BULLETIN NR 3, AUGUSTI 2018, ÅRGÅNG 26

Rolf Ericson A Swedish Ellingtonian

I detta nummer – In this issue

Ledare m.m. 2 Brooks Kerr in memoriam 3 The career of 4 Rolf Ericson interview 9 Roffe Ericson siktar på USA 14 -konferens 15 Nya skivor 17 Trumpet in Spades 18 Några intressanta skivor 19 Kallelse 20

Foto: Lars Westin 3-2018 Vet vi nu vart vi är på väg?

I min förra ledare ställde jag frågan ”Vart Flera förslag har inkommit via brev och hållning åtminstone vid varje årsmöte. är vi på väg?” och inbjöd samtidigt till mejl och vi skall försöka ta till oss många Vårt nästa medlemsmöte den 17 sep- en diskussion om hur vi skall få fler av dessa förslag i den mån vi kan. tember kommer således inte att bjuda på medlemmar att komma till våra med- En viktig detalj som också nämndes levande musik, men jag vill påstå att vi lemsmöten. Den diskussion som vi hade är frågan hur vi marknadsför oss och kommer att bjuda på ett mycket intres- vid senaste medlemsmötet var livlig våra medlemsmöten. Att bara annonsera sant föredrag. Även om vi är ett Elling- och många framförde sina synpunkter. i vår egen Bulletin och ett mejl med en tonsällskap är vi ju alla ändå intresserade Mycket av diskussionen kretsade kring påminnelse är inte tillräckligt. Vi måste av i största allmänhet och rakt inte lokalfrågan. Många tyckte att Franska hitta vägar för att göra våra samman- främmande för att lyssna på annan mu- Skolans lokal var trist, medan några me- komster kända för en större publik. Vissa sik och fördjupa oss i dess utövare. Till nade att den var helt acceptabel. Man förslag härom framfördes och vi kom- mötet har vi inbjudit en internationellt måste i sammanhanget konstatera att mer att följa upp dessa. uppmärksammad författare, Bo Lind- man får vad man betalar för. Trots sin Entréavgiftens storlek var också fö- ström, som kommer att berätta om den spartanska karaktär har lokalen vissa remål för diskussion. Vi har tidigare de- forskning han lagt ner för att skriva sina fördelar; den är centralt belägen, den biterat 200:- när vi haft levande musik. böcker om trumpetaren Tommy Ladnier är billig, akustiken är superb och vi har Musiker kräver ett gage och vi har tving- och den något obskyre trombonisten Ge- tillgång till en utmärkt flygel. Förslag ats konstatera att kvällar med dålig an- orge Brashear. Själv ser jag fram emot framfördes om alternativa lokaler och slutning har inneburit en icke oväsentlig hans kåseri med stort intresse och jag vi kommer att undersöka vissa av dessa, förlust för föreningen. Många menade önskar er alla välkomna. men vi kommer i varje fall att använda att en entréavgift om 100:- och ett möte oss av nuvarande lokal året ut. Vi har utan musik men endast, som just denna själva diskuterat om vi skulle få fler be- kväll, med ett bra kåseri och filmvisning sökare om vi lade våra möten mitt på är idealiskt. Vi kommer därför att fort- dagen, men Franska Skolan kan endast sätta på denna inslagna väg, men tanken ställa lokalen till förfogande på kvällstid. är att vi skall bjuda på musikalisk under- Leif Jönsson, ordförande i DESS

Musikmöte med prat och frågetecken

Ellingtonsällskapets verksamhet, men för alla er, som inte har denna möjlighet, Duke´s Place följer här lite fler detaljer: Förutom alla fakta om Lawrence, som levde mellan 1907 och 1988 och till- Så var det alltså dags för vårterminens bringade 29 av sina levnadsår hos Elling- sista medlemsmöte den 7 maj. Men var ton, spelade Thomas upp en representa- någonstans fanns medlemmarna? Den tiv följd av trombonistens musikaliska frågan var alltså mötets första punkt. Om avtryck i historien. diskussionen och vad som eventuellt Listan av musik inleddes med I’m a skall komma har vår ordförande ägnat Ding Dong Daddy, 21 juli 1930, då Brown större delen av sin krönika idag. medverkade i husbandet på Sebastians Som kvällens andra punkt ställde vår New Cotton Club i Culver City, Kalifor- mångårige medlem och musikspecialist nien. Bandet backade upp Louis Arm- Thomas Eriksson från Uppsala upp med strong på bl a denna inspelning. Sedan en kärleksfull och fullständig beskriv- följde i löpande ordning: The Sheik Of ning i ord och ton om Ellingtontrombo- Araby (1932) med Ellingtons Orkester och nisten Lawrence Brown. För de som har sedan Yearning for Love (1936), Jitterbug’s datorer och internet är det lätt att följa Thomas Eriksson. Lullaby (1938), Little Posey (1939), Blue

2 Light (1938), Serenade To Sweden (1939), All To Soon (1940), Golden Cress (1947), Brooks Kerr in memoriam Creole Blues (1960) och slutligen Feed The Birds (1964). började Kerr fördjupa sig i Ellingtons Melodierna speglade Lawrence mu- musik och i slutet av Ellingtons karriär sikaliska utveckling och hans olika rol- hade han mycket kontakt med denne. ler i den Ellingtonska gemenskapen. Väl Ellington omnämner Kerr i sin MIMM valda musikstycken och väl presenterat med mycket uppskattande ord. Kerr som vanligt av Thomas Eriksson. deltog i flera Ellingtonkonferenser på Slutligen var det dags för Anders 1980-talet och han blev ofta konsulte- Asplunds filmkrönika. Det är märkligt rad av olika Ellingtonforskare för sina vad denne fingerfärdige entusiast kan insikter om Ellingtons musikaliska hitta på nätet! Det är lika spännande verk. och roligt varje gång han får program- Brooks Kerr studerade för Wille plats under medlemsmötena. Kvällens ”The Lion” Smith, vilket framgår med program bestod av Ellingtons Symphony tydlighet i hans sätt att traktera tang- In Swing, On A Turquoise Cloud, Kay Da- enterna. Hans spelstil var klart influ- vies, sång (1949), Frankie & Johnny (1964). Den blinde pianisten Brooks Kerr gick erad av stride. Under 1970-talet var Woody Hermans orkester spelade That’s bort den 21 april 2018 i en ålder av 67 Kerr engagerad på en klubb i New Where It Is med Nat Pierce, (1952). år. York, där han uppträdde tillsammans Därefter Ellington och Caravan från Sna- Han var känd för oss alla för sina med framför allt och der Telescriptions (1952) samt Jimmie stora kunskaper om Duke Ellington, men även med Ray Lunceford med Rhythm Is Our Business hans produktion och karriär. T.o.m. Nance. Han har producerat ett an- (1936), en Vitaphoneinspelning. Och som Ellington själv refererade till Kerr som tal LP, bl.a. en tillsammans med Paul final en inspelning från ett av Count Ba- den som visste mer om hans musik än Quinichette. sies besök i Sverige. han själv. Redan i mycket tidig ålder Bo Haufman Thomas Harne

Nya CD-skivor och bok på gång?

lertid säger organisationen sig ha mate- and Music of . Den beräk- rial från Duke Ellingtons framträdande nas bli publicerad under 2019 av Oxford i Meadowbrook Gardens Café i Culver University Press. Likaledes något att se City den 24 september 1947. Vi ser med fram emot. stort intresse fram emot att få ta del av Anders Asplund denna CD. På nätet har man även kunnat no- tera att på skivmärket ”Sounds of Yes- ter Year” har utgivits en dubbel-CD Nya betitlad Duke Ellington Live At Ciro’s medlemmar DESS blev i maj kontaktad av en orga- Los Angeles 1947 och på ett skivmärke DESS hälsar våra nya nisation i Holland, som kallar sig Dutch som kallar sig ”Kipepo Publishing” har medlemmar välkomna i vår Doctor Jazz Foundation, som leds av utgivits en CD kallad Duke at Town Ca- illustra förening: Ben Kragting. Anledningen till kon- sino, Cleveland, 1952. Materialet på båda takten var att organisationen har för utgåvorna verkar vara nytt och vi åter- Lennart Johansson, Varberg avsikt att ge ut en CD med huvudsak- kommer till dessa i vårt nästa nummer John Richmond, Cleveland Heights, ligen outgivet Ellingtonmaterial. Doctor av Bulletinen. USA Jazz påstod sig ha acetat från Ellingtons konsert i Kungliga Tennishallen i Stock- Ny biografi om Hodges holm den 4 november 1958, men det I ett inlägg på nätet i ”Duke Ellington DESS behöver fler medlemmar. visade sig vid ett närmare studium att Society” kan vi dessutom notera att en Inspirera Dina vänner och det i realiteten rörde sig om den andra författare vid namn Con Chapman för- bekanta att också vara med! konserten i Göteborg den 6 november, bereder en biografi om Johnny Hodges, som redan getts ut kommersiellt. Emel- som skall få titeln Rabbit’s Blues: The Life

3 The career of Rolf Ericson By Göran Wallén

got to hear Roy Eldridge on record, who- se wild and temperamental playing li- kewise impressed Rolf, and Roy became his idol.

