r
at the M o s c o w C o n s e r v a t o r y , " t h e
student must write a m a j o r w o r k a n d
h a v e it s u c c e s s f u l l y performed at
the C o n s e r v a t o r y o r he d o e s n o t
graduate."
T h e F e b r u a r y Musical America,
the l a r g e a n n u a l o m n i b u s i s s u e ( c o v e r
p i c t u r e is of Z i n o F r a n c e s c a t t i ) , h a s
an i m p o r t a n t piece by G u n t h e r S c h u l -
ler c o n c e r n i n g the h i s t o r y " o f c r o s s -
f e r t i l i z a t i o n o n a c o m p o s i t i o n a l as
w e l l as a p e r f o r m e r l e v e l b e t w e e n the
w o r l d s of c l a s s i c a l m u s i c a n d j a z z . "
T i t l e ( n o t S c h u l l e r ' s c h o i c e ) is " I s
Jazz C o m i n g of A g e ? " A n e x p a n d e d
a n d r e v i s e d v e r s i o n o f the a r t i c l e w i l l
a p p e a r i n a f u t u r e i s s u e of The Jazz
Review. D i g the M o d e r n J a z z Q u a r -
tet a d o n p a g e 1 6 7 o f the s a m e i s s u e .
From Jet: "The Coordinating
Council for Negro performers is
l a u n c h i n g a p r o b e into the e m p l o y -
m e n t p o l i c i e s of m a j o r b o o k i n g a g e n -
cies, G e n e r a l A r t i s t s . M C A a n d W i l -
liam M o r r i s , who earn thousands i n
c o m m i s s i o n s f r o m top N e g r o stars,
yet e m p l o y n o s e p i a s e c r e t a r i a l h e l p
i n t h e i r offices."
T H E J A Z Z R E V I E W
 Jazz 2, s e c o n d i s s u e o f R a l p h G l e a - For anyone interested i n folk this
s o n ' s Quarterly of American Music, i s music, a n extremely important book advertisement
worth getting. F i r s t t w o articles a r e has b e e n p u b l i s h e d b y t h e P r i n c e t o n directed
expendable. Duke Ellington's " A U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s The Traditional
to the
R o y a l V i e w o f J a z z " i s as w e i g h t l e s s l y Tunes of the Child Ballads, Vol. 1
c h a r m i n g as h i s p l a t f o r m manner, (502 pp., $ 2 5 ) , b y B e r t r a n d H a r r i s
Discographer-Historian-
Bronson. Alfred Frankenstein has a
Collector
and H e n r y Pleasants' "Jazz and Clas-
s i c a l " i s as u s u a l s p e c t a c u l a r l y c o n - double-page review of the book i n Subscribe
fused. A m o n g the most s o l i d pieces the F e b r u a r y 1 5 San Francisco Sun- to . . .
in the book are Robert Crowley's day Chronicle that i s also a superb
R E C O R D
" B l a c k , B r o w n a n d B e i g e after 1 6 i n t r o d u c t i o n f o r the l a y m a n to the
Y e a r s " ; and D i c k Hadlock's review nature a n d problems o f folk collect- RESEARCH
of t h e J e l l y R o l l M o r t o n L i b r a r y o f i n g . H e also e x p l a i n s a n d c r i t i c i z e s A bi-monthly journalistic endeavor,
now in its 4th year, devoted to sound,
Congress R i v e r s i d e reissues. O f m u c h the d e g e n e r a t i o n o f t h e C h i l d t r a d i -
accurate and interesting research into
value but somewhat d i s a p p o i n t i n g are t i o n t o the p o i n t o f m a k i n g f o l k - s o n g all phases of Musical Americana (Jazz,
Wendell Otey's examination of A n d r e scholarship synonymous with the Vaudevillian, Personality, Folk, Popu-
H o d e i r as c o m p o s e r , a n d L o u i s G o t t - s t u d y o f a n t i q u a r i a n texts, w i t h t h e lar . . . and the largest record auction
in the world, in every issue.)
l i e b ' s r e v i e w o f the B r a n d e i s F e s t i v a l r e s u l t t h a t " t h e h i s t o r y o f the b a l l a d "
A l b u m . O t e y ' s r e v i e w o f the H o d e i r gets t o b e r e g a r d e d as a " c l o s e d
a l b u m s i s f a r a n d a w a y the m o s t l u c i d book." Bronson, b y finding a n d Record Research
a n d d e t a i l e d e x p o s i t i o n yet p r i n t e d i n selecting the tunes that g o w i t h t h e 131 Hart Street
Brooklyn 6, N. Y.
this c o u n t r y of H o d e i r ' s a p p r o a c h to ballads, h a s done m u c h to re-prove
jazz c o m p o s i t i o n . It is, however, ex- that " t h e b a l l a d i s a t h i n g o f e t e r n a l l y Please start my subscription at once.
position m a i n l y , a n d fails to indicate living and proliferating tradition . . . " Here is $3.00 for your introductory offer
s e v e r a l d e b a t a b l e aspects o f s o m e o f a n d that " a s o n g i s s o n g a n d n o t a of 12 issues.

Hodeir's work. Similarly, Gottlieb o n p o e m . " I n s h o r t , he h a s r e - e m p h a s i z e d

