Zolz, Ancang 2S Ever Influenced Me," Said Lawrence

Home , Irving Mills, Norris Turney

ffi BULLETIN NR 2, APRIL zolz, AncANG 2s ever influenced me," said Lawrence. "I think the two greatest influences in the Lau)rence BroT,t)n music of this cenfury were Armstrong for his melodic style and Paul Whiteman by Steve Voce for making a complete change in band style away from the symphony and the This profile Tt)as originally published in the April2015 issue dance band." Brown remained in Louis's backing of the UK publication, lazz lournal. band at the club until Lawrence had an It is with kind permission of Steae Voce and lazz lournal argument with Armstrong's managet, (jazzjournal.co.uk) that we reprint the article here: who had called a rehearsal for Easter Sunday. Lawrence had visited his pa- Lawrence Brown, the most majestic and rents every Sunday, refused to change, at the same time the most gutbucket of and so he left the band. the top rank of trombonists, became a The Ellington band was in towry and Ir- giant on the instrument and hero to the ving Mills, who heard Lawrence playing multitude of jazz trombonists who sub- at the western Cotton Club in the spring sequently absorbed his influence. of \932, drew Duke's attention to the sten- When Brown joined the Duke Elling- torian trombonist. Mills took Ellington to ton Orchestra in 1932, he changed not listen, and shortly afterwards Duke asked only Ellington's music, but the whole Lawrence to join his band. Lawrence stay- approach to jazztrombone playing. Until ed for L9 years this first time. his appearance only a few trombonists, Brown brought a richness to the trom- like Jimmy Harrison, Jack Teagarden bone section that contrasted with the and J. C. Higginbotham, had managed primitive growls of Tricky Sam, and to break free from the circus-type noises Lawrence soon became a section leader which had been accepted as the horn's who inspired devotion from the Duke's metier. These three had given the trom- trombonists for almost 40 years. But bone a new eloquence and had dispen- in the early days his was regarded as a sed with the very basic role developed controversial voice in the band. The en- for the instrument by the earlier New trepreneur John Hammond loved giving Orleans players like Kid Ory and Honore advice (when Rex Stewart chose not to Dutrey. Brownbrought to the instrument take some of it, Rex claimed that Ham- another kind of eloquence, based on a mond had Rex's career impaired. I think sweetness and purity of tone which he the phrase that Rex used when telling me introduced to jazz. Later, too, he became this was "black-listed"). Hammond said one of the best blues players on his in- of Brown: "He is a soloist who doesn't strument. respect the rudiments of orchestral PIay- Born in Lawrence, Kansas, on 3 August ing. Constantly he pushes himself to the L907, Lavtrence was given a strict up- cello? I wanted abig, broad tone, not the foreground. In any other orchestra no bringing by his fathet a church minister. raspy tone of tailgate." objection would be raised. But Duke's Lawrence sfudied music and. medicine at A trombone solo Brown played on a group is very properly the voice of one Pasadena Junior College but left n 1927 Lg26broadcast from Pasadena was heard man and that gent is not Mr Brown." to become a professional musician. His by the evangelistAimee Semple McPher- During the British tourby the Ellington father was furious about this. "Either be- sorL and led to his playing in her Los band in June and ]uly 1933, English fans have yourself and quit disgracing me/ or Angeles temple. " After I began playing were outraged when Lawrence played get out!" Lawrence got out. His father was professionally," Lawrence said, "the mu- his instrumental version of. Trees. Tlis convinced that he would end up in jail. sician I liked was Miff Mole. His work was an early example of iazzballad Play- To Whilst still a young man Lawrence had was very artistic and technical. get the ing, and the audiences weren't readY mastered several instruments - piano, smoothness I wanted, I tried to round for it, raised as they were on stomps of tuba, violin and saxophone. Duke Elling- the tone too muctL instead of keeping it Bigard and Hodges and the growls of ton recalled him as being a gifted violi- thin. Mine, to my regre! has become too ticky Sam and Cootie. On the other nist in his early days, playing romantic smooth." hand Lawrence's major impact on the music as he wandered from table to table He