The 1930s and 1940s In the 1930s, Rolf formed a small band together with the violinist Hasse Kahn and the accordionist Leppe Törn- qvist. Soon Rolf acquainted the two brot- hers Hans and Gösta Theselius, borth capabable arrangers, Arne Domnérus, the alto saxophonist of later internatio- nal reputation, and Simon Brehm, bas- sist and jazz promotor. Arne lived close to Rolf and they would play together in different orchestras during the 1940/50s. Both Rolf and Arne started to work at the daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter. Rolf worked at the advertising department and he showed a talent as illustrator and drawer and his employer wanted him to develop this ability. Simultaneously he also played in an amateur band operated by his employer. His ability as a drawer was later to be seen with a sketchy dra- wing of himself on his business card. But Rolf felt the call from the music and gave up drawing and his job. He got acquain- ted with a drummer by the name of Ove Kjell. He was working at the Stockholm department store NK and was the leader of their jazz band and was also leading Rolf Ericson is probably Sweden’s in- casionally in Europe. During his many an amateur band and both Rolf and Arne ternationally most recognized jazz mu- brief visits to Sweden he played with our started to work with him. In 1941 Ove sician during the 20th century. When foremost musicians, but would always Kjell’s band took part in an orchestra Rolf left Sweden to start working in USA return to USA. competition and they came out as the his dream became a reality. Already as a Rolf was born on August 29, 1922, winner in competition with the Embassy youngster he fantasized about becoming in Stockholm. He was christened Rolf Orchestra with Povel Ramel at the piano. a musician in USA. He early adopted Nils Börje Eriksson, but would always Rolf and Arne were the main soloists in the typical jazz idioms of the time like be called “Roffe”. When he later came to the band and they were recognized as wearing jazz inspired clothes, sunglas- USA he changed his surname to a more such in a review in the jazz magazine ses and took up smoking cigarettes. He American way “Ericson”. His uncle Rag- Orkester Journalen. Unfortunately there left Sweden the first time in 1947 and af- nar Läth, who was a recognized trumpet exist only two privately made recordings ter a while he became the international player in the 1930s playing a.o. in The of the band now included in the CD- jazz musician he remained for the rest of Paramount Orchestra, once brought Rolf box Swedish Jazz History. The Ove Kjell his life. In USA Rolf became a much ap- to attend a concert by Louis Armstrong band lasted until 1943. preciated big band musician and he was back in October 1933. Rolf was much Later on we find Rolf and Arne and over the years a member of several well impressed by Armstrong and decided several other members from the Kjell known US Big Bands. Later in his career at that moment that he would like to be band in Lulle Ellboj’s orchestra. Ellboj he worked occasionally in USA and oc- a trumpet player like Louis. Later on he and his band started a long engagement

4 at the Vinterpalatset (Winter Palace). and make a career there. Together with like the music but the salary was good. Ellboj had a good trumpet section con- his friend the pianist Lasse “Bob” Laine, He eventually returned to Barnet but af- sisting of Nisse Skog, Anders Swärd and who already had an experience of wor- ter his time with him Rolf played with Rolf. As the name of the venue may indi- king in USA, they boarded a ship on bands under leadership of Roy Stevens, cate, they were free for other jobs during November 21, 1947, heading for New Charlie Ventura, Elliot Lawrence and the summer. During the summertime York. Things were tough and money was . On one occasion Rolf Rolf played with bands like Håkan von lacking and Rolf had to start as a dish appeared together with Bud Powell at Eichwald, Sam Samson, Arthur Öster- washer in order to make a living. But The Three Deuces before it was time to wall, Thore Jederby and Seymour Öster- with the help of some friends like Stan return to Sweden in 1950. wall, all well recognized Swedish band Hasselgard, Frank Bode and Bob Laine, leaders. he got to California and things began to Return to Sweden During the 1940s, the name of Rolf happen. Even though conditions were Rolf’s first return trip to Sweden took Eriksson was well known by the Swe- difficult in the late 1940s for jazz musici- place on August 25, 1950. Soon after his dish jazz fans and he was often selected ans Rolf landed jobs with Benny Carter’s arrival he made a few recordings under as a top name amongst the trumpet poll big band and even auditioned with his own name before he together with winners. In the Estrad poll 1943 he was ’s septet. Unfortunately Arne Domnérus formed the Nalen Band. placed as number twelve. The year after Goodman didn’t use a trumpet in his Topsy Lindblom, the owner of the dance he had advance to number five and in sextet, but he welcomed Rolf to join the club Nalen, rather preferred to call the 1945 he was appointed winner. He was big band he was about to form later on. band “The Dreamband”. The recordings included in Estrad’s Elitorkester 1945 During the next few years we find Rolf made by that band belong to Swedish and in the Expressen’s Elitorkester 1946, playing with several local bands lead by jazz history. In addition to Rolf and Arne 1947 and 1952. (Estrad was a Swedish Red Norvo, Sonny Criss, Billy Eckstine, the band consisted of (bs), jazz magazine competing with Orkester Jimmy Rowles and several others. Later Rolf Blomquist (ts), Gunnar Svensson Journalen and Expressen was a daily on he was engaged by (p), Yngve Åkerberg (sb) and Jack No- newspaper). and got paid 160 dollars a week, which rén (dr). The joint leadership by Rolf and In April 1946 both Rolf and Arne be- certainly was a good pay at the time. Arne lasted for about a year. Arne even- came members of Thore Jederby’s newly Rolf recalled that the orchestra had a fan- tually left, but Rolf kept the band going formed orchestra. They toured the Folk- tastic trumpet section consisting of Rolf until April 1952. parkerna and played at the Nöjesfältet plus John Howell, Doc Severinsen, Ray In November 1950 that summer. The following winter he Wetzel and . Accor- spent a week in Sweden. Rolf knew Par- played with the Seymour Österwall or- ding to Rolf, was a fantastic ker since his time in New York and was a chestra at the Nalen. He stayed with that high note trumpeter, who unfortunately member of the group that accompanied band until it was time to go to USA. died in a car accident only 27 years old. Parker during his tour of Sweden. After In 1948/49, during a break from Barnet’s Parker’s visit Rolf made some recordings Going to USA band, Rolf toured with Art Mooney’s with sidemen like Lars Gullin and Bengt Rolf had a dream of going to USA orchestra for eight months. Rolf didn’t Hallberg.

5 Back to USA The jazz life in USA was still temp- ting to Rolf and in October 1952 he re- turned to USA to take up an engagement with Charlie Spivak and his orchestra. That job lasted for six months when Rolf decided to settle in California. In August 1953 he was a constant guest at the Lighthouse Café with the Lighthouse All Stars. The club was often guested by stars like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and . The next few years Rolf was engaged by , The Dor- sey Brothers, Jack Costanzo and he also spent time in Florida working for the mambo king Perez Prado. In 1955 Rolf spent eight months as the prime soloist in Les Brown’s orchestra and later on he worked with in Las Vegas before he joined ’s Musicmakers. When James didn’t feel like taking a solo, Rolf was given the solo spot. Then he had a short spell with Ho- ward Rumsey’s band before it was again time to return to Sweden.

The American Stars By now the name Rolf Ericson had a good reputation and with the assistance of Claes Dahlgren (Swedish radio repre- Rolf Ericson and Charlie Parker 1950. sentative in New York and an “ambas- sador” for Swedish jazz) he put together orchestra. Rolf then played with various He also appeared at the Gyllene Cirkeln a band for a tour of Sweden. The group small bands in and around Hollywood. Jazz Club and was featured in various was called The American Stars and in- In July 1958 he was engaged by orchest- TV- and radioprograms. cluded Cecil Payne, , John ras led by Jack Millman and Maynard During 1961/62 he made a tour of Simmons, Art Taylor and Ernestine An- Ferguson. In the fall of 1958 he joined South America with Frank Rehak’s or- derson. However, the tour didn’t start Stan Kenton’s band that had just got an chestra and he also made stints with out that well. Several of the members engagement at Birdland in New York. Benny Goodman and Woody Herman. had drug problems and had to be sent Rolf stayed with Kenton for almost three He also played with Herbie Mann at home. The group had to be reorganized years and said that he found Kenton to Birdland. and the tour was completed with the be a very sympathetic and good orchest- Late 1962 Rolf was hired by Charlie following members: Rolf, Lasse Gullin, ra leader. Rolf was often featured as a Mingus. The Mingus concert at Town , Tommy Potter, Joe Harris soloist with the Kenton band, but found Hall 1962 was a disaster. Mingus didn’t and . Performances the constant travelling tiresome. They have time enough to finish his work Epi- of this group have been recorded and are seldom played for more than one week taph. According to Rolf the musicians available on CD. at the same venue. didn’t know what to play. Mingus never After the tour Rolf returned to Ca- In the fall of 1961 he toured the Midd- recorded Epitaph. During the Ellington lifornia. He needed a rest after the pro- le East for five months with the Buddy Conference 1994 in Stockholm, Andrew blems he had been facing with the tour, Rich Sextet. After the tour was finished Homzy, an Ellington scholar from Cana- but over the Christmas period he played Rolf went directly to Sweden, where da, happened to meet Lars Göran Ulan- for three weeks with in he would be staying for the next few der, responsible for the Swedish Radio Seattle. Then he formed a temporary months. During this period he played Channel P2. Homzy had found the Epi- group consisting of some Swedish ex- with Arne Domnérus at the Nalen Club taph chart in Mingus’s remaining papers patriates like Berndt Pihlgren and Rune and guested the Montmartre Club in and on March 19, 1996, the complete Epi- Eriksson before he took a well paid job Copenhagen. He made recordings with taph was recorded with a total of thirty with George Hernandez and his rumba Bosse Wärmell and Monica Zetterlund. Swedish musicians and with Rolf as the