Name
Brandeis is i l l u m i n a t i n g but he, t o o , the musical s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h i s field,
f a i l s t o c o p e w i t h t h e fact t h a t n o t which h a d i n the academiesbe-
Address
a l l o f the p i e c e s w e r e s u c c e s s f u l , a n d come almost entirely a l i t e r a r y study.
a couple could well be called failures. The book is handsomely printed; the
City State
E x p o s i t i o n isn't enough. Superior m u s i c a l e x a m p l e s a r e c l e a r ; a n d as
BONUS DIVIDEND!!!
photographs b y Jerry Stoll of the Frankenstein writes, the volume " i s a periodic record bulletin to all sub-
M o n t e r e y scene a r e also a f e a t u r e essentially a study i n the m o r p h o l o g y scribers, in addition to regular sub-
of Jazz 2. of t h e A n g l o - A m e r i c a n b a l l a d t u n e , scription.
but he b u i l d s n o p r o c r u s t e a n b e d s . . .
T h e r e i s n o w a new t o p o g r a p h i c a l This book is not only a masterpiece
approach to jazz " c r i t i c i s m " f r o m a of s c h o l a r s h i p t o b e p l a c e d o n e q u a l
F e b r u a r y 2 5 Variety review of the footing w i t h C h i l d ; i t i s also a mas- O R D E R N O W
Cecil Taylor United Artists album, terpiece of disinterested p u b l i s h i n g to
Hard-Driving Jazz: " . . . the style w h i c h the w o r l d o f f o l k l o r e o w e s a n JAKE TRUSSELL'S
is m o r e s m o o t h s a i l i n g o n c o o l w a t e r s incalculable debt."
than hard-driving over rocking "After Hours P o e t r y "
roads." F r a n c i s N e w t o n i n the M a r c h 12
New Statesman on Lambert-Hend- *****
Jazz Musicale at White House, s a i d ricks-Ross: " T h e y make a superb
the M a r c h 6 Washington Post. I t w a s
Jazz and night life from
c a b a r e t act, a j o y t o t h e m u s i c i a n s
a musicale following the President's who catch a l l their allusions, b u t Mexico to New York City.
state d i n n e r f o r t h e P r e s i d e n t o f E l basically light entertainment." . . . *****
Salvador. Paul Whiteman was com- Good reporting: Russ Wilson's M a r c h
pere, a n d B u d d y W e e d p l a y e d some 15 Oakland Tribune piece o n where
Ask the jazz fan who's
Gershwin. Also, "Victor Herbert's Little Pony c o m e s f r o m . I t s t a r t e d as bought a copy.
music will be sung b yE a r l W r i g h t s o n a riff b l o w n b y S a n F r a n c i s c o altoist
a n d H e l e n a Scott. Included i n their P o n y P o i n d e x t e r that H a r r y E d i s o n
+++++
r e p e r t o i r e w i l l b e s o n g s f r o m The heard a n d later told N e a l H e f t i Written by a jazz disc
Red Mill, Eileen, Dream Girl, Sweet- about. . . .
hearts a n d The Fortune Teller." jockey and former band
A n abridged version of A l a n P . leader who knows what
W h e n a r e they g o i n g to have a M e r r i a m ' s Characteristics of African
show-tune musicale at t h e W h i t e Music is one of many fascinating he's writing about.
House? articles i n V o l u m e X I , 1959, of t h e +++++
Journal of the International Folk
Olivier K e l l e r has a n article o n Music Council. F o rinformation oh Send $1.00 to
blues g u i t a r i s t - s i n g e r R o y G a i n e s i n h o w to s u b s c r i b e , w r i t e the S e c r e t a r y ,
the J a n u a r y Bulletin du Hot Club de I F M C , 3 5 , Princess C o u r t , Queens-
JAKE TRUSSELL
France. . . . A long biographical way, L o n d o n W . 2. Box 951
article o n B i x Beiderbecke b y Jean-
M a r i e G o d i n i n the F e b r u a r y Jazz We a r e interested i n analytical Kingsville, Texas
( P a r i s ) . A l s o a r e p r o d u c t i o n o f that pieces o n B i l l E v a n s a n d A r t F a r m e r . Price Includes Mailing
t w o - p a g e Esquire picture of 5 7 jazz- A n y volunteers? Also o n R o y E l d -
men. W i t h permission? ridge.

JULY 35
St. Louis Cyclone Blues
I was sittin' in my kitchen lookin' out across the sky,
Sittin' in my kitchen lookin' out across the sky,
I thought the world was endin', I started in to cry.
The wind was howlin' the buildings began to fall,
The wind was howlin' the buildings began to fall,
I seen that mean old hoister comin' just like a cannon-ball.
The world was black as midnight, I never heard such a noise before,
The world was black as midnight, I never heard such a noise before,
Like a million lions, when turned loose they all roar.
The people was screamin', runnin' every which-a-way,
The people was screamin', runnin' every which-a-way,
I fell down on my knees a n ' began to pray.
The shack where we was livin' reeled a n ' rocked but never fell.
The shack where we was livin' reeled a n ' rocked but never fell,
How the cyclone started nobody but the Lord can tell.
How the cyclone started nobody but the Lord can tell.
(By Elzadie Robinson. Paramount 12573.
Transcribed by M a x Harrison.)
the Blues
Better Day
Went up on the mountain, looked down in the sea,
Thinkin' 'bout the woman, the one we couldn't agree,
But that's all right, I don't worry, oh, there will be a better day.
O h look-a here, people, I need a break,
G o o d things will come to those who wait,
A n ' that's all right, I don't worry, oh, there will be a better day.
When I had money, I had plenty friends,
Now I don't have a dime, like a road without an end,
A n ' that's all right, I don't worry, oh, there will be a better day.
My burden's so heavy, I can't hardly see,
Seems like everybody is down on me,
A n ' that's all right, I don't worry, oh, there will be a better day.
'Sung by Brownie McGhee, acc. by Sonny Terry, on Folkways FA 2327.
Transcribed by Irwin Hersey)

Fore Day Creep

When you lose your money, don't lose your mind,
When you lose your money, don't lose your mind,
When you lose your good man, please don't mess with mine.
I'm gonna buy me a bulldog to watch my man while I sleep,
I'm gonna buy me a bulldog to watch my man while I sleep;
Men are so doggone crooked, afraid he might make a 'fore day creep.
Girls, I'm gonna tell you this, ain't gonna tell you nothing else,
Girls, I'm gonna tell you this, ain't gonna tell you nothing else,-
Any woman's o fool to think she's got a whole man to herself.
But if you've got a good man and don't want him taken away from you,
Girls, if you've got a good man and don't want him taken away from you,
Don't ever tell your friend woman what your man can do.
Lord, Lord, I'm gettin' up in years,
Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, I'm gettin' up in years,
But mama ain't too old to shift her gears.
I'm a big fat mama, got the meat shakin' on my bones,
I'm a big fat mama, got the meat shakin' on my bones,
And every time I shake some skinny gal loses her home.
(Written and sung by Ida Cox. On Vocalion 05298.
Transcribed by Eric Townley.)