worked with local bands and in music fraternity was in the speed and serenading the diners in a Los Angeles 1929he recorded half a dozen sides with accuracy of his playing, rather than the restaurant. Paul Howard's Quality Serenaders and more languorous stuff. He tried to model his trombone sound he was soon swept into the house band The band recorded the first version of on that of the cello. "It was my own idea" that backed Louis Armstrong at the Los Sophisticated Lady in September L932.It's he said. "Why can't you play the melody Angeles Cotton Club. a song that appears to have been written on the trombone just as sweet as on the "Louis was the only musician who partly by Lawrence and partly by Otto

4 Hardwick. It became an eminent piece in sume that he didn't get on too well with suppress it properly." Eventually the bo- the Ellington library, with Duke taking the trumpetel, either. On the other hand redom persuaded him to resign. He re- credit as its composer. he remained close friends with Johnny ceived another call from Ellington, and In conversation with Patricia Willard, Hodges, Rex Stewart and Juan Tizol over went back into the band rn1960. who was always closer to the Ellingto- the years. He remained a melancholy mary un- nians than most other band associates, Re>; always a sensitive judge of charac- convinced of his talents as a jazz mu- Lawrence said: "I got the terrific cheque te4, gave a vibrant description of Lawrence: sician. "I cart't play jazz like the other of $15 for writing Sophisticated Lady." "He was a handsome man, always imma- guys in the band," he told me. "A11 the "Have you ever gotten composer cre- culately dressed. And his personal life bore others can improvise good solos without dits," Patricia asked. "No, no. That che- no relation to the image his horn convey- a second thought. I'm not a good im- que cancels you out," said Lawrence. ed. He neither drank nor smoked, he used proviser." He was totally wrong in this "You never knew when you had a good neither slang nor profaniff; and he seldom assessment, as innumerable jam session coming number on your hands. So in fact bothered to smile. Thafs the Lawrence recordings prove. we didn't even care. We were just doing Broum we used to call'Rev'." (Lawrence's Lawrence finally refired in 1970 with something that we wanted to do." other nickname was The Deacon). the typically morose remark: "You have Cootie Williams was more explicit. Tricky Sam with his double muted style to realise that being popular is nowadays "No. He had bought the song. All of us was a major part of the Ellington arsenal, more important than producing anything used to sell songs to him for $25. Some of and when he died on 20luly 1946, Duke of value." His retirement was not volun- the fellows in later years, they sued him. sought out successors in the style. They tary. After more than 30 years of fury But I didn't do it. No. I believed in if I sold included Tyree Glenn (Duke's favou- with Ellington things had finally come to a person something and he paid for it, I rite of all the plunger wielders), Quentin a climax and the two menhad had a fight didn't believe in going back, you know, jackson and Booty Wood. Eventually, in a European airport. Ellington knocked and saying I didn't mean it that way. So I when Lawrence rejoinded the band in out two of Brown's front teeth and he let it go. It was fun then you know. I got May 1960, and Booty Wood left in Octo- was never able to play again. a lot of experience doing things like that. ber that yea4 Duke called on Lawrence During the Seventies, he worked in a And it was a pleasure, you know, to have to take over Tricky's role. Brown's trom- business consultancy and took part in the band play back your song." bone depended on a precisely blown Richard Nixon's presidential campaign. Lawrence told Patricia Willard "Iplay- and delicate lip technique. He hated Before his final retiremenf he took up a Duke even more for making him take ed a solo on Once in AIMile and Johnny post with the Hollywood branch of the Hodges with his litte inventive self was up Tricky's style and always maintained American musicians' union. always inventing something. Always gi- that he'd destroyed his embouchure by Several attempts were made by people ving somethirg to somebody. He come making these unorthodox demands on to persuade Lawrence to take up the up on I Let A Song. That's an obligato his lip. Thebuzz mute and plunger ten- trombone again after he left Ellington. of