6 soloist. The playing time of the recording ’s orchestra. About this March 24 they started a tour of twenty- was 150 minutes and it was broadcasted time Rolf was considering to start his seven Swedish cities and thereafter they in full by Swedish Radio P2. own big band to be based in Europe, but spent close to two months at the Grand it would take several years before it came Hotel in Stockholm. The band was sub- Engaged by Duke Ellington about. Much because several European ject to several changes during its lifetime Duke Ellington and his orchestra musicians didn’t believe in the project. but the mainstays were Gunnar Medberg made a tour of Sweden June 1-23, 1963. So instead Rolf made recordings with and Lars Olofsson (tb), Ulf Andersson Rolf was hired as a substitute, but when others like Rod Levitt. A trip to Cologne (ts), Bertil Löfdahl (as), (sb) the band returned to USA he was perma- to join Kurt Edelhagen was cancelled and and Rebecca Show (vo). After the Grand nently engaged and he remained with instead Rolf went to Stockholm to play Hotel stint the band toured the Swedish Ellington until April 1964. Rolf has con- at Skansen (Stockholm’s folk lore park) Folkparkerna (Amusement Parks availa- firmed that his time with Ellington was with Eddie Mc Andrew’s orchestra. ble in most every Swedish city.) the greatest in his career. He was a.o. Rolf remained in Sweden and played In the meantime Duke Ellington was given the solo responsibility in Perdido, in the Emanon orchestra at Gyllene Cir- back in Europe and Rolf was called in as which earlier was ’s feature keln under the leadership of George Rus- a substitute. Rolf was offered a perma- number. The reason for Rolf’s leaving sell. Over the next few years Rolf stayed nent place in the orchestra and to join the band was the small money. He once in Sweden and played at various clubs Duke for a tour of the Far East. Rolf was got a raise from $40 to $45 but that was not good enough considering the fact that he had a family with three kids to support back in California. Rolf found the music fantastic, but money talks as well. He once said that sometimes the band would start up with only eight men, but still the sound was like that of fifteen, despite the lack of half of the band. Duke’s men could make the mu- sic sound powerful despite the absence of several of them. Once the Ellington band was sharing the scene with Gerry Mulligan’s big band but their sound was not of the same caliber as Duke’s band, at the time consisting of only eight men. Rolf would on occasion return to Duke Ellington in 1969, 1971 and 1973. It may be interesting to note that Rolf to- gether with Åke Persson are two of the probably seven white musicians to have played with Duke Ellington. In November 1963, Duke Ellington and his orchestra made a State Depart- Chet Baker, Miles Davis and Rolf. ment tour of the Middle East, but during the tour president John Kennedy was in various constellations, often together positive to the idea, but other alternati- assassinated and the tour was suddenly with Lars Gullin, Merit Hemmingsson or ves were coming up and Rolf turned the terminated. The band returned to USA Östen Warnerbring. He was also playing offer down. He had to consider his big but no engagements were lined up so with his own quintet at the Grand Hotel band. members were free to seek other em- in Stockholm and also appeared at the Early 1970 Rolf and his big band ployment awaiting Ellington’s further Umeå Jazz Festival together with Dexter played at the “Kronprinsen” in Malmö program. worked for a Gordon. for an audience of only seventy people month with Woody Herman and Rolf and that seem to have caused the end went to Stockholm and played with Leo The Rolf Ericson Big Band of the band. Rolf’s dream of a big band Wright at Gyllene Cirkeln (Famous Swe- Rolf had a dream of starting his own turned out a financial disaster. Disap- dish jazz club) in December 1963. big band. In 1969 that dream became a pointed with the situation for jazz in After his time with Duke Ellington, reality. Rehearsals started at the Stam- Sweden he played a lot in Denmark with Rolf returned to Charlie Mingus in the pen, a club owned by Sten Holmqvist luminaries like Brew Moore, Phil Woods fall of 1964 and thereafter he played with who also sponsored the project. On and Dexter Gordon. He also subbed for

7 a few days with the Kenny Clarke/Fran- with ’s All Star Band. cy Boland Band when they appeared at But like so many times before, Rolf “Swing Inn” in Malmö. made occasional trips to Europe and in the summer of 1991 he played with Arne In Germany Domnérus at Castle Hotel in Stockholm. Rolf now started to consider working Later the same year he toured Europe in Germany. Åke Persson was already with a group of Ellington alumni like stationed there and recommended Rolf , and to join him. Jobs in Germany were plen- Harold Ashby. Regrettably they never tyful and better paid whereas the opp- showed up in Sweden. ortunities in Sweden were diminishing. Rolf took part in the Ellington ’92 The consequence of this was that Rolf Conference in Copenhagen and later that would spend the next ten years based in year he toured Sweden together with Ce- Germany. He was disappointed with the cil Payne. An interesting reunion from failure of his big band, but the idea of a 1956 well remembered by the audience. big band never left his mind. In 1993 Rolf and Evelyn moved to Swe- In 1971 Rolf started out with Max den and they settled in a Stockholm su- Greger’s Radio Band, but soon he got burb which allowed for Rolf to take part engaged by Süddeutscher Rundfunk’s in the Ellington ‘94 Conference in Stock- band under the leadership of Erwin holm. The orchestra put together for the Lehn. That job lasted for two and a half Evelyn and Rolf. Photo: Olle Lindholm occasion included in addition to Rolf, years. Then he moved to to work Clark Terry, , , with Paul Kuhn’s orchestra and he was a lot of travelling between Duisburg and , Joya Sherrill, Alice Babs to stay there for eight years. In the me- USA and “that cost me a lot of money” and Nils Lindberg. In 1995 Rolf together antime he made short visits to Sweden he said. with Willie Cook was awarded the DESS to sit in with Lars Gullin for a tour. He scholarship of SEK 5000 each. also played with The Danish Jazzarmy at Rolf in the 1980/90s The author met Rolf and Evelyn for the newly opened “Montmartre” in the Over the next few decades Rolf spent the last time at the city of Örebro in 1997 fall of 1976. He would later return to that a “nomading” life. In 1984 he was back when Rolf took part in a TV-program. At venue to play with Kenny Drew in 1980. in Stockholm and started to work with the dinner after the show I noticed that Rolf left Germany early 1981 and re- Gugge Hedrenius and his orchestra. He Rolf had problems to eat and he show- turned to Sweden, but after four months made several recordings with Gugge, ed signs of ill-health. Rolf passed away without the right engagement he decided often together with Willie Cook. He also shortly thereafter, on June 16, 1997, after to go to USA in the hope of finding a las- appeared with Sandviken Big Band. In having spent five weeks in hospital. The ting job. His first engagement was with 1985 he was again back in Germany to cause was cancer, probably due to exten- Mel Lewis at Village Vanguard. Then he play with Paul Kuhn and sometimes he sive smoking. He is buried at Katarina made short stints with , sat in with Peter Herbolzheimer and his Kyrka in Stockholm. Evelyn returned to Count Basie and the Glenn Miller ghost orchestra. In 1985 Rolf was awarded Or- Germany. band. But the American jazz climate had kester Journalen’s Golden Record for his Rolf Ericson managed to fulfil his become tougher and Rolf decided to re- recording of Stockholm Sweetnin’. He re- great wish, viz. to work as a jazz musi- turn to Germany. ceived the award when he appeared at cian in USA. He became recognized as a In 1982 he was back in Paul Kuhn’s the Stockholm Jazz & Blues Festival. In great soloist and improviser and much orchestra where he met the orchestra’s 1986 Rolf joined Gugge Hedrenius’ band appreciated by such leaders as Duke El- vocalist, Evelyn. Rolf moved in with Eve- for a trip to New York where they played lington, Stan Kenton and Woody Her- lyn, but they would not marry until 1993. at Bryants Park for an audience of 1500 man. Musically Rolf was an idealist, but Evelyn said, “once when I was up front people. for financial reasons he often had to ac- I heard a fantastically beautiful trumpet By the end of 1989 Rolf and Evelyn cept gigs of commercial nature. He so- sound. I turned around and saw Rolf in moved to Stockholm. After some enga- metimes decided to leave orchestras be- the trumpet section, oh, what a sound”. gements Rolf found playing opportuni- cause of too many “one nighters”, as the Rolf and Evelyn lived for several years ties too few and they decided to go to constant travelling was very tiring. He in Duisburg. Rolf would often go to USA USA as Evelyn was now allowed to enter preferred to spend time with his family for occasional jobs and Evelyn would go USA. They settled in Los Angeles and and get some rest and then he played at with him. Unfortunately she got some Rolf’s old friend and neighbor, Benny the small jazz clubs around Los Angeles. problems with the US Immigration and Carter, assisted him in finding work, just Rolf had a very positive attitude. He was was prevented from entering USA for like he did back in 1948. Rolf got to play kind and loved by all musicians both in several years. This meant Rolf had to do with Harry “Sweets” Edison and sat in Sweden and USA.