36 THE JAZZ REVIEW

News a n d Views
N e w p o r t a n d Great S o u t h B a y
The great boom i n high fidelity, stereo-
phonic sound, Ips and tapes in A m e r i c a i n
the last decade has not kept the average
jazz listener from having a strong desire
to hear live performances, with the at-
tendant wonders of on-tlie-spot improvisa-
tions a n d , often enough, less than perfect
s o u n d conditions. Since the essence of this
extraordinary music is to he found in the
lively art itself, it is not surprising that the
festivals thai arc devoted exclusively to jazz
are springing up a l l over the country.
George W e i n , the Newport director, will
direct a l least three more festivals next
summer. Crowds of well over twenty thou-
sand come swarming to hear marathon
programs of music, demanding more and
more until the small flours of the morning.
In the following paragraphs we shall go
somewhat behind the scenes of several
festivals and also make a short attempt to
analyze just what is happening and what
I his development has mean! to the world
of jazz.
One of the strangest aspects of this enor-
mous increase in the jazz audiences through
the addition of the festival media is the
fact that it seems to be occurring when the
art itself is in a sort of doldrums. There
is plenty of critical writing, thousands of
records, tons of publicity and more and
more concerts, but the amount of genuinely
creative and stimulating performance, in
other words, the amount of really original
music one hears, is very small. Obviously
there is plenty of good jazz being made,
but somehow it doesn't seem to get re-
corded or get played in jazz festivals.
Perhaps the recording studio and the live
concert before a huge audience in ihe open
air are not indigenous to the music itself.
At any rale, these festivals are in fact
mushrooming, and the quantity of blown
j a z z continues to increase steadily. That
they exist al all testifies to the powerful at-
t r a c t i o n of even adequately performed jazz.
For the rest of this article I shall limit
my comments to Newport and Great South
Bay, not only because that happens to be
the limit of my experience as a spectator,
but also because I have been behind the
JULY
scenes at both, and they are rather different
in their approach to the problem of pre-
senting a festival. They are distinctly
similar, however, in one vitally important
way: their charters are almost identical.
They are organized as nonprofit corpora-
tions dedicated to the benefit of jazz and
jazz musicians. Proceeds such as are ac-
cumulated are to be used for such things
as music scholarships, commissioning new
works from jazz composers, helping in-
digent old-timers, and various special
projects that will further the understand-
ing and enjoyment of jazz. Both charters
particularly emphasize that the founders
believe that jazz is the only truly original
native art form to have been produced in
America.
Programwise, there is a marked con-
trast between the two festivals. Newport,
as the first, biggest and only really national
festival of jazz, has become an all-star
panorama of jazz, with a program of eight
or nine bands and soloists and singers be-
ing a normal concert. Great South Bay, on
the other hand, because of its smaller con-
ception and also because the directors have
preferred it in theory, has never had more
than two or three basic groups on any
given program, preferring to allow the
groups a reasonable amount of time to
show what they have to say. In fact, the
directors have always asked the band lead-
ers how much time they wish to play and
then have honored this request within
reason.
It is obvious that the Newport Festival
of today gives a jazz fan an anthology of
the music with critics' panels i n the morn-
ings, and there is simply no other place
where a person can go and hear such a
comprehensive survey of the jazz scene,
past and present. Great South Bay could
never hope to do this, but instead tries
to select enough representative groups from
all kinds of jazz so that there is a maximum
of contrast and coverage with a minimum
of bands. There are no panels or extra-
curricular activities, just the music itself.
1 believe that there is a place for both
types of festivals, as they really complement
by Francis Thorne
each other. T h e Newport organization was
actually very helpful to the Great South
Bay people when they were organizing,
and many mistakes were avoided because
of this friendliness. O f course, since many
of the things that Newport does were
not deemed right by the South B a y crowd,
it was inevitable that the two became quite
different.
T a k e size and atmosphere, for example.
The large conception and the consequent
demand at the Newport box office has re-
sulted i n the fact that Newport has always
set up its bandstand i n the open air.
Although the sound problems had been
largely solved by 1958, there is still a
vastness and an impersonal quality (when
fifteen thousand people gather together i n
front of an orchestra) that seems to me
to be utterly foreign to most of jazz, and
certainly an inaccurate context for a l l but
perhaps the noisier big bands of such as
Basie, Kenton, and E l l i n g t o n . W h e n one
is part of this sea of humanity, there is a
feeling that one is sitting far away with
the music behind a glass wall and with
the sound electrically transcribed out into
the audience without much personal com-
munication. T h i s was the biggest problem
that Great South B a y tried to cope with,
even though it was obvious that the crowds
would be infinitely smaller.
It was decided to try Great South Bay
with a large circus tent that had a maxi-
mum sealing capacity of two thousand
people. Fortunately, it worked very well i n
many respects. First of a l l , with the band-
stand in the middle of the long side of a
180- x 60-foot rectangle, there was not a
seat that was more than seventy-five feet
from the music. T h i s meant that the sound
carried to all corners of the tent without
the benefit of amplification, except for
soloists, singers, and such soft groups as
the M o d e r n Jazz Quartet (which played
uninterruptedly through a savage thunder-
storm). T h e r e is a feeling of intimate rap-
port between audience and musicians i n
the tent setting, which gives a most warm
and intimate feeling. I felt this spirit par-
ticularly during the above-mentioned storm,
37
friday, Saturday, Sunday
g r e a t p e r f o r m a n c e s

CHICAGO URBAN LEAGUE Saturday Afternoon

BENEFIT PERFORMANCE
2 P.M.

Miles Davis Sextet Duke Ellington Band

Count Basie Band Jimmy Rushing
Joe Williams Oscar Peterson Trio
Dizzy Gillespie Quintet Dukes of Dixieland
Dave Brubeck Quartet Jimmy Giuffre 3
Kai Winding Septet Bobby Darin
Dakota Staton Mort Sahl, Emcee
Mort Sahl, Emcee

k MAGNIFICENTLY STAGED IN THE AIR

Sunday Afternoon
2 P.M.