the melody of Once ln A \Mile. And ded to make the playing sharp or flat. "When I finally left Duke i' he said, "I what's that other tune? Don't Get Around Wheru in L951,, Duke finally stood up called to see my second wife in Cleve- Much Anymore. Johnny Hodges, that's an- to johnny Hodges demands for more mo- land on my way back home to California. other one of the fellows that never recei- ney and refused him, Johrury left, taking I left my trombone behind her rocking ved near what he should have." drummmer Sorury Greer and Lawrence chair. As far as I know, it's still there. It The Ellington band was famous for Brown with him to form his own small can stay there." its feuds, which lasted over many years. band. The Hodges band was very suc- Mark Tucker tracked Lawrence down Lawrence had two significant ones, ra- cessful and Lawrence's bucketing blues in the spring of L985 when the trombonist rely speaking to Barney Bigard ot, after playing matched the powerful solos of the was living with his brother Harold in a the late '30s, to Ellington himself, except leader for drive and swing. Brown stayed less prosperous part of Los Angeles. Mark when he had to sort out his parts in the with the band until it broke up in L955. descibed him as being gloomy and bitter, music. He thought Ellington was an ego- jobs in the recording studios of New two qualities that I had myself found ear- maniac. "An exploiter of men," he told York, although boring, were very well lier in the trombonist over the years. Mark Tucker. He described the Ellington paid and extremely hard to get. On lea- He diedinlosAngeles on5 September 1988. manager Irving Mills as " a skunk of the ving Hodges, Lawrence was lucky to take lowest orde{' and a "con bastard." He over trombonist Warren Covington's post (Vad det gciller uppgiften i artikeln oaan in the studios of the Columbia Broad- despised Ellington's attitude to money om att Sophisticnted Lady spelade in forsta and what he saw as Duke's financial casting System when Warren resigned. gdngen i september 1932 sd aar datumet At first Lawrence loved the work, parti- exploitation of his musicians. A major den 21 i mdnaden dd numret spelades in for friction over the years was Ellington's cularly since it meant that he could take RCA-Victor, men bolaget brydde sig inte om Wash- jobs in the evenings. association with the actress Fredi iazz att ge ut inspelningen. Den 15 februsri L933 ington at a time when Lawrence was "There's a peculiar thing about stu- spelades numret in i New York for engelskn briefly married to her in the late'30s. dio musiciarLs," said Lawrence. "They Columbia och kam alltsd europeiskn skiakb- If it is accepted that Lawrence once, all sound alike. They're great musicians pare till del fore de ameriknnskn. Den ameri- during a performance, chased Cat An- and any one can sit in another's chair kanska publiken fick arinta tills Brunswickin- derson across the stage in front of the and it doesn't change a thing at all. My spelningen frdn den 15 maj 1933 kom ut pd assembled audience, then we can as- sound was too individual, and I couldn't marknaden. - Red.) Minsynpd Lawrence BroTnns lia ochlurri(ir kar som att det ganska snart utveckla- laghar lrist det mesta som skriaits des en osiimja mellan de bAda. Roten i bokform om Duke Ellington till denna misshallighet torde vara och med det man ocksd och i fdr en kvinna vid namn Fredi Washing- inhdmta en hel del information om ton. Hon var dansos pA Cotton Club mdnniskorna runt Duke Ellington och medverkade i filmen Black And och da i synnerhet hans medmusi- Tan som Ellington spelade in 1929. kanter. AIIa dessa musiker tycks Brown och Fredi Washington gifte sig 1933 men skildes nAgra Ar senare. aarn personligheter som njot aa Brown skyllde detta iiktenskapliga sitt lia som musiker och srirskilt misslyckande pA Ellington. Tydligen uppsknttade att spela med Duke hade Washington och Ellington haft Ellington. De flesta aa dem hade en relation fore iiktenskapets ingAen- ndgon form aa smeknamn, som i de och Brown har antytt att Ellington mdnga fall kom att uppfattas som uppriittholl denna relation dven efter Det har dven pAstAtts att derns egentliga namn, t.ex. Bub- giftermAlet. Washington ingick iiktenskapet med ber, Cootie, Toby, Shorty, Cadillac Brown enbart for att gora Ellington tilldelades m.fl. Larnrence Brown svartsjuk. Det misslyckade iiktenska- aldrig ndgot smeknamn. pet torde utgora grunden for misshm- jan mellan Brown och Ellington, men Han omndmns ibland