8 Rolf Ericson interview By Martin Westin and Lars Westin

Rolf Ericson started his stint with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in May 1963. – I got an offer from Duke already a few years before, but at that time I was committed to go with on a tour of the Far East. After the Rich tour I joined Maynard Ferguson for a while. But then I got a renewed offer from El- lington and of course I accepted imme- diately. At that time Rolf was forty years old and had been living in USA for fifteen years. During these years he had played with many well established orchestra leaders. In 1963 he spent time in New York playing with Charlie Mingus and several other orchestra leaders. – I had met Ellington and his side- men many times in the past. When I played with Stan Kenton we once sha- red the scene with Duke’s band and I used to hang around with , Russell Procope, Willie Cook and Clark Terry. We enjoyed spending leisure time together. So Duke got to hear me a few ti- mes and he recognized me. But I think it was Clark Terry who recommended me. I got to know Terry when I first came to America by the end of the 1940s.

First performance Rolf’s first performance with the El- lington band took place in Philadelphia. Nance and beyond him sat Cat Ander- that asshole, it should be Ess!” So things – I will never forget it. I didn’t know son. Duke announced “A-train”, and so were not exactly easy. the repertoire. So I was given two giant it started. I found no “Take The A Train” folders of music weighing five or six ki- in the folder, and I looked and browsed. Writing his own book los. And it was all more or less shredded, When I eventually found the fragments The only way to work things out was small notifications with no numbers, no- of “A-train”, and it was not the correct to construct my own book, Rolf said. thing really. There were no real arrang- part, they had already started on the next – I sat in the evenings and wrote out ements. When I was playing with other tune. So I sat there browsing the folder my own parts, made my own music bands everything was well noted and ca- all night. out of those notes and fragments. So af- talogued. When opening your part you It was quite frustrating and Rolf had ter about a month I had a good grip of knew right away what to play. But here it to turn to his colleagues for some advice. everything. But the situation within the was all just fragments. – I asked but he just trumpet section was still the same. When The trumpet section included, in ad- turned his back on me and grunted so- I showed up in the evening and said hello dition to Rolf, three legendary Ellington mething. So I asked Ray Nance what the to Cootie he would turn his back on me veterans. last tone was supposed to be. He said: and grunt and Cat just smiled and sho- – I joined in the evening when we “Anything, you’ll hear what it shall be”. wed his white teeth. It went on like that were about to start playing and I said Then I asked , who gave night after night. When we started and hello to everybody. To my right I had me a great smile and said: “B-flat”. Then when we closed it was always the same Cootie Williams and to the left I had Ray Cootie suddenly said: “Don’t listen to procedure. But then we went on a tour to 9 Duke had to send for a replacement and first there was Patrick Blake and later . Cat Anderson, Ellington’s high note specialist, had been with the band since the 1940s and he was the difficult one amongst Rolf’s trumpet colleagues. He had grown up at, and learned to play at Jenkin’s Orphanage in Charleston, South Carolina, which also fostered many good brass men like Jabbo Smith and Peanuts Holland. – He was fantastic with what he did. But he had problem due to his back- ground. He had no parents and his orp- hanage time influenced his future life.

Being black or white? How was it to be the only white mu- sician in the band? – Others had been there before me. Louie Bellson, Bill Berry and . The latter came in already in 1929. I had no problem with being white in the band, except sometimes from outsiders. When we toured the South I was not allowed to stay in the same hotel as the others. They were accommodated into black ho- tels and I was not accepted there so I had to move to the white section of the town. I felt a bit bitter about it because I didn’t want to. But Duke said: “Ok, that’s the Duke, Åke Persson and Rolf – November 10, 1971. Photo: Kenneth Olsson way it is. Show up tomorrow morning.” The life as a musician in the Ellington the Middle East. Suddenly one evening girls in the evening. Ray Nance was a Orchestra was hectic. Playing every day, Cootie turned to me and said: “Hey Rolf, wonderful and kind human being. But constant travelling. Shortly after Rolf let’s go get the girls”. With those words he had problems with narcotics and joined, the band started a tour of Eu- it was like the ice broke up and we have drank heavily. It was during the Middle rope including five days at Gröna Lund been the best of friends since then. East tour in the fall of 1963 that Nance in Stockholm. The year after Ellington was fired after having spent twentythree played one-nighters around the USA Strong personalities years with Ellington. While in Amman in and on July 9 they appeared at Newport The musicians in the Ellington band Jordan we played for King Hussein and Jazz Festival. On July 18 Rolf took part were strong personalities of different the entire diplomatic corps and people in his first recording with the band in a characters. Cootie Williams started with from the American Embassy. Ray Nance series of so called “stockpile recordings” the band in 1929 and stayed until 1940, could not get hold of what he needed and produced by Duke himself in order to when Ray Nance replaced him. Nance he drank too much so he was totally de- document his music. Most of this mate- was still in the band when Cootie retur- stroyed. We played the Jordanian and the rial havs been released after Ellington’s ned in the beginning of the 1960s. American national anthems and people disease as The Private Collection. – Cootie was very conscientious and were standing with their hands to their – We had almost no rehearsals. It was hated alcohol. He had been running a hearts. Ray just sat on his chair shouting during the recording procedure that we band of his own and made a lot of mo- dirty words. Then he went away waving rehearsed. Duke brought in new mu- ney. But he lost everything on horses and his fiddle and shouting and swearing at sic all the time. But not when we were drinking. So he became a fanatic teetota- the King and the ambassadors. Ellington out playing for the audience. We never ler and hated all kinds of gambling. He was not known for firing people but Ray played the old repertoire. We just had to never drank but always had a bottle in went too far. This was a diplomatic in- hang on. Suddenly he would bring up his luggage in case he would meet some sult so the next day Ray was sent home. music we had never heard before or old

10 tunes that I had never played for a long these recordings, in February and March than the others. time. Then we had to try to find it in the 1964, the Ellington Orchestra toured Eu- – Cootie Williams, Johnny Hodges book. Some things were never put down rope and also paid a visit to Sweden. and earned most money. on paper and there were no parts. You They were also paid when we had no had to listen and open your ears. Ellington the womanizer booking. A few others were partly paid Ellington himself didn’t fraternize but the rest of us were only paid when The Middle East Tour too much with his musicians away from we were working. I remember once in As from September thru November the scene or the studio. Chicago when we had only two perfor- 1963 the Ellington Orchestra performed – On the tours he used to bring along mances over two weeks. We signed the their extensive tour of the Middle East. a countess from South America. He al- hotel bills which were paid by Ellington took part in the tour. ways surrounded himself with women. and the cost was deducted from the sa- – Strayhorn was a part of the El- He always bought expensive furs and lary later on. So you were always in debt lington image. He fitted in perfectly. jewelry for his ladies. He was extremely to the Orchestra. Almost everyone in the He composed almost exactly like Duke. extravagant. He always stayed in the lar- band had to ask for an advance from the Sometimes one could not tell the diffe- gest hotel suites and saw to it that it had road manager. He was a real gangster rence. Both of them were very observant a piano. At four o’clock in the morning and tried to cheat everybody. It could be with what was going on around them. I he ushered all visitors out because it was about 50 cent one week and 300 dollars remember once when we were sitting at time for him to start composing music. the next. So when we left Chicago we a café in Hyderabad in India and a bird He locked himself in with the piano and were all in great debt to the Orchestra was twittering in a bush. Strayhorn said was sitting at it until six or seven in the and it became worse due to the road to Duke: “Hey, you hear that?” The bird morning. manager’s calculations. Johnny Hodges was twittering something and they put But when it came to the orchestra El- had a habit of walking around in front of out a piece of paper and wrote it down. lington was far from extravagant. us counting rolls of hundred dollar bills. That became the idea to The Far East – He could be really stin- He wanted to make us feel envious Suite. gy. When we went and he enjoyed it. to Europe Lay off periods of this kind hap- Tom Whaley for pened when there were gaps in One of the most important collabo- the touring schedule and when rators around Ellington from Ellington had engagements as a the 1940s and onwards was soloist or with minor groups. Tom Whaley. A name seldom August 1963 was such an oc- mentioned. casion when Ellington took – He was an orchestrator part in the recording of his and composer. He wrote for show “My People”, which choirs and all kind of things. On was performed by a special or- the many recordings we made Duke chestra put together especially for the was sitting at one piano and Stray- show. This was also the occasion in April horn at another and Duke would tell the second 1964 when Duke appeared at a club in Billy what to do. They shared the job. time I told Duke Chicago together with a small group And their sketches were thrown over to that I needed a little more from his orchestra. Tom Whaley. The sketches were actually money. He said: “Rolf, you are an only ideas for the right and left piano artist. Artists need no money. But we Ellington’s finances hand but Whaley knew how to orchest- do love you madly!” And he kissed me. – The entire band was financially rate the sketches and write out parts for I waited a few weeks and walked up built on Ellington’s royalties from his the entire orchestra. It was all done in the to him and asked again for some more compositions. He would never had the studio while we sat there waiting. money. The same thing happened. “Rolf, possibility to run the band without those Rolf took part in two LPs recorded we do love you madly” and off he went. royalties. He had tax problems as well. in the spring of 1964 under such condi- The third time I told him frankly that I But he was unbelievably hard-working. tions. Ellington ‘65 and Ellington ‘66 (Re- wanted to leave. And when he asked me He always wanted to work and I remem- prise RS6122 and 6154 resp.). The idea why, I told him I needed some more mo- ber once during a European tour when was that Ellington should play popular ney, he said: “How much do you want?” we had one evening free. Still he booked melodies of the day in his own way. Then I got a raise! I earned $40 a day at us into a concert for almost no money Among the tunes were Beatles-melodies the start but would eventually reach $45. just to keep us going. arranged by Duke and Strayhorn. It was It was not exactly a good pay. Most of Ellington always let his musicians all done in the studio and with the as- the Ellington sidemen were poorly paid appear as soloists. sistance of Tom Whaley. Shortly before except the key persons who earned more – It became so that I took over Clark