Count Basie Band Stan Kenton Band Louis Armstrong AH Stars

Joe Williams Four Freshmen Red Nichols
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross June Christy and His 5 Pennies
Ahmad Jamal Trio Sonny Rollins Trio Stan Kenton Band
Jack Teagarden A l l Stars Nina Simone Chris Connor
Don Elliott Austin High Gang J . J . Johnson Quintet
Earl Bostic Sextet David Allen Coleman Hawkins
Mort Sahl, Emcee Mort Sahl, Emcee Mort Sahl, Emcee

Programs Subject To Change

when everyone in the tent seemed to be cert fee. A long-negotiated a n d -promised Rex decided t h a t a r e p e t i t i o n o f t h e first
drawn together. I will never forget a roll and only the p r o m i s e of the lowest c o n - year would be a mistake, but the festival
of thunder which coincided precisely with recording i n I lie first year failed to m a - d i r e c t o r s felt that the b a n d should re-form
Connie Kays drum roll in the M J Q ' s per- terialize because ol an engineers' strike. because o f t h e fact that there was no re-
lormance on the above evening of John Musicians would get o t h e r j o b s a n d f a i l to c o r d i n g o f t h e first r e u n i o n f o r c o m m e r c i a l
Lewis' Cortege. It is not unusual tor a appear at r e h e a r s a l s , personnel was always release. True, there h a d been a Voice of
performer to chat with a member of the changing. Don Redman was originally sup- America tape, but the Musicians Union
audience between numbers, or even ex- posed to direct the band, but he never responded negatively after months and
change a word or two while the music showed u p at a l l b e f o r e t h e c o n c e r t (neither months of effort on the part of myself
is i n p r o g r e s s (something that the v e n e r a b l e did Coleman Hawkins a n d Buster Bailey). and R e x to get t h e m to a l l o w a recording
reedman Garvin Bushell w a s m o v e d to d o Accordingly, some substitutes h a d to b e company to r e l e a s e a couple of l p s .
in t h e m i d d l e of a s o l o with H e x Stewart's r u n g i n . A few m e n s u c h as G a r v i n Bushell. Accordingly, R e x g o t to w o r k anddug
South Bay Seven). Great S o u t h Ba> c r o w d s Paul Webster. I he trumpeter, and Benny up some more Henderson arrangements
are not s o much different trom those a! Morion, the trombonist, were in regular like t h e I) Natural Blues. More important,
Newport, excepl lhat there seems to he a attendance, a n d so there was a nucleus. he wrote a new suite called Georgia
higher percentage of people who come Kven toward I he e n d rehearsals were ter- Sketches which Dick Gary orchestrated,
simply lo hear the m u s i c , while a typical r i b l e , a n d we a l l d e s p a i r e d of ever hearing and titled in memory of the b i r t h state o f
Newport crowd is l a r t o o b i g l o b e a n y - a good performance. A new piece written the late leader. Rehearsals were just as
lliiiig but a c u f i g l o m o r a l ion ol all l\pes. ior the o c c a s i o n by Teo Macero was a inadequately attended t h i s y e a r , a n d a few
One <d the more annoying aspects ol complete s h a m b l e s a n d h a d to b e s i m p l i f i e d . more ringers h a d to b e b r o u g h t in. Buddy
I he most recent Newport lest i v a l w a s I he Il was a p p r o p r i a t e l y called Chaos. Tate came in for B e n W e b s t e r ; Dickie
leeling thai one had heard much o f il b e - Somehow Rex persisted, and got the Wells w a s init of town for several weeks
lore. Il b e c o m e s something o l a ""routine" Henderson arrangements into some sem- before the concert (but made the concert
when each year such Associated Booking blance of order. Perhaps (he m o s t tragic ilsell); Jimmie Crawford had another job,
Corporation artists as Louis Armstrong, aspect was the tact that old-l lenderson- and Mousie Alexander rilled in a d e q u a t e l y ,
Dave Brubeck. Gerry Mulligan, Klla Filz- drummer Waller Johnson didn't drive I he bul w a s not a n o t h e r J i m m y . S o m e h o w . R e x
gerald, Billie Holiday ami Knoll Garner hand ( h e was o n e o f those w h o can no pulled it t o g e t h e r , and considering a l l I he
are hack i n the already overcrowded pro- longer make a living in music, although handicaps that h e h a d to c o p e with (the
grams. A s I have said before, many of [he he is s l i l l a good drummer). R e x h a d to festival was still o p e r a t i n g o n a shoestring),
big names write special material for t h e c a l l in J i m m i e C r a w f o r d of L u nee ford fame, a hearing of the C n i t e d Artists' l p Hender-
occasion, but al Ilie opening conceit in who changed t h e s o u n d a bit w i t h I d s w h i p - son Homecoming, whieh was taped at t h e
1 '>fw I heard Klla Kit/gerald sing exacli) lash afterbeats (which I love w i t h J i m m y I, concert, will verify at least some of the
and the b a n d d i d take o n a n e w lease o n w o n d e r of t h e p e r f o r m a n c e . It i s a l s o com-
I lie same program that I h a d heard the
l i f e . T h i n g s got m o r e gloomy when the bus mendable that the repeat appearance came
previous week in a night club in New
didn't show up lor the baud in N e w Y o r k . off as well a s it d i d a m i w a s n o t a n a n t i -
N oik. and Louis Armstrong devoted most
In l a d . u n t i l t h e y a r r i v e d at t h e l e n t some climax after llie sensation of the p r e v i o u s
o| his aI lolled lime to h i s High Society
two hours l a t e , we a l l h a d n o i d e a whether year. Unfortunately, with the band not b e -
him music (d I h e p r e v i o u s year, a n d other
they would appear at all. Buck C l a y Ion ginning until so late, there were many
o l d e r e h e s l n u l s . J u s t a s a n n o y i n g to m e w a s
a n d J i m m y R u s h i n g d i d a n e x t r a set w h i c h unusable things, including most of the
lo sit ihrough t h e first Great S o u t h Bay
was excellent. Finally, the hand arrived b e a uI i f u I first sect i o n of t he Georgia
concert three weeks later a n d bear the
l t h e b u s h a d a r r i v e d at t h e r e n d e z v o u s just Sketches, b u l the rough vitality of this
Horace Silver Quintet play the same "rou-
as t h e m e n w e r e b e g i n n i n g l o s c a t t e r ) , a n d performance is there, a n d \ believe that