som "The Deart", as I felt. Then I got deeper into it and fanns. men det var aldrig nAgot tilltalsnamn. found out it was a business, and rotten fler anledningar Namnet kan civersiittas till "Prosten" och business, and I resented that. .... I got Det iir ett kiint faktum att Ellington an- det var kanske sA mAnga sAg honom. I disgusted and music has come to mean v?inde sig av musikaliska id6er skapade arkiven hittar man mdngder av bilder pA nothing but a job to me." HArda ord frAn av hans orkestermedlemmar. Han ut- Lawrence Browry men jag har aldrig hit- en uppskattad jazzmusikel, men upPen- vecklade id6erna och uppgav sedan sitt tat nAgon bild diir han ser glad ut. Inte barligen frAn en luttrad man. eget namn som kompositor. Ofta tillsam- ens sd mycket som ett leende kan jag er- Trots sin musikaliska kapacitet motte mans med Irving Mills. johnny Hodges inra mig attjagsett. Men sdkert finns det han olika motg6ngar i livet och han ver- och Cootie Williams blev i hog grad ut- sAdana bilder. Rex Stewart har dock be- kar aldrig ha varit helt nojd med sin situ- nyttjade pA detta siitt. Lawrence Brown kriiftat att han siillan sAg honom le eller ation. Mycket av detta missnoje bottnade har antytt att det var hans musikaliska skratta. Lawrence Brown dr for mig ett sdkerligen i hans egen karaktlir men ytt- id6 som lAg till grund for Sophisticated psykologiskt mysterium. Det vilar ndgot re omsthndigheter spelade ocksA in. Ef- Lady rrrenatt han aldrig fick nAgot erkiin- av tragik over hans liv och karriiir. Han ter att ha forsokt smdlta allt som skrivits nande for detta. Niir Columbia gav ut var en renlevnadsman. Han drack inte om Brown stiiller man sig frAgan om han Sophisticated Lady var Lawrence Browry och rokte inte. Niir de ovriga i bandet var en lycklig miinniska. Man har anled- Otto Hardwick och Duke Ellington an- drack sprit och kanske dven rokte ma- ning tvivla. givna som kompositoreq, viket de rdt- utgAvor visade rijuana drack Brown CocaCola. Barney Lawrence Brown engagerades av El- teligen var. Men senare "grumpy" ensam kompositor. An- Bigard beskrev honom som i lington 1932.Irving Mills p6stAr att det Ellington som re- sdgs vara att Ellington kopte betydelsen vresig och butter. Under var han som gjorde Ellington uppmiirk- ledningen for att senare sorna fordrevs ofta tiden med kortspel sam pA Browns existens och kapacitet. ut Brown och Hardwick ensam kompositor. och det existerar faktiskt en bild diir man Ellington liir ha halsat Brown med or- kunna skylta som har senare uttryckt sig kan se Brown delta i spelet trots att det den: "I never knew you, I never met Lawrence Brown om Ellingtons kapacitet pAstAs att han aldrig spelade kort. you, I never heard you. But Irving says mycket kritiskt som kompositor och beskrivit honom Stanley Dance har i sin bok "The World get you, so that's that." Kanske inte den "compiler" i for "composer". of Duke Ellington" (Charles Scribner's biista starten i bandet. MAnga kritiker som stiillet Sons, New York) ett liingre kapitel om var tveksamma till Browns intriide i or- Vi betraktar Lawrence Brown som en Lawrence Brown som baseras pA en in- kestern och menade att hans stil inte pas- av jazzens fcirniimsta tromboniste{, men tervju. Kapitlet beskriver Browns karrili{, sade Ellington. Men fel hade dom. Till- Brown sjiilv var aldrig helt nojd med sina sAg men ett avsnitt avslojar hur Brown sammans med Joe Nanton och Juan Tizol prestationer. Han sAg sig inte sjdlv som pA musiken i den amerikanska under- bildade Brown en trombontrio som gAtt en improvisator och sdger sjiilv att hans hAllningsindustrin: "When I was attrac- till historien. Ellington utnyttjade omgA- solon alltid var forhandspreparerade. ted to music in the beginning there were ende Brown som solist och ny fiirgklick Det ligger sdkert ett stort mAtt av san- no commercial challenges and I played pA sin musikaliska palett. Men det ver- ning i detta, for faktum iir att han som re-