11 Terry’s parts in the trumpet section and minded. He never drank, was a man of could connect with them in Paris. In the I also had to take over his solo spots. few words and handled his own mat- meantime Duke went to Berlin for a TV- Like Perdido and Lullaby of Birdland and ters. Johnny Hodges was a funny and show and there he hired Benny Baily and I also took over something from Ray wonderful guy. He and his wife had a Åke Persson as additional musicians. Nance. Duke could sometimes surprise little monkey and that monkey loved When the TV-show was over Åke went us by unexpectedly calling someone to Johnny. They lived at Sugar Hill in Har- up to Duke and said: ‘Mr. Ellington, I re- the mike for a solo. It happened quite of- lem. When he went on a tour he had to fuse to leave this orchestra’. Duke grin- ten when we played dances for a black send post cards to the monkey and when ned and Åke was allowed to come along. audience. Those dance sessions star- he returned home he used to bring along The following day they went to Malmö ted at midnight and lasted until seven small toys for the monkey. Once when he and Åke’s wife called all papers infor- o’clock in the morning. We played long returned home without any present the ming them about the arrival. So there solos and I remember that on several oc- monkey got mad and bit him! were a lot of photographers at the airport casions I had to play for maybe half an Something of ‘problem childs’ in primarily photographing Åke who ema- hour as the only trumpet player. Duke the Ellington Orchestra – except for Ray nated from the Malmö area. They asked built up the band with riffs and similar Nance – were Paul Gonsalves and the Duke to stand beside Åke and Duke got things that enhanced the atmosphere. drummer . mad wondering who he had hired. A few On such nights I almost cried because – Paul was a wonderful human be- days later I am outside a hotel in Paris it was so good. It was the most fantastic ing, but he had great problems with al- awaiting the band bus. When they ar- thing I ever experienced. cohol and narcotics. That’s what killed rive I see Åke with his arm around Duke him in the end. His solos were fantastic. and with a bottle in his hand, laughing Some veterans It was much thanks to him that Duke got and telling jokes. Johnny Hodges walked Harry Carney, the baritone saxopho- back on the map after the Newport Jazz along with them laughing as well. Åke nist, was the real Ellington veteran. He Festival 1956 when he played Diminu- was very popular with the band. joined the band already in 1927. endo and Crescendo in Blue. That started – He was the most wonderful person, a new and successful era for Ellington. Ellington’s Birthday warm and pleasant and a real gentle- Sam Woodyard I think is the best drum- On April 29 that year Duke Ellington man. He always drank whiskey which mer Duke ever had. He put his flavor on was reaching his 70th birthday and it not many knew about because he hid it everything. He didn’t do many extras was celebrated at a great party in Paris. so well. Lawrence Brown was likewise but what he did fitted the band perfectly, – Maurice Chevalier was acting as very nice. He was called ‘Sweetie’. He and he kept to perfection. Emcee and all celebrities were there. consumed lots of ice cream, his only af- Brigitte Bardot and the entire French fection. Jimmy Hamilton was very strict Leaving Ellington film colony, the Lido ballet and all the and a perfectionist, almost like a teacher. Because of financial reasons Rolf left French musicians. It was a fabulous Russell Procope was also very serious the Ellington band in May 1964. party. We arrived late and were dead ti- – I had a family and the economic red. We dressed and shaved in the bus. ends didn’t meet. We didn’t get paid for When we arrived we got to know that a lot of things we did and that irritated we didn’t have to play until a few hours me. Nothing extra for recordings, no later. Instead we got a room with a fan- extra for TV-shows, no extra for anyth- tastic service. Everything was available ing. And sometimes there were a gap including a bartender. There was lobster, between gigs causing my economy to caviar and ribs for Cootie and ice cream burst. Hadn’t it been for things like this for Lawrence Brown. We had a party and I would have stayed with Duke for the how they drank. Those guys could drink rest of my life. Musically it gave me an a lot. Åke got drunk and sat crying be- unbelievable experience. cause he had a studio job in Berlin which About five years later, in the begin- he had to return to so he was forced to ning of 1969, Duke Ellington and his leave the band. When we entered the band guested Stockholm and a.o. ap- stage the people were in ecstasy. When peared at the Vasa Church together with the curtain went up all were screaming Alice Babs, Eric Ericson and the Swedish and down came a giant cake together Radio Choir. Rolf was called in as an en- with confetti and balloons and out of the forcement. cake comes four naked girls! In the me- – Duke suggested I should join the antime Åke is crying. He is not playing band for the rest of the European tour. I and the trombone is on its stand. I am sit- had a gig for a few days in Norway, but ting right behind him and he turns to me Rolf also played the didgeridoo. the manager gave me an air ticket so I and says: ‘Oh, listen, wonderful. What

12 Photo: Olle Lindholm shall I do. I have to leave tomorrow.’ tour, first to Spain and then to England everybody who has played with Duke Duke looks at Åke and understands the where they recorded the album ‘Duke Ellington have been influenced by him. situation and says: ‘Åke, no solo’. And Ellington’s 70th Anniversary Concert’ in They cannot get rid of that influence. It then we reach that number where Åke Manchester. Then the band went back to applies to me as well. There was a typi- usually played his solo during the tour, USA without Rolf. But Rolf would even- cal Ellingtonian style that I adopted and Duke again turns to Åke and repeats tually sit in with the Ellington orchestra which I have incorporated in my own what he just said. Åke turns mad, starts on a few additional occasions – 1971 and way of playing. It is not a matter of copy- screaming and swearing. Runs forward, 1973 – when also Åke Persson took part. ing as I still try to play in my own way. turning down a couple of music stands The most important thing for a jazz mu- on his way, up to Duke and swears at The Ellington style sician is to find his own profile and I have him and plays his solo. Duke walks off What was so special with the Elling- tried to stick to my own over my entire the stage and Åke continues to play and ton Orchestra? life. But the profile will of course develop he plays like hell. When Duke returns he – Everybody in Duke’s band were and change. And so it did especially after says: ‘Åke, you are fired’. Åke says ‘I’m creators and individualists. They were my adventures with Ellington, who gave quitting!’ The next day at the airport Åke grown up people who played like me an enormous inspiration. walks up to Duke looking like a little dog grownups. Duke’s greatness was his abi- saying: ‘Forgive me, Maestro.’ And Duke lity to utilize every sound around him. This interview was originally published in replies ‘Ahh, forget it’. There were so many tremendously color- Swedish in the May 1994 issue of the Orkes- Rolf went along with the band for the ful individuals he had to deal with. And ter Journalen.

13 Roffe Ericson, 58 – siktar på USA igen

Detta var rubriken på en artikel i dra betydligt yngre musikanter börjat Expressen 28 januari 1981 författad av tänka på trygghet och ATP har Ericson Hans Fridlund med anledning av LP:n under det senaste året knåpat med dus- Roffe Ericson/Kenny Dorham: ’Scandia sintals blanketter. Allt för att återfå det Skies’ (SteepleChase/Al Lib). Vi återger amerikanska arbetstillstånd, som gick artikeln här: ut redan på 60-talet. Roffe har dessutom – Snackat och längtat har jag gjort länge. sammanställt en meritlista. Ett impone- Men snart blir det USA igen. Kanske för rande aktstycke, som inleds borta i 40-ta- gott. let med jobb hos folk som Charlie Barnet, Så säger Roffe Ericson, en av den Benny Carter, Woody Herman, Stan Ken- Willie Cook och Rolf. Foto: Olle Lindholm svenska jazzens mera outslitliga mästare. ton, Charlie Ventura m.fl. Plattor med Och en av de mesta veteranerna i gamet. Charlie Parker och svenska folkparks- ändå omisskännligt Ericsons egen profil. Roffe blev 58 i somras. Trumpetare Eric- turnéer, eller åren med Duke Ellington En god LP men 17 år ”gammal”. Roffe son har för all del bara varit sporadiskt på tidigt 60-tal inte att förglömma. lever i nuet. synlig här hemma under 70-talet. Sedan Den här skivan från december 1963 – Mitt sista ”tyska” jobb var med 1971 har han uppehållit några välbetalda på Montmartre-klubben i Köpenhamn Caterina Valente för TV i Los Angeles med tråkiga studiojobb i Tyskland. Först tillkom då Roffe var tillfälligt spelledig i november i höstas. För min del första hos Erwin Lehn i Stuttgart. Därefter med från just Ellingtonbandet. En förträfflig USA-besöket på över tio år. Det kändes SFB-radion i Västberlin. Men när ryktena dokumentation av två stora lirare, varav som att komma hem igen började gå att SFB tänkte lägga ned sin Kenny Dorham givetvis är den jazzhisto- – Om jag har några jobb på gång där? storbandsverksamhet för gott skyndade riskt viktigare, det skulle Roffe vara den Nej inte än. Men desto fler kontakter. Jag Roffe att säga upp sig. förste att erkänna. Men de två komplet- är inte rädd att ge mig ut som frilansare på – Hellre förekomma än förekommas, terar varandra utsökt här, exempelvis i gamla dar. En kappsäck med tandborste resonerade jag. Det visade sig vara ett medium-balladen It Could Happen To You. och trumpeterna är allt jag behöver. klokt drag ekonomiskt. Fick en större av- På skivans längsta spår Woody’n You kan – Resten av mitt liv ska jag ägna mej gångsersättning på den kuppen. Roffe påminna om Clark Terry både ryt- åt riktig musik! Rastlös har Roffe alltid varit. När an- miskt och melodiskt. Men helheten har Right on, Rolf. Och lycka till!