tine I hat 1 hey had done at N e w p o r t . tol -
a l t e r a l o n g i n t e r m i s s i o n f o r g e t t i n g set u p . there is p l e n t y o l real value in the r e c o r d .
lowed by t h e s a m e f r o m the J i m m y Ciuffre
Rex w a s ready lo k i c k off. I s h a l l never It's possible thai t h e first year is better
.'>. Nevertheless, in the C i u f f r e case the
forget the o p e n i n g sounds. They came on left to legend, as s c r u t i n i z i n g an lp can
dillerent quality ol the setting made the
like an explosion. They were preceeded by often remove some of the astonishment of
music sound fresh. In t h e c o s y tent atmos-
an eloquently moving i n t r o d u c t i o n by c o m - the "real thing.'
phere, with very effective blueisb lighting
on the g r o u p , the a u d i e n c e sat in rapl mentator Nat llentoff w h i c h , with the H e n -
Jazz festivals seem to b e here to slay.
silence a n d attention, a n d the g r o u p d e h - derson theme quietly in the background,
Some will fall by the wayside. They will
brought s o m e very legitimate t e a r s to m a n y
II it I\ came across strongly. contribute only i n so far as they t r y to
eye--. T h e musicians themselves were ob-
This cosy feeling has m a d e possible in- have a n intelligent point of view in s t a g i n g .
viously moved. What followed was o n e of
dividual solo appearances ol extraordinary People have a way o f t i r i n g o f g e t t i n g t h e
llie most exciting musical demonstrations
power. Charlie Mingus played, all alone, a same dish over a n d over. L e t us h o p e thai
that I have ever heard or witnessed, both
po w e i i id ly moving m inor blues ca I led Newport does u-e its u n i q u e position ot
o n a n d off t h e s t a n d . S o m e of the perform-
Haitian Fight Song, which was, lo me. s t r e n g t h to c o n t i n u e t h e m a n y special kinds
ances were, as expected, a bit ragged.
more c o m p e l l i n g than quintet performances of projects that they have made the bare
Chaos was a n utter madhouse, even i n its
of llie s a m e thing lhat I have heard. T h e beginnings on. Great South B a y h a s a very
simplified version. Y e t the b a n d played a
alonal pianist Cecil Taylor communicated cloudy future because of b e i n g heavily in
light U rapping it lp a n d King Porter with
strongly playing by him^elt before he debt. I hiless a new s o u r c e of funds can
wonderful solos by C o l e m a n Hawkins, who
brought o n his r h y t h m section. This kind carry it forward until il c a n o p e r a t e on
was the i n d i v i d u a l star of the festival. As
ot presentation helps lo give wonderful its o w n , it a p p e a r s to b e d o o m e d . F o r those
the evening progressed, the band d i d "what
collirasts lo a program, particularly if a thai do c o n t i n u e , a n d perhaps there will
il used lo do years a g o . thai is. develop
big band is i n c l u d e d It is m y u n d e r s t a n d - be s o m e that we h a v e not h e a r d of as yet,
riffs a n d m a k e u p a r r a n g e m e n t o n t h e s p o t .
ing that the K r e n c h Lick Festival solved they should last so long as t h e p r i m a r y
The up-tempo one done o n Nagasaki w a s
I he a I m o s p h e r e - c o m m u n ica I ion problem by objectives is t h e m u s i c itself. Where the
unbelievable.
erecting a tent over a portion of the a u d i - driving incentive is m o n e y , o r the ego of
ence area. I believe that Newport could a promoter or "prestige for jazz." 1 can
Gerry Mulligan w a s so excited as h e
improve their presentation immeasurably hardly visualize a healthy future. Where
s t o o d off s t a g e t h a i , a f t e r a b o u t ten minutes
were they to d o t h i s . C e r t a i n l y , t h e s m a l l e r the a p p e a r a n c e of s u c h g r o u p s a s t h e F a r m -
el b u i l d i n g tension, he came on stage a n d
and more subtle groups would come across ingdale High School Band a n d the S o u t h
blew some tremendous choruses. As the
heller, a n d the a u d i e n c e that was inside Huntington I ligh School Band can be
performance became almost unbearable, it
the tent would certainly be less restless. effected, jazz will be st i i n u l a l e d . Where
suddenly ended, a n d the e n l i r e audience,
new works will be c o m m i s s i o n e d andold
The South Bay problem of restlessness as one person, rose to its feet (literally
bauds are re-formed, there will be life a n d
stems from ( h e b a r that has been set u p jumped) with a roar of a volcano. 1 realize
vitality. W h e r e new artists c a n m a k e them-
near the rear of the tent. This was done thai I have resorted to t h e most purple
selves properly heard, a n d forgotten men
for reasons of financial r e w a r d , a n d is u n - prose to d e s c r i b e this scene. I find that
can find that they a r e still appreciated,
likely to be repeated. it is t h e o n l y w a y that I can manage to
the music will have the ring of truth.
The thing that has been most closely write about it. R e x wisely came back after
identified with Creat South Bay is t h e this with a c o u p l e of Henderson standards, Let us h o p e lhat the jazz festivals in
Fletcher Henderson Heunion Band under and llie concert came full circle as the America gain a further awareness of the
Hex Stewart's d i r e c t i o n . T i n - - task involved tribute to H e n d e r s o n that it w a s m e a n t to circumstances under which jazz c a n best
fantastic difficulties, and the persistence be. There were two other wonderfully lake form. L e t it not be lorgotlen that
and the c o i n a g e of M r . Stewart in this ven- nostalgic events, both beautifully played. m u c h o f this m u s i c is s i m p l e a n d h e a r t f e l t ,
ture is w o r t h y of the greatest admiration. Busier Bailey d i d his o l d specialty Memphis and that a n artist is a s e n s i t i v e s o u l , not
(Hues w i t h h i s w o n d e r f u l q u a v e r s a n d t r i l l s , to be s o l d in the market place. Jazz has
As the f e s t i v a l was a n d has always been
and Don Redman sang his perennial Gee, found a new m e d i u m ; let us h o p e that it
operated on a " s h o e s t r i n g . " il w a s neces-
sary to h a v e many rehearsals without p a y .
Bab), Ain't I Good To You. has also found a friend.