6 gel spelar sina solon ndstan identiskt lika ershttare for honom och Brown sAg troli- ikliida sig den ovana rollen som wa-wa- som t. ex. i Rose of the Rio Grande. Men i gen Granz erbjudande som en mojlighet trombonist. Det visar sig att han klarar iirlighetens namn skall siigas att det var att fA ldmna Ellington utan nAgon storre den rollen mycket bra, men sjiilv var han nAgot som han inte var ensam om. Pu- ekonomisk uppoffring. aldrig nojd med den. Han menade att det bliken vdntade sig att ett kdnt solo skulle Lawrence Brown spelade i Hodges nya spelsdttet pAverkade hans embochu- spelas pA samma sdtt som det gjordes pA band nAgra 6r, men niir Hodges lade re, dvs ldpparnas styrka och smidighef skiva. Lawrence Browns solon frAn mit- ner bandet och Aterviinde till fadershu- och forsAmrade hans formAga att spela ten av 1930-talet iir fyllda av en entusi- set fick Brown ett engagemang i CBS traditionell trombon. Men om man lyss- asm for att inte siiga gliidje. Hans solo- studioorkester i New York. En attrak- nar pA hans ofta framforda Do Nothin' framtrddanden frAn slutet 1940-talet och tiv syssla for mAnga jazzrnuslke{, som i Till You Hear From Me ochl.ex. Minnie The hans andra sejour i bandet dr alla super- princip innebar ett 9-5 jobb och ddrmed Mo o cher frAn Atlantic-LPn " Recollections ba och vackra, men de saknar den entu- gav mojlighet att spela med andra band of the Big Band Era" inser man vilken siasm och sniirtighet som kiinnetecknade pA kviillstid. I Leif Andersons intervju fAr fantastisk trombonist Lawrence Brown hans tidigaste framtrddanden. vi veta mer om detta och anledningen till var dven inom detta gebit. Trots friktionen med Ellington stanna- att det engagemanget upphorde. De personliga antipatierna mellan de Brown kvar i orkestern. En anledning I maj 1960 blev Brown AteranstAlld Brown och Ellington tycks dock inte ha kan ha varit att nojesindustrin i USA av Ellington. I skenet av vad som tidi- lagt sig och katastrofen inttiiffade 1970. kiinde av 1930-talets depression. Arbets- gare hant undrar man varfor Brown Det pAstAs att de bAda rAkade i dispyt tillfiillena for musiker hade minskat och Atog sig arbetet. Kan det ha varit en sd- och Ellington liir ha blivit sA uppretad att det kan ha bidragit till att Brown tvinga- ker inkomstkiilla som var avgorande? han utdelade ett kraftigt slag som slog ut des bita i det sura iipplet och stanna kvar Kunde han inte ha f6tt ett motsvarande tvA framtiinder pA Brown och omojlig- i orkesterry ddr han ju trots allt hade en jobb hos nAgon av de andra storbands- gjorde allt framtida spelande. Incidenten forhAllandevis god lon. Han var inte hel- ledarna? FrAgorna iir mAnga. Niir Booty dr omndmnd i flera bocker. Med vetskap ler den typ av musiker som hade ambi- Wood ldmnade orkestern i december om vad Ellington var for sorts mdnniska tionen att leda en egen orkester. 1960 fanns ingen sjiilvklar eftertriidare har man svArt att ta till sig denna hdn- Brown stannade kvar i orkestern iinda som growltrombonist. Ellington forsokte delse. Om det dr en skrona eller ej forso- fram till 7951,. DA kom Norman Granz med Matthew Gee, Louis Blackburn och ker Roger Boyes utreda i sin artikel "TWo in som en rdddande iingel. Han lockade Leon Cox, men ingen av dem levde upp Front Teeth" i denna Bulletin. bort Johnny Hodges, Sonny Greer och till Ellingtons krav. Han vdnde sig dA Sista dagen for Lawrence Brown i El- Lawrence Brown frAn Ellington for att till Browry som till slut tog pA sig rollen lingtons band iir den 7 januari 1970 de lansera dom i en mindre grupp under som growltrombonist av typ Joe "Tricky man spelar in ett antal nummer for Fanta- Hodges ledning. Hodges hade uppen- Sam" Nanton. Skall man tro att Ellington sy Records. Bl.a. spelas bluesen Tippytoe- barligen onskemAl om biittre ekonomisk fick betala ett pris for detta? Lawrence ing Through The lungle Garden diir Brown ersdttning, vilket han tydligen nu kunde Brown hade fram till dess i hela sin kar- spelar ett solo over tvA korus. Han spelar fA. Sonny Greer hade vissa problem med riiir spelat oppen trombon med Tommy sjiilvklart vackert men utan entusiasm. alkoholen och Ellington fick ofta kalla in Dorsey som forebild. Nu mdste han Dagen efter pAborjar orkestern en ldngre turn6 till Fjiirran Ostern och Australien. Flera trotjlinare viiljer att inte folja med och sA dven Lawrence Brown. I och med detta steg llimnar han musiken for gott. Inspelningar for Fantasy iir de sista han gor i sin musikaliska karriiir. For att ytterligare spegla Lawrence Browns karriiir Aterges Steve Voces mycket insiktsfulla levnadsbeskrivning over Lawrence Browry och Leif "Smoke Rings" Andersons intervju ger ytterligare en bild av en jazzens stora trombonis- ter. I Benny Astunds efterldmnade sam- lingar har vi dven funnit ett brev som Brown skrev till Al Hibbler, vilket likale- des Aterges har. Brevet ger en bild av en luttrad man som tycks framleva sitt liv under relativt knappa omstiindigheter. Enligt vissa uppgifter skall Lawrence Brown 1980 ha medverkat i en kiind film - The Competition - men i vilken kapacitet lir inte kdnt.