Rolf Ericson’s engagement with Duke Ellington

It is interesting to note from Göran you back’ said Rolf. ‘Join my band and the Westins are telling in their interview. Wallén’s and the Westins’s articles that work it off,’ said Duke. Trumpeter Roy A similar incident is told by Bill Crow Rolf seemed to have been constantly un- Burrowes was coincidentally leaving in his book From Birdland to Broadway: satisfied with his salary. A salary of $40/45 Duke, so the seat was still warm.” “Trumpeter Leo Ball told me he was tra- a day was probably on the low side con- From a 1963 salary sheet we can see velling in Europe during the 1960s and sidering that he had to cover meal- and that Rolf was credited with a salary of had just cleared customs at Amsterdam hotel expenses on his own. Moreover he $250 a week. Still on the low side. Only Airport when, as he started down the had to repay his loan from Ellington. Sam Woodyard was paid less. Johnny stairs to the street level, he saw his old There is certainly an explanation to Hodges got as much as $660. Harry Car- friend Rolf Ericson talking to someone Rolf’s low salary which has to do with ney, Lawrence Brown and Cat Anderson whose face wasn’t visible, but as he rus- how he came to be engaged by Ellington earned $500, Jimmy Hamilton $420 and hed down the stairs and threw his arms in the first place. According to Steve Voce Paul Gonsalves $400. around Rolf, greeting him warmly, the the story goes: “Rolf had got his girl- When Rolf received the DESS scho- other man melted into the crowd. Rolf friend into difficulties at a time when he larship in 1995, I had a chance to chat said, ‘Leo, I love you, but I’m not so glad was penniless in New York. He went to with Rolf and of course we came to talk to see you right now. I’ve been trying for Ellington and asked him if he could help about his time with Ellington and also a year to get next to Duke to ask him for with a loan. Duke opened his wallet and about the money he was paid. Rolf ex- a raise. I finally had him cornered, and asked ‘How much do you need?’ ‘I don’t plained that he was constantly asking because of you he got away!’” know how or when I’d be able to pay Duke for a raise and told the story that Bo Haufman

14 Duke Ellington-konferens i Birmingham

I oktober 2017 fick vi höra ryktet att det skulle anordnas en konferens i Bir- mingham, England, men från arrangö- ren Birmingham City University kom inga meddelanden eller någon form av bekräftelse. I januari fick vi genom det engelska Ellingtonsällskapet, DESUK, vissa bekräftande uppgifter på att en konferens verkligen skulle komma till stånd, men fortfarande inga detaljer från universitetet om program, deltagarav- gift, hotellrekommendation m.m. Senare meddelade DESUK litet knapphändigt om keynote speakers, men på universi- tetets hemsida fanns inget att läsa och de svarade inte på mejl. Så småningom meddelades kostnaden för att delta och hur avgiften skulle betalas, men först 10 dagar före konferensens början fick man genom DESUKs försorg ett detal- jerat program för konferensen. I upprik- tighetens namn måste sägas att sämre marknadsföring får man leta efter. Med stor säkerhet måste man anta att flera po- tentiella deltagare undvek att anmäla sig pga den bristfälliga förhandsinformatio- nen. Någon deltagarlista tillhandahölls inte, men uppskattningsvis uppgick del- tagarantalet till cirka 40 personer. Konfe- Svenska kontingenten: Peter Lee, Jan-Olov Isaksson, Bo Haufman och Ulf Lundin. rensen hölls i universitets fantastiskt fina lokaler, som var nybyggda sedan ett år tillbaka. att arrangera konferensen. Nedan följer nardo Da Vinci och hur denne på sin tid en mycket kort redogörelse över de pre- samarbetade med sina elever. Fick välja mellan föredrag sentationer man kunde ta del av: Vic Hobson (National Jazz Archive) Men vad bjöds vi då på? Ur program- Harvey G. Cohen (King’s Col- hade valt som sitt ämne Ellington: Col- met noterar man till att börja med att av lege London), författare till boken Duke lective Composition and Arranging. Han de 16 annonserade föredragen hölls 13 av Ellington’s America kåserade på ämnet hade haft tillfälle att bevittna hur El- akademiker från olika universitet. (Två Duke Ellington in His Own Words. Med lington, vid en repetition inför en gram- av de annonserade anförandena genom- citat från intervjuer och uttalanden av mofoninspelning, tillsammans med sina fördes inte). Konferensen fick således en Ellington gjorde Cohen klart för oss hur orkestermedlemmar kunde arbeta fram tydlig akademisk prägel, något som vi tydlig Ellington kunde vara om olika ett slutgiltigt arrangemang, som vid fär- redan kunnat konstatera från de senaste samhällsfrågor som race, civil rights, digställning kunde avsevärt skilja sig Ellingtonkonferenserna. Dessvärre hade black history och sin egen fascination av från det första utkastet. Tyvärr fallerade man lagt upp programmet på ett typiskt att komponera musik. den tekniska utrustningen så föredraget akademiskt sätt med s.k. ”workshops”, Jeremy Price (Royal Birminghan kunde inte illustreras som det var tänkt. vilket innebar att ”workshop nr 1” om- Conservatoire of Music) valde som titel Celebration – okänt verk fattande tre föredrag gick parallellt med på sitt anförande Duke Ellington: Uomo ”workshop nr 2” likaledes innehållande Universale? Detta innebar att han talade Jack Chambers (University of To- tre föredrag. Vi delegater tvingades såle- på temat hur Ellington samarbetade med ronto) berättade om en okänd Ellington- des välja mellan föredragen innebärande sina side men och därmed skapade flera komposition Celebration, Duke Ellington’s att vi missade flera anföranden. Många av sina odödliga kompositioner. Han Lost Symphony. 1971 komponerade El- uttryckte sin besvikelse över detta sätt gjorde därvid flera jämförelser med Leo- lington ett längre verk med anledning av 15 staden Jacksonvilles 150-årsdag. Kana- ton and synaesthesia: to what extent did densaren Ron Collier fick i uppdrag av Duke Ellington hear sounds as colours? Ellington att orkestrera verket och med Hans kåseri gick ut på att försöka förkla- icke obetydliga svårigheter lyckades han ra hur Ellington förknippade vissa toner, få Ellingtons intentioner nedtecknade och även sina musikers sätt att utrycka och i maj 1972 uppfördes Celebration av sig, med färger. Han gjorde därvid jäm- Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. Col- förelser med andra kompositörer bl.a. lier framförde verket senare i Toronto på den ryske kompositören Scriabin. Dukes 75-årsdag. Tim Wall (Birmingham City Univer- Mike Fletcher (Birmingham City sity) höll ett anförande betitlat Duke El- University) hade förberett ett föredrag lington, Radio Remotes, and the Mediation of på ämnet Examining the ”Ellington ef- Big City Nightlife, 1927 to 1933. Med detta fect”: a reappraisal of composition processes kåseri ville föredragshållare förklara vil- in jazz. Författaren var förhindrad att ken betydelse tidiga radioutsändningar närvara varför hans kompendium rabb- hade för Ellington och alla andra orkest- lades upp av hans kollega Nicolas Pillai. rar. Utsändningarna från Cotton Club Det konstaterades bl.a. att Ellington inte nådde endast de angränsande staterna komponerade sin musik för sin orkester och inte coast to coast, som man lätt kan eller ett visst instrument utan mera för få intryck av. Detta skedde först senare in den person som trakterade instrumentet. på 1930-talet. Ett känt faktum för de flesta av oss. Michele Corcella (G.B. Martini Con- Teknisk djupdykning servatory/Adriano Buzzolla Conser- Matthias Heyman (University of vatory) valde som sitt ämne Beyond the Antwerp) har vid en tidigare konferens Blues: Duke Ellington’s experimentation talat om sin specialitet – . techniques in the . För- Denna gång hade hans presentation ti- fattaren fördjupade sig i Ellingtons New teln Plucked Again: Ellington’s bassists and Orleans Suite, som han ansåg var Elling- the mediation of technology. Han talade tons främsta verk efter Billy Strayhorns Jack Chambers. nu om hur basen varit placerad i förhål- bortgång. Föredraget var mycket notori- lande till övriga instrument vi olika tid- enterat, d.v.s. det illustrerades med åt- många av oss icke engelsktalande, mis- punkter vid Ellingtons inspelningar. Hur skilliga notskrifter, som endast de notlä- sade mycket av innehållet. mikrofoner varit placerade och liknande sande åhörarna kunde tillgodogöra sig. tekniska detaljer. Matthias har nyligen David Stuart Emmerson (DESUK) Monk-skiva var promotion doktorerat på ämnet Jimmy Blanton. fördjupade sig i ett ämne som han gett Brian Priestly (Independant scho- Utöver dessa presentationer bjöds titeln The music of Duke Ellington and lar) kåserade på ämnet Monk and Duke. delegaterna på tre konserter med musik African-American civil rights, with parti- En gängse uppfattning är att Duke och framförd av the Conservatoire Elling- cular reference to his Shakespearean suite Monk inspirerade varandra, men Brian ton Orchestra under ledning av Jeremy . Föredragshållaren bevisade att så knappast är fallet. Den Price. Orkestern består av ungdomar betonade bl a att sviten var från början skiva som Monk spelade in med Elling- som studerar vid the Royal Birmingham avsedd att innehålla fler avsnitt, men tonmelodier var en promotion från skiv- Conservatoire of Music. Enbart Elling- LP-skivans begränsade kapacitet förhin- bolagets sida för att popularisera Monk. ton- och Strayhorn-musik framfördes drade detta. Frank Griffith (Brunel University). och det gjordes på ett alldeles utmärkt Katherine Williams (University of Själv en erkänd klarinettist kåserade om sätt. Kanske var det en av konferensens Plymouth). Såsom annonserad keynote klarinettens roll i Ellingtons kompositio- större behållningar, för som helhet vill speaker talade hon på ämnet Historio- ner och koncentrerade sig på olikheterna jag med tvekan ge konferensen godkänt. graphy of a Hit: Diminuendo and Crescendo mellan Bigard och Hamilton. Mer om konferensen kan läsas på vår in Blue Revisited. Hon behandlade nämn- Patrick Olsen (University of Cam- hemsida ellington.se med kommentarer da Ellingtonnummer från Newport 1956 bridge) valde ett ämne som han kallade och bilder tagna av Ulf Lundin. Slutli- i skenet av övriga framträdanden av Recognising specific challenges from UK pe- gen skall nämnas att The Eddie Lambert numret och de olika melodier Ellington dagogical culture for peforming Ellington’s Gavel (ordförandeklubban som vandrar använt sig av för att separera de två de- big band repertoire. Detta föredrag kunde från konferens till konferens) saknades larna. Det var inte bara The Wailing In- tyvärr inte avlyssnas eftersom det place- och ingen vet var den finns, kanske i terval. Beklagligtvis läste hon upp sitt rats i fel workshop. New York. Universitet kände troligen intressanta föredrag på en mycket snabb Alyn Shipton (Royal Academy of inte till dess existens. och otydlig engelska, vilket innebar att Music) valde att kåsera på temat Elling- Bo Haufman