40 T H E J A Z Z R E V I E W
W a s h i n g t o n J a z z
A n unusual charity show, called Wash-
ington Jazz Jubilee, was held in the na-
tion's capital on M a r c h 16. Some of the jazz
was excellent; some was pedestrian; some
worse than that, i n any event, the music
wasn't the real story of this black-tie affair
originated by an energetic jazz enthusiast
who also happens to be a congressman's
wife. T h e thing that made this jazz concert
atypical was that it was attended, in the
main, by people who not only didn't like
jazz but didn't even think they d i d .
But the obvious, a wisecrask-type report
of the Jubilee, would be unfair and in-
accurate. A s jazz concerts go, it wasn't bad.
and the very fact that such a show could be
arranged in the first place is in itself a
tribute to all who worked so hard to make
the thing a success.
Of course the socialites mumbled while
there was exciting music to be heard. Of
course there was a woman at the next table
who had never, never seen anything like
Pee Wee Russell's countenance as it is
knotted up when he plays the clarinet. Of
course there was a man at another nex!
table complaining, " B u t jazz is art and this
is only a show!''
A packed bouse of more than 1,500 peo-
ple attended. T h e Jubilee was a smashing
financial success, netting over $10,000 for
the charity, which was Friendship House, a
settlement house in the Capitol H i l l area
of Washington. Tickets cost ten dollars..
T h e show opened impressively. A blue
spot caught B u c k Clayton, on a b a l c o n y
playing the blues unaccompanied as onh
an expert can. V i c Dickenson joined in. a
few moments later, on the opposite balcony
T h i s was good stuff, designed to capture the
attention of the chattering crowd. But most
of the people couldn't care less. They didn't
know B u c k Clayton or V i c Dickenson from
Moe and Joe, and they didn't listen. Pee
Wee Russell and others continued the blues
on stage.
T h e n a voice, familiar to JNewport Jazz
Festival spectators, came on from some-
where: '"Jazz is so young, only fifty or sixty
years old. that we lack perspective yet. We
know the blues were an essential jazz ele-
ment, and the music of the church was
part of it. But when did the elements first
come together to produce the first music we
can agree to call jazz?''
T h u s began a basic jazz-history lesson b\
W i l l i s Conover, Voice of A m e r i c a jazz com-
mentator, which was designed to tie the
show together into something educational
as well as something entertaining. T h e
Jubilee had been subtitled, somewhat pre-
tentiously and inaccurately. " A History of
Jazz from Congo Square to Carnegie H a l l . "
(Why must jazz feel so proud of making
Carnegie H a l l ? )
W i l l i s , offstage, introduced P a u l Bar-
barin, the fifty-eight-year-old drummer who
played with K i n g Oliver, Sidney Bechet,
and Louis Armstrong when jazz was young
and happily unpretentious.
And so, with no mention of Congo
Square as indicated by the title, the jazz-
history lesson continued with comments on
the Original Dixieland Jazz B a n d . Louis
J U L Y
J u b i l e e
Armstrong, the Wolverines, Duke E l l i n g t o n ,
accompanied by musical illustrations of the
text. T h e n came the man who really put
this Jazz Jubilee on the road, W i l l i e (The
L i o n ) Smith. The L i o n charmed the people
into rapt attention; he gassed the seemingly
ungassable.
The L i o n was introduced by Conover,
now on stage, this way: " D u k e Ellington
always will admire a pretty g i r l ; his music
so testifies. But the only time I ever saw
Duke Ellington's face light up with any-
thing like adoration was once at Carnegie
H a l l in New York. 1 was standing back-
stage in the wings. T h e orchestra had
played a number, and Ellington was pre-
paring to introduce another when suddenly
his eye caught a movement in the wings.
He looked past me, his expression changed
to, well, to a little boy's expression at first
facing Santa Clans. He walked off the stage
and grasped the hand of the man he'd
seen: W i l l i e (The L i o n ) S m i t h . " E x p l a i n -
ing how W i l l i e The L i o n had been a major
figure at H a r l e m rent parties "where
youngsters like F"ats and Duke would listen
starry-eyed and leave inspired to become
big men, too.'' Conover introduced W i l l i e
The L i o n as one who "addresses the piano
with all the grandeur befitting the bearer
of the name W'illiam Henry Joseph Berthol
Bonaparte Bertholoff."
T h e n Willie proceeded to wow 'em. In
red vest, derby, and munching a fat cigar,
he told the fascinated audience that the
" i d o l of Ellington's y o u t h " idea was all
wrong and that lie and Duke were the same
age, which is Irue enough (Willie is sixty.
Duke is fifty-nine), and that "anyway, I
always say that men are as young as they
Icel and according to what k i n d of wife or
lady friend they have." T h e n with the
crowd in his hand, T h e L i o n praised Wash-
ington as " a most inspiring c i t y . " praised
the "ladies running the p r o g r a m . " and
praised drummer Jo Jones who was waiting
to accompany Willie. Following a pause,
and timed perfectly, he then barked " S o
lei's let the piano t a l k ! " A n d talk it d i d .
as T h e L i o n wrapped up his lilting Echoes
oj Spring in inimitable fashion. T h i s re-
ceived respectful silence and a thunderous
ovation. After a few other jovial remarks.
W i l l i e followed with Contrary Motion, dem-
onstrating on the first chorus that Erroll
Garner wasn't the first to employ a four-
beat rhythm, guitar-like left hand, and
then proving, perhaps even to the handful
of hippies in the audience, that stride piano
is far from dead. G r i n n i n g Jo Jones
chipped in with a solo, demonstratingas
he has so many limesthat a drum solo
need not be noisy and dull.
After that, the jazz-history lesson was left
pretty much in midstream (not in main-
stream because there was no Kansas City
jazz, no swing era mentioned). Introduc-
tions were shorter, and this was just as
well because it was getting late and there
were a good many performers to get on.
Perhaps the whole thing might have gone
over better if there had been no attempt
to cram even a tiny basic jazz-history
lesson down the throats of the uninitiated.
by Tom Scanlon
But this is hindsight.
A big band of all-stars (mostly swing-era
veterans but including modern altoist P h i l
Woods) led by D i c k C a r y , musical director
for the Jubilee, played several Cary ar-
rangements capably, but its music was only
occasionally exciting.
T h e Newport Y o u t h B a n d (ages fourteen-
seventeen), led by a prancing Marshall
Brown, played well, considering their lack
of experience, though perhaps with too
little concern for dynamics (everything was
L O U D ) . T h e Y o u t h B a n d also gave the
show one of its finest moments, a trumpet
solo by A l a n Reuben, sixteen, on She's
Funny That Way. Reuben displayed a
BraflTike fat tone and received a well-
deserved very large hand. T h e Youth Band
also featured two "let's see how many
notes we can play per second" alto sax
players in a duet which would probably
impress all easily impressed hippies. Both
youngsters did what they did well, but 1
question whether it was worth doing. They
sounded very much alike, as is perhaps
discouragingly typical of so many young
musicians in this " g o l d e n age" of jazz.
Ernestine Anderson sang well and re-
ceived the crowd's attention. She came over
best when she was not sounding like Sarah
Vaughan, I thought. H e r Honeysuckle Rose
brought a grin to the face of hard-working
pianist Ray Bryant and easily cut her
Sarahesque Time After Time.
P h i l Woods and F r a n k Rehak teamed up
for a lengthy " m o d e r n " set that pleased a
tiny minority and sent innumerable social-
ites scrambling for the exit. It also failed to
excite at least one member of the press.
The entire show was recorded by Mer-
cury in stereo, and this undoubtedly ham-
pered the music somewhat. T h e rhythm
section was far apart and a good distance
from the rest of the band. T h e rhythm
section seldom functioned as a unit (I don't
think the men in the section could hear one
another well enough). D u r i n g the program
Conover announced that " M e r c u r y is donat-
ing performers' royalties to Friendship
House [the charity] and perhaps we should
applaud them and also buy an album when
it conies out." T h i s is puzzling logic, some-
how, but no matter.
T h e most boring part of the show, to
this viewer, was the seemingly interminable
set by Toshiko A k i y o s h i . Her piano playing
was imitative and routine at best.
The most exciting music of the night, in
many ways, was the final selection, a blues