Bo Haufman

7 ry once in a while is a sort of a pleasure. "Smoke Rings" LA: The other boys in the band, the old Leif ones, I think they feel much the same as you do about meeting old friends. Anderson interviewing LB: Yes, that is one part but as far as the band is concerned you see they are much older now. And the things that Lawrence Brown didn't bother you when you were young seem to bother you now. Such things as having to ride in busses seven or eight On February 7, 1963, Duke Ellington and his Orchestra hours, hundreds of miles and staying performed in Sutedish TV and while they Tt)ere rehearsing for the up all hours, it's sort of makes you feel a little bit different now show the most popular Swedish Ellingtonfan, LA: But you still look much the same as " a chat Lawrence Brown. Leif Smoke Rings" Anderson, had with you did in1939. rNhen one is struck by Lawrence Brown's listening to the interaiew LB: Otu that's make up. aoice, almost as beautiful aery sonor and beautrf"l LA: Well, Lawrence, knowing how much as his trombone sound. Here follows their conuersation: you have to do we won't keep you longer. We thank you so much and hope we Leif Anderson: Glad to have you here LA: When you were away from the will see you soon back in Sweden again. Lawrence. band, what did You do then? LB: Thank you very much and I love Lawrence Brown: I'm very glad to be LB: Well, the first part, I was away al- coming to Sweden. A very wonderful here in Sweden again. most ten years, and the first four years country. Thanks all of you. LA: It's been a long time. or so I went with lohnny Hodges and his LA: Let's hope we'll have some better small gr:up'we had a little group about LB: well, I was over a couple of years weather next time. LB: Oh, well, we have the same thing in agowithlohnnyHodges ffiiflffiil:lj':il:Ilf^1:##i New York so I can't complain. We can't LA: Oh, yes. The Ellington All Stars. and played two or three shows onBroad- do anything about that. way for a while and then I went into CBS LB: Yes, a few days. staff for about four years and a half. LA: You were away for several years but . .r LA:r a At^ that time you didn't travel much' when did you get back to Duke ,.;i;-" r-"r you located in New york all the permanentry? were time. LB: Well, I came back about the first part LB: Not in the last five or six years. ofJune 7960. LA: How come you did go back? LA: So you've been back almost three years now. LB: Well, you see they have what they call efficiency experts in the studios. At LB: Almost three years, yes. that particular time most of the shows LA: I've been watching the band for se- were changing over from live music to veral days now on your Scandinavian tapes and in taping you don't need near- tour. How can you stand this pace? Is it ly the number of men. In a live show one love of music or is it the good physical man can only do one show a day. When stamina that is the main thing to have? taping, one man can tape one show in LB: Well I would say it is mostly getting the morning and tape another show in used to routines. We do the same things the afternoon and different things like in the States. that. It is an efficiency mood. LA: All the time? LA: Being away for a so long time, was LB: One-nighters and moving all the it hard to adjust yourself to going back? time and you finally get sort of used to it, LB: No, no I've. On the road? although it's very hard and I would say LA: Yes that it cuts your efficiency down quite a bit. You are not capable when you have LB: Yes, it was very hard adjusting back to strain all the time. Every once in a to the routine of the road. Yet the road while we'llhave to stop and ask what do has sort of a romantic atmosphere also. we do. Because no day is any different, The changing of towns and meeting of any hour is any different. Naturally we old friends that you know all over the loose track. country. Getting around to see them eve-

8 then the men would take choruses, and back to the original strain. This constitu- Lautr ence BroT,on' s letter ted a new piece; send it in to the office, they would putt a title on i! and so a new Some of the late Benny Aslund's archiaes are in the hands of hit is born! rnas DESS and when going thru them an interesting letter found. The idea Im trying to convey is this is It is a letter written by Larnrence Broutn addressed to Al Hibbler. the way that too many of the tunes were It is not dated, but the contents make us belieae it was written done, and when we would hear them la- te1, we couldnt even remember the ori- during the early part of the 1980s. Lawrence Brown left the Ellington gin or the name! That is what happened orchestra in lanuary 1979 qnd neaer to play his trombone again. in the last part of that tape! I have no way He then worked as a business consultant brtre tuking up a job of knowing what those tunes were, because as I told you, I have very few re- Los with the Musicians Union in Angeles. He passed away in 1988. cords, and it has now been many years The letter below is rewritten exactly as utritten by Brown: ago that we played the tunes. I hear that there are a great number Dear Mr. Hibbler: become so bad and dangerous that I just of re-editions of most of the music we Greetings and salutations, and a mil- gave it all up! made. I havent had any interest in these lion thanks for those wonderful tapes I did not have a reel- to reel tape player; things because the "Head men" in these that you sent me! the only person that had one that I could affairs had the contracts drawn up so use, was my cousin, and he lives in Pasa- I must apologize for not answering be- that the men got nothing from the fruits dena. Then the Gas situation fixed it so fore now, but since I am no longer wor- of their labot, and it all goes in the pock- that doing a lot of traveling has been un- king at the Union, I dont have access to ets of those in the office. the