16 Nya skivor: D.E.T.S. Vol. 25 och Coventry 1966

Glädjande nog ges det då och då ut CD- Ballin’ The Blues, , där vi bl. a. skivor med nytt material av Duke Elling- kan höra tidiga versioner av Boo-Dah ton och hans orkester. Denna gång har vi och Satin Doll, samt en trad-jazz sättning att redovisa den sista delen av ”The Trea- med Clark Terry, Britt Woodman och sury Shows”, d.v.s. DETS nr 25 samt en Russell Procope som ackompanjemang upptagning från katedralen i Coventry till Ray Nance i Basin Street Blues. Res- den 21 februari 1966, med delvis sakralt ten av CD 1 består av en MBS Broadcast innehåll. från The Hurricane den 6 juni 1943. och Juan Tizol finns fortfarande kvar i orkestern och kan höras i You’ll Never Know resp. Nevada. I övrigt får vi höra följande: Moon Mist, Lady Be Good, Tonight I Shall Sleep, Subtle Slough, I Don’t Know What Kind Of Blues I Got, Don’t Get Duke Ellington in Coventry Around Much Anymore och Moon Mist. CD 2 innehåller tre olika airchecks, 1966 (Storyville 1018448) alla från The Hurricane: Från den 23 sep- Ellington turnerade i Europa januari- tember 1943 med följande innehåll: ’At’s februari 1966 och mot slutet av turnén In There, Design For Jivin’, Jump For Joy, hölls en konsert i katedralen i Coventry Solid Old Man och några takter från Sen- den 21 februari. Innehållet i konserten är timental Lady. Nu är , Nat Jo- blandat, delvis med sakralt eller lite dju- nes och Elbert Williams nya medlemmar pare innehåll. Det inleds med att Duke, D.E.T.S. Vol. 25 (Storyville 903 i bandet. Nästa air check är från 22 april ensam vid pianot, spelar sin New World 9025) 2 CD 1944 och nu är tillbaka A-Comin’, i en mycket hörvärd version. När nu denna långa serie kan anses samt som ersätter Tizol. Därefter kommer två utdrag ur som avslutad, kan vi konstatera att en Särskilt hörvärd här är kanske Perdido. I ”Black Brown And Beige”, nämligen kulturgärning utöver det vanliga har övrigt spelas Now I Know, Do Nothin’ Till Come Sunday och Light (aka Montage) gjorts, och att vi alla är mycket tacksam- You Hear From Me och Suddenly It Jumped. samt en nyskriven lågmäld komposition ma att detta kunde genomföras av de Till sist får vi höra en upptagning från den kallad Come Easter, som här förekom- som i huvudsak stått bakom projektet, 5 maj 1944. Här spelas Indiana, How Blue mer enda gången på skiva. Därefter spe- Jerry Valburn och skivbolaget Storyville The Night, Stomp,Look And Listen, Jumpin’ las Tell Me It’s The Truth med en funkigt Records, ursprungligen med Karl-Emil Frog Jump, Perdido, Concerto For Cootie och festlig duell mellan Johnny Hodges och Knudsen som initiativtagare. Blue Skies. Intressant är att kunna jämföra Lawrence Brown. Efter detta spelas en 20 Denna gång är materialet hämtat från Ray Nance’s version av Concerto For Coo- minuter lång version av In The Beginning LPn DETS-Bonus record (DETS-49) från tie med den ursprungliga, samt att lyssna God, sedan Ellington i sin presentation Blue Note i Chicago, juni 1953, samt från till Mary-Lou Williams’ delikata arrange- antyder att man därmed kommit till själ- Hurricane Restaurant NYC 1943-1944. mang av Blue Skies (aka Trumpet No End). va andemeningen med konserten. Det CD 1 innehåller alltså en aircheck från Ljudkvaliteten är lite varierande be- hela avslutas med West Indian Pancake radioprogrammet ”All Star Parade Of träffande inspelningarna från The Hur- och La Plus Belle Africaine, vilka var två Bands” med följande nummer: Take The ricane men fullt acceptabel. De flesta av av de mest spelade numren under denna A Train (intro), Boo-Dah, What More Can dessa nummer finns inte utgivna tidiga- turné. Utmärkt ljud. I Say, Frustration, Basin Stret Blues, Duet, re på skiva utom i några få fall. Anders Asplund

The Savory Collection Genom Loren Schoenbergs försorg har Basie och Lionel Hampton. Mosaic har tveksamt om vi kommer att få avnjuta det på iTunes hittills utgivits tre sam- även gett ut en box med delar ur sam- denna musik. Anledningen sägs vara lingar med underbar musik ur Bill Sa- lingen. I Savorys samlingar lär även att The Duke Ellington Estate, det vill vorys efterlämnade radioupptagningar. ingå mycket Duke Ellington-material säga dödsboet, inte ger sitt samtycke Bland annat. har vi fått avnjuta en un- från hans tid på Cotton Club 1937. En- härtill. Mycket beklagligt. Kanske vågar derbar längre version av Body And Soul ligt vissa rykten skulle detta material man hoppas på en bootleg-utgåva? med Coleman Hawkins, mycket Count ges ut på en separat CD, men det är