at medium tempo by Cary's all-star pickup
band. Ray Bryant got the thing romping
in fine style, demonstrating an excellent
left hand, and everyone soloed well. It was
called Jazz for Friendship and it was excel-
lent jazz music. B u d d y Tate's staccato but
intensely swinging and flowing tenor saxo-
phone solo was superb.
After the show, a party was held honor-
ing Congressman and M r s . R i c h a r d Boiling
by M r . and M r s . Leonard M a r k s . M r s . B o i -
ling originated the idea of the Jazz Jubilee
and was the general chairman. M r s . Marks
was her assistant chairman. M r s . Boiling
says she'll do it again next year.
41
 The SPRING issue LETTERS
(Continued iron: Page 3)
of DISSENT features:
destroyed another favorite of mine in those
days, W i l l Hudson & Eddie DeLange's De-
A Discussion on Witt ('linton High band from which only
The American School: Gus Bivona survives as an active player.
As neither a musician nor critic, it is
E d u c a t i o n for a D e m o c r a t i c C u l t u r e difficult for me to describe the effect that
by MICHAEL WALZER Lester's music had on me. 1 can only say
that his arrival with a I ISO troupe at an
Issues a n d G o a l s i n the Debate o n A i r Force base in Sheppard Field, Texas,
Education while I was there was probably the high
of the war for me, and that contemplates
by MELVIN TUMIN
both armistices. Lester was working with a
Hue group of Negro musicians, including
a/so, A l Sears, who has since defected to the
B & R camp, and when he stepped out in
The Second Industrial Revolution and front with his pork-pie hat and dark glasses
the W e s t e r n W o r l d (no U S O monkey suit for h i m ) , he blew
the crackers, the hayseeds, and even we
by FRITZ STERNBERG studiedly casual easterners right out of our
30 Y e a r s of Soviet I n d u s t r i a l i z a t i o n seat. It was only on* of many memorable
1
nights that Lester gave me, but it is one
by GREGORY GROSSMAN
I remember best.
What I am trying to communicate with
and,
all this is that 1 (apart from so many fans,
A C o n t r o v e r s y over C . W r i g h t M i l l s ' critics and even musicians who so proudly
point to their Minton lineage) made it with
Book on W a r Lester troin the time I heard his first solo.
by I R V I N G H O W E a n d A . J . M U S T E I might have tumbled''sooner had not his
pungent lone been so well hidden in the
E a r l Warren, llersohel Evans, Buddy Tate
Reviews Letters Miscellany sax sections so that 1 didn't pick it up
on records until I'd heard him blow on the
Special: Bertold Brecht's Last Poem scene. As I learned later from Lester him-
self when I met him (much too late),
750 a copy $3.00 per year
criticism of his delicate tone and his predi-
lection for honks, which to him were a
D I S S E N T Dept. 0-41 normal part of his improvisational pattern,
were the first chinks in the pitiful armor
509 Fifth A v e n u e , N e w Y o r k City 17 that lliis sensitive man attempted to ereel
around himself.
When I came out of service early in
JAZZ PHOTOGRAPHS
1946, I was caught up in the desperation
of the times, the problems of a new family
From an extensive and unique and its responsibilities, and music and
records seemed somehow remote and un-
private collection, featuring pix important. Around 1949 I began to nose
around again. M u c h to my surprise and
delight, I found that I could tune the
of the famous and obscure in radio dial and pick up Lester everywhere
I turned, only he now had adopted the
name of Stan Getz, or P a u l Quinichetto.
jazz history. An interesting addi-
or even at times, Illinois Jacquet. I would
hear trumpet players using his phrasing,
tion to any record collection, the indescribably imaginative attack that
was Lester's alone. 1 said to myself, this
man must be a titan indeed. Everyone is
trad, or modern. Sweet band
using his stuff. H e must be so wealthy that
he probably employs a small boy just to
pix too. answer his agent's phone calls. I was
shocked, of course, to learn that Lester
wasn't working too much. O h , of course,
Examples: Dink Johnson, Chas.
good old Norman put him on tour with his
circus every now and then, but Lester
Creath, BG 1938, Waller, Bunny didn't have any steady work, he just
wasn't in demand.
with TD, several Oliver bands, Here was irony condensed to its bitterest
element. T h e man that a l l musicians of the
time were borrowing from was the only
C. Christian, early Basie and
one who was not m a k i n g out. F r o m then
on, T d u g Lester whenever 1 could reach
Moten, Oliver Cobb (100s more). him. ft was obvious that much was wrong.
T h e , horn was down, no longer cocked up
at that proud angle. T h e eyes were d u l l ,
- I am using a minor error in your Jazz
Old customers: greatly enlarged the demeanor beaten. T h e fabulous musi-
cianship showed only i n flashes, and there
list now available. Send stamp was even an occasional reed-click which i n
the opinion of the old Lester and his u n -
flagging control of his horn, would have
for free list to been unforgivable, ft was then, finally, that
1 learned he was trying to drink a l l the gin
Duncan P. Schiedt available and had options on some of the
2534 E. 68th St. juniper berries that hadn't yet been
Indianapolis, Indiana squashed.
42
W e l l , if you've stuck with me this long,
you're probably saying, " W h a t the hell is
the point of all t h i s ? " There isn't any
really, except that it is my incontrovertible
conviction that Lester Y o u n g would be
alive today if it weren't for the fact that
his own tong put him down. Lester, with
his complete lack of guile, his failure to
understand why his community of profes-
sion with other musicians d i d not protect
him against their petty jealousies, which
were even vicious enough to label (or
libel) him a homosexual because his fey
sense of the humorous led him down some
rather devious paths, was completely u n -
equipped to face a world which denied
him the opportunity to do the thing he
did belter than anyone else, blow a tenor
sax. In the context of Lester's personality,
his almost childlike lack of defenses led
him to the most obvious solution of his
problems gin.
Even one so blinded as f by my love
of Lester's music and my affection for a
man I knew on an extremely limited basis
(a few extended barside conversations) will
admit that Lester had his own inherent
shortcomings and that his fate in essence
was one of his own creation, since a l l men
have free will. T o me, this is an over-
simplication of the story of Lester Y o u n g .
Sure he sinned, b u l so d i d we, so d i d the
world, by letting this talent slip away.
It is perhaps unfortunate that we expect
so much more from our idols than they are
in most cases capable of delivering, f n
Lester's case, all he had to contribute was
his music. Evidently this was not enough.
T o me, Lester's fate represents the terribly
cannibalistic posture of jazz today. T h e
musicians with whom I have discussed
Lester during the past year have taken a
universally hands-off attitude. Whatever at-
tempts were made to reunite h i m and his
family and return h i m to some semblance
of normal living were made by people who
were not musicians. Although it may be a
manifestation of a negative tribute to his
memory, during the three evenings I have
listened to live jazz performed since his
death last Sunday, not once have 1 heard
his name mentioned in a dedication, a l -
though I have heard many of his numbers
played and most of his trade-marks used
in improvisations.
T h e most tragi-comic aspect of the whole
thing is that a number of " m e m o r i a l " al-
bums are in the works which w i l l no doubt
enrich their producers and, we hope, keep
Lester's family, particularly his fine young
son, in eating money for a while.
While awaiting the start of the funeral,
with the sidewalk filled with m i l l i n g citi-
zens (the whole street should have been
filled) 1 was approached by a solid-looking
gentlemen who asked me about the gather-
ing and the presence of cameramen. I told
him, " L e s t e r Y o u n g is d e a d . "
"Who's h e ? " the guy said.
T h e story of Lester's life.
Al Fisher, Wantagh, N. Y.
First off, congrais for a magazine that
caters to more than the modern-only fans.
Quiz i n the F e b . issue as a springboard. . .
In your C h u - B e r r y C o u n t - B a s i c answer
you perpetuate a mistake in Delaunay.
Oh Lady Be Good was also done by the
big band a n d should not be grouped with
You Can Depend on Me. T h e former has
solos by both C h u (at the top of his form)
and Lester (not at his p e a k ) . . .
Bob Tharalson, T h e R e c o r d Center
Billings, M o n t a n a
THE JAZZ REVIEW
C o m i n g Issues of the Jazz Review Feature