people that had the recording equip- certain. Therefore I have only heard the As you probably know, our number ment. I guess I had better explain a little Tapes once, and when I did hear them I has dwindled to avery, very few.I never clearer. was elated! contact anyone except those that are li- The tapes of the broadcast was great! Up until about a year ago,I was em- ving here in L.A., so I hope that will help It contained some numbers that I have ployed as a recording agent, and my job to let you know how much I appreciate been looking some time! That was to go around to the various studios for for hearing from the wonderful friends like speedy number was the one we played and see that the sessions were being run you and Bob Arnold. I shall never forget all thru the Near-east trip. I hadnt heard according to Union rules. I developed you and thank you for your friendship it since the trip! That adlib solo I played this Hip ailment the result was I finally and loyalty. I hope that both you and on the first part of the tape was my ver- had to have a operation of a Hip-repla- your families have good health and stay sion of Creole Rhapsody. cement. This, together with Hernias and huppy. Prostate, made me have three operations You must remember that we did many, Again Thanks a million and I would and all on the right side, and they did many recording sessions, and many ti- love to hear from you when you have a them all behind each other. mes we went into the studio unprepared few moments to spare. The tapes were The result was, it all left me unable and without enough pieces to fill out the the very best!! Please excuse the poor at- to get around, in and out of my caq, so I session; therefore we would make up tempt at typing, I have to hunt and peck!. was unable to continue my work; I had numbers right on the spur of the mo- to semi-retire. Time for healing etc. has ment. We would take a theme, play it for Always Yours, so far kept me from working, and at the eight bars, repeat it, then put some sort Lawrence Brown same time conditions in Union work has of middle, then repeat the first eight bars,

Reading the sboae letter, one ' ' .' ' "'" 'i;'; ; - '.' cannot help wondering what *ii....' :.i A i! 51ta medlemmnl' ;; word from 0ur sponsor tapes Al Hibbler did send to DESS halsar foljande l'" nya ',,r Lswrence Brornn. medlemmar vdlkomna i vAr The impression a reader gets is illustra forening: UURAP$0il$ thut it could possibly emanate Thomas Petersson, a concert during the Middle Stockholm Wrops, fro* East Tour in 1"953. Maybe some Gustav Lindqvist, solloder och of our readers haue ideqs? Oskarstrom colering DESS behover fler medlemmar. :, ::, Jiillegotl-Jiittesnobbt Inspirera Dina vdnner l';:t:,t och ,:. ,,;ri:!:: Bo Haufman ,ni,,,,, ... " -l att ocksa -"0: : *hi*'rtanta "*u F'ifr Ei4iifi;;1i1,0 *'wr'ps'ns'to*,,,;,1*1;;$it;'ifi ,rrar

9 Trno Front Teeth By Roger Boyes

In a lengtlty piece about Lnwrence Brown earlier this year, a regular contributor to lazz lournal had this to say about Lawrence's final departure from the band: "His retirement was not aoluntary. After more than 30 yenrs of frry rnith Ellington, things had finally come to a climnx and the two men had had a fiSht in a European airport. Ellington knocked out two of Brown's front teeth and he was neaer able to play again."

It is well known that there was no love lost down the years between Duke and Lawrence, and the usual reason given for the ill-feeling is Fredi Washingtory I went to all but one of the annual Lawrence in his usual place in the trom- the beautiful actress seen in the L930 film Ellington conferences between L988 and bone section. Not all the band took part Black And Tan. It has been said that Fre- 2000, where I heard many people's first- in the Fantasy sessiory but Lawrence did, di was Lawrence's wife, and that Duke experiences being with Duke and played on three tracks. Tippytoeing "stole" her from him. On the other hand, hand of and his musicians. I soon learned that ThroughThe Garden andNoon Mor- Ellington's most recent biographer as- lungle the personal relationship of Ellington ning are on Fantasy F-9640 "The Intima- serts that Lawrence married Fredi after and Brown was poor, but I don't recall cy Of The Blues". The Kissing Mist was the actress's affair with Duke was over. hearing the tale of the two front teeth. I unfinished. He solos on Tippytoeing. It This doesn't explain why their past in- used to jot down notes too, like an un- does not sound like the solo of a musici- volvement with her should sour the two at a lecture, when new in- an who has suffered the loss of two front men's relationship permanently, though dergraduate sights came my way. At Ottawa in 1990 teeth, rendering him never able to play Lawrence was undoubtedly a man to Kurt Dietrich, the acknowledged expert again. It sounds like Lawrence soloing in harbour grudges, and his marriage to on Duke's trombone players, gave a his usual way without impediment. Fredi did not succeed. The biographer hour-long presentation on Lawrence, but also tells the tale of the two front teeth, On 8 January the band closed at my jottings don't mention the story of though he locates the fight "backstage", Caesar's Palace, and Lawrence left at the teeth. (having rather than in a European airport. that point handed in his notice Nevertheless, Dietrich does tell the to quit in December). The band left to The tale of the teeth raises a few eye- story in his book Duke's Bones: "...dif- tour Japan, Australia and New Zealand brows among J] readers, mine included. ficult as it may be to believe, it is now on the following day. Lawrence obvious- For a start, it doesn't really seem in cha- common knowledge that Ellington pun- ly was not with them, but neither were racter with Ellingtory who went to great Brown in the mouth, knocking out Willie Cook, Paul Gonsalves, Paul Kond- l lengths to avoid conflict