17 Trumpet in Spades

Duke Ellington komponerade vid flera tion där han förklarar att numret skildrar the pun in the title is truly unforgivable.” tillfällen s.k. ”concertos” för flera av sina trafiken i korsningen 47th and Parkway Precis om Schuller antyder finns det namnkunniga solister. Den mest kända i Chicago en lördag klockan tolv. Tro det en intressant aspekt på numrets titel – torde vara Concerto For Cootie. Men han den som vill? Konserten finns utgiven i Trumpet in Spades. Uttrycket har många skrev även ett concerto för , sin helhet på Ember 2001 (LP). bottnar. I ett amerikanskt slanglexikon nämligen Trumpet In Spades, med under- Sista gången vi hittar numret i Elling- finner man att begreppet ”spade” är ett titeln Rex’s Concerto. Den rönte emeller- tons diskografi är från en radioutsänd- nedsättande uttryck för en mycket mörk tid inte samma framgång som Cootie’s ning den 28 juli 1945 från State Theatre afroamerikan. Samtidigt innebär ”in spa- version. Senare skulle emellertid Rex i Hartford, Ct. Sändningen ingick i The des” något i högsta grad förstklassigt. Stewart få stor framgång med sin Boy Treasury Shows och finns utgiven på Spades betyder även spader, en av kort- Meets Horn. DETS Vol. 9 (Storyville 903 9009). I och lekens svarta färger. Vi vet att under de Trumpet in Spades spelades in för med att Rex Stewart senare lämnade många resorna Ellingtons orkester gjorde Brunswick den 17 juli 1936, (tillsammans bandet så har naturligtvis numret för- under åren fördrevs ofta tiden med kort- med ett annat concerto för Lawrence svunnit ur Ellingtons repertoar. spel. Ett populärt spel var Tonk men tro- Brown, Yearning For Love). Rex får na- ligen spelade man även Bridge. I Bridge turligtvis allt soloutrymmet och brilje- kan man välja en trumffärg, på engelska rar med snabba passager och sin ”half ”trump”. Trumpet in Spades kan således valve” teknik. Men numret tycks alludera till ”Trump in Spades”. I inte ha rönt någon större upp- det segregerade amerikanska skattning och det tycks inte samhället ansågs en person ha framförts av Ellington med en droppe afroameri- särskilt ofta. I program- kanskt blod för afroame- met inför Ellingtons rikan oavsett hudfärg. konsert i Carnegie Därav kom uttrycket Hall den 23 januari ”call a spade a spade”. 1943 finns numret D.v.s. en afroameri- listat men det tycks kan är alltid en afroa- inte ha framförts. merikan och i vidare I programmet har mening att saker varje annonserat skall alltid kallas för nummer beskrivits vad de rätteligen är. och om Trumpet in ”Spade” betyder ock- Spades kan följande så spade på svenska läsas: ”In his career och i svensk vokabulär as a brilliant brass-man har uttrycket direkt över- with Ellington, Rex Ste- satts till ”kalla en spade för wart has developed a uni- en spade”, men det är ändå que technic on his instrument en viss förenkling av uttryckets which is exemplified in this piece. egentliga mening. I svenskt språk- By depressing the valve of his trum- bruk förekommer även uttrycket ”få pet halfway, Stewart produces a strangu- spader” i betydelsen ”bli tokig”. Om det lated, expressive sound which is usually har någon anknytning till engelskans ”in associated with mechanical mutes or a Gunther Schuller är inte alltför impo- spades” är emellertid oklart. plunger. Many trumpeters have imitated nerad av numret. I sin bok The Swing Era I sammanhanget kan det vara intres- without real success, the effects that Ste- skriver han: “Trumpet in Spades, a rather sant att notera att Ellingtons komposi- wart produces in such a piece as this.” empty display piece for Rex Stewart, ba- tion Merry-Go-Round hade två alternati- Vid Ellingtons nästkommande kon- sed on the old Tiger Rag. With its mind- va titlar, nämligen Ace of Spades och King sert i Carnegie Hall den 11 december less virtuosity, akin to the florid cornet of Spades. Man kan även notera att det ti- 1943 får Rex emellertid presentera sitt solos popular in concert band park con- digt i jazzens historia fanns orkestrar där nummer. Framförandet är i stort iden- certs, it manages upon almost every cli- uttrycket ”spades” förekom, t.ex. Louis tiskt med Brunswickinspelningen men ché of the genre. It is no wonder André Mitchell’s Seven Spades. Duke inleder numret med en presenta- Hodeir called it “detestable”. Besides, Bo Haufman

18 Några intressanta skivor

Boom-jackie-boom-chick marknaden återutgav Impulse-skivan, storband, där bl.a. svensken Johan Hör- nu med ett extranummer tillagt. I februa- lén ingår. Det är intressant att notera vil- Efter att Duke Ellington avslutat sin ri i år gav Jazz Messengers ut skivan igen ka melodier som spelas; Hey Baby, Let the och orkesterns Europaturné i februari med hela fem extranummer, alla Elling- Zoomers Drool, I like Singing, Just a Gentle 1963 stannade Ellington kvar i Paris och tonrelaterade kompositioner. Självklart Word From You Will Do, Introspection, Kiki, gjorde ett antal inspelningar för Reprise, fick man intrycket att det fanns hittills Love Came, Kcor, I Must Be Mad. Flera av bl.a. med Alice Babs. Orkestern fick le- okända extratagningar från Impulse-in- dessa titlar är okända för de flesta av oss, digt och man tog sig på olika vägar hem spelningen och gladligen beställer man men vi vet ju att både Ellington och St- till USA. Paul Gonsalves gjorde ett stopp skivan. Man blir dock en aning besviken rayhorn komponerade åtskillig musik, i London på vägen hem och gjorde där när man får hem den och konstaterar att som de aldrig framförde eller spelade en inspelning med några lokala musiker. de fem extranumren inte härstammar in. Den som vill veta mer om skivan får LPn gavs ut 1964 på märket Vocalion, från Impulse utan är Coleman Hawkins i all information på http://zohomusic.com/ troligen i en begränsad upplaga och med andra sammanhang. Falsk varubeckning cds_detail.php?cds_id=176. begränsad distribution. Undertecknad kan man säga, men man kan alltid njuta Bo Haufman har sökt skivan i alla år, men aldrig lyck- av Hawkins i alla situationer så pengar- ats finna den till acceptabelt pris. Jazz na var ändå inte helt bortkastade. Messengers kommer nu med en återut- Department Extranumren var: The Star-Crossed givning kopplad med Fantasy-skivan Lovers, 26 oktober 1969. Just Squeeze Me, of Useless ”Gettin’ Together!”. Paul Gonsalves var 10 december 1962. (med bl.a. Clark Ter- en underbar tenorist, särskilt när han Information ry). Perdido, December 1955. (med bl.a. fick spela ballader. I ”Boom-jacki-boom- Vår systerförening i Toronto använ- Rex Stewart och ). Satin Doll, chick” (ett underligt namn) får han allt der sig av denna rubrik i sitt mars/ 15 augusti 1962 (med bl.a. Roy Eldridge utrymme och får verkligen tillfälle att april-nummer för en notis med föl- och Johnny Hodges). Take The “A” Train, vissa sina färdigheter. En helt underbar jande innehåll: 5 februari 1962. platta för den som gillar Paul Gonsalves ”According to the Tom Lord on och det gör vi väl alla. line discography the Ellington/Ti- Dial & Oatts, Rick Derosa & zol composition Caravan has been Duke Ellington Meets Coleman WDR Big Band recorded 1801 times by many dif- Hawkins Den här CDn (Zoho Music ZM201707) ferent bands and orchestras inclu- har jag inte avlyssnat, men har observerat ding Ellington’s. 1312 1963 gav Impulse ut LP-skivan med den pga titeln ”Rediscovered Ellington – times. ovanstående titel. En fantastisk skiva New Takes on Duke’s rare and unheard There are 3427 (or so) jazz com- med Coleman Hawkins enda framträ- Music”. WDR står för West Deutscher positions based on the form and dande tillsammans med Duke Ellington. Rundfunk och är ett modernt inriktat harmonies (Contrefacts) of George När CD-skivan gjorde sitt inträde på Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm. What would jazz musicians have done for Duke arrived late at one up to the microphone and apologized material if Gershwin hadn’t writt- Jazz of his concerts. The Or- with the words: ten I Got Rhythm and Lady Be Good? umour chestra had started to – I’m sorry, but if you had seen her, (Source: Rifftides blog by Doug H play without him. He went you would understand. Ramsey, March 13, 2018)”.

19 Posttidning B

Duke Ellington Society of Sweden c/o Leif Jönsson, Anbudsvägen 15 187 50 TÄBY

Duke KALLELSE! Ellington

Duke Ellington Society of Sweden hälsar sina medlemmar Society välkomna till medlemsmöte måndagen den 17 september. of Sweden, DESS PLATS: ISSN 1400-8831 Franska Skolans aula, DESS Döbelnsgatan 3, Stockholm. c/o Leif Jönsson Portkod för kvällen: 1709. Anbudsvägen 15, 187 50 TÄBY Entrén öppen från kl. 17.00. 08-510 503 14, 0706-22 88 16 Entréavgift: 100:- i kontanter. [email protected] Redaktionsgrupp: Bo Haufman, Thomas Harne, Lars Björkman, Claes Brodda, Andreas Andersson (layout) Hemsida: forskningsarbete kring dessa mu- www.ellington.se sikers levnad och verksamhet. Hur det gick till berättar Bo om. Facebook: Duke Ellington Society of Sweden 18.30-19.00 – PAUS med möjlighet E-postadress: till mingel och inköp av öl/vin 30:- [email protected] och wraps 40:-. Obs! Endast kontan- ter eller Swish. Bankgiro: 211-3207 PROGRAM: 19.00-20.30 – FILMTAJM. Diverse PayPal account: olika jazzfilmer kommer att visas. [email protected] En del kända, andra mindre kända. 17.30-18.30 – Bo Lindström, inter- International Bank nationellt känd författare, berättar Tidsangivelserna är ungefärliga. Account om bakgrunden till sin uppmärk- IBAN: SE95 6000 0000 0002 8408 3992 sammade bok om Tommy Ladnier BIC: HANDSESS och om sin nya bok om den tidige DESS medlemsavgift Fletcher Henderson-trombonisten NÄSTA MÖTE: Per kalenderår inom George Brashear. Tillsammans med sin medförfattare Dan Vernhettes Nästa gång vi ses är den 26 novem- Norden: 250 kr har Bo lagt ner ett imponerande ber på samma plats. Membership outside of Scandinavia: annual fee USD 40

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