Ellington's Black Brown and Beige b y G u n t h -

er Schuller

Quincy Jones: Building a b i g b a n d .

A r t T a t u m b y Dick K a t z

Chet Baker b y R o y E l d r i d g e

Jazz Books in America b y S h e l d o n M e y e r

The State of Dixieland b y Dick H a d l o c k

Ella Fitzgerald b y Bill Russo

Billie Holiday b y H . A . W o o d f i n

W o o d i e Herman b y M a x H a r r i s o n

Inner and Outer Jazz b y S i d n e y Finkelstein

The Jazz Dance b y R o g e r Pryor D o d g e

The Mouldy Academicians b y C h a r l e s A l v a

Hoyt

Wilbur W a r e b y Bill C r o w

And two new departments:

Introductions: portraits o f y o u n g musicians

b e g i n n i n g with Steve Lacey

A News s e c t i o n on jazz events all o v e r t h e

country.

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 R I V E R S I D E
continues to mean great albums by top jazz

names and by exciting new stars y o u ' l l want to discover for yourself.

A n d most new Riverside L P s are available in both brilliant

monaural H i - F i a n d the d y n a m i c

full sweep of STEREO.

THELONIOUS MONK
Orchestra
The most sensational new
Blue Spring:
sound of the year. First
KENNY DORHAM Septet
big-band versions of Monk's
Swinging, joyous tunes that
inimitable music, recorded
spotlight the writing and
at the Town Hall concert.
'blowing' talents of top
(RLP 12-300;
trumpet star Dorham. With also Stereo LP 1138)
Cannonball Adderley.
(RLP 12-297;
also Stereo LP 1139)

Top and Bottom Brass:

CLARK TERRY

A wonderfully warm, happy

Things Are Getting Better: and witty LP featuring the
CANNONBALL ADDERLEY remarkable blend of Terry's
With Milt Jackson, Blokey, trumpet (& fieugelhorn) with
etc. A truly soul-stirring Butterfield's swinging tuba.
album as more and (RLP 12-295;
more jazz fans are also Stereo LP 1137)
learning every day.
(RLP 12-286;
also Stereo LP Pi 28)

The Unique
THELONIOUS MONK
A great trio album (with
Blakey, Pettiford) now
strikingly repackaged to
commemorate the fact that
Monk means "the stamp of
authority" in jazz.
(RLP 12-209)

Have you heard: NEW BLUE H O R N S a great collection of previously unissued blues
by trumpet stars C H E T BAKER, KENNY DORHAM, NAT ADDERLEY,
CLARK TERRY, BLUE MITCHELL. ( R L P 12-294; also Stereo L P 1132)

i
P