and stay cool. ched several teeth." Unfortunately the usually ziela andVictor Gaskiry all of whom also : The combustible Charles Mingus fa- I sheds no light on stayed back in the USA. mously punched jimmy Knepper in the meticulous Dietrich the source of this "common knowledge", (part2, teeth rn 1962, inflicting lasting damage, Ken Vail's Duke's Diary pp370- and the recent biographet, who defines but that wasn't really Ellington's way of 1), has reviews by Stanley Dance of the the "several" teeth as two, cites Dietrich, doing things. Also, why would he en- Caesar's Palace show and the Fantasy doesn't take us any further. He danger his star trombonist's ability to which session. Neither report suggests Lawren- also adds the assertion that Lawrence play, especially in late 1969? By then he ce was labouring under the sort of diffi- quit in December. The columnist as- was finding it hard to find suitable trom- JI culty which might be associated with the serts that after losing the two teeth "he bone players. He had recently lost Buster loss of front teeth in a punch-up, either was never able to play again", Coopeq, and now he was touring Europe at an airport or backstage. The latest pos- with only two, deploying Norris Turney A key date in this story rs 7 January sible date on which Duke and Lawrence from the reeds to play one of the three 1970. On this day Duke recorded for could have fought in a continental Euro- trombone pads in Wakefield, where I Fantasy in Las Vegas, where the band pean airport is 25 Novembet, when they saw the band on 28 November. was in residence at Caesar's Palace with played in Bristol on the day after a Sa-

10 cred Concert in Barcelona. If we include Britain in Europe (as I do though the JJ A drat with Clark T.try journalist may not), the latest date beco- mes 1 Decembeq, a week latet when they flew home to the USA from England. aboutwillie Cook The Caesar's Palace residency began on 19 Decembet, and Ken Vail states (p370) that Lawrence handed in his notice a week 1ate4, on 26th. New DESOR lists two NBC broadcasts from the residency, on 31 December and 1 Jawuary, and also a CBS telecast (The Red Skelton Show) dating from L5/17 December, im- mediately before the band went to Las Vegas. All are unissued, but Lawrence's presence is noted on all three, and the Italians only document recordings they have heard. The European airport version of the story of the fight seems most unlikely, given Lawrence's later playing and recording activities through December and into January. The backstage version is also problematic, since it is difficult to square with the evidence of his Tippytoe- ing solo on the 7 January Fantasy session. What would precipitate a fight between the two men in the narrow time-frame between 7 and 8 January, when Lawren- pure sound. His theme song was Star ce, after working his notice, was on the Following the interaiews Tt)ith Dream.I think that Willie Cook liked just point of leaving the band arry wayt along Willie Cook published in our the pure song. with several others? An obvious reason preT)ious Bulletins 3-412015 and Russel "Pops" Smith was his favou- for their departure is an understandable U2017, Gorqn Wall1n met Clark GW: wish to avoid another long-distance in- rite lead trumpeter. Terry on December 23, 2005, at ternational tour so soon after the Euro- CT: He used to stutter. You could ask Hotel Amaranten in Stockholm pean one in Novembeq, and it is unlikely him "Hi Pops, what do you tribute your that Duke was unaware of the imminent and took the opportunity to raise longevity in your experience saying that exodus until 7th. a few questions pertaining to his you playing good lead trumpet", so- The fuzziness about the detail of this Willie Co ok interaieut s. mething like that. He said: "Son you got tale suggests an inclination to make light a lot of grease." He was a kind of master of factual accuracy, in order to get to the GW: Why was Willie Cook influenced by grease, spiritual and all that type of per- juicy bit. There's no surprise about that. Harry james? son. He was a very magnificent persory a journalist Two of the storytellers are CT: I can understand why he did, and I strong, very independant. a journo-biographer. What the story and can tell you the reason. Miles Davis' first GW: What about Alabama State Collegi- needs is confirmation and clarification favourite was Harry James. His teacher ans 1942? from its source, if that is still possible 45 was Duke Hamme4, a dear friend of years later. CT: I knew Ioe Morris the trumpet mine. We used to have a beer together. player. He was called "Chop Chop". Unfortunately, it seems it is not. The tel- He used to tell me, "Why don't you come He later played lead trumpet in Lionel lers of the tale are coy about even naming over to the school and see this little Miles Hampton's band. He was a marvellous the source, so it's impossible to check the Davis, and check his notes." We Dewey trumpet player. details. It seems the tale will continue to were all Harry James fans. Miles used to circulate, unreferenced and with varying overdo it. He had a thi.g for wavering GW: Willie played in your Big Bad Band. amounts of embroidery, until the source the notes. Duke Hammer used to rap a CT: I had \^/i11ie Cook in my band as you is dead, with carefully protected sensiti- tape on a long ruler. He said to Miles: "If know. I also had \A/illie Singleton together vities intact, but no longer in a position you check that note one more time I am with\Mrllie Cook. We had a tandem and we to explain the inconsistencies. going to rap you with this ruler." called them, "CIark got the Willies." They "What was GW: Why did Willie listen to Charlie Spi- said: are you doing when I (This article was originally published in vak? playtngJ'I said "I'm looking formy dups." DESUK's news magazine Blue Light #4 CT: Charlie Spivak had a magnificent Winter 2015-1,6)