NEWS-FEATURES Chicago. February 8, 1952

among the musicians in a friendly, critics, is, however, c«>nce'-ned that noncompetitive atmosphere. his emphasis on modern in bin Diz Strikes Happy Compromise “The guiding principle of teach­ own work not be misconstrued as (Jumped from Page 7) ing is the development of the ear, any lessening of his respect for Tristano school is the most impor­ because finger technique, tone, and authentic, non-imitative New Or­ Between Jazz, Commercialism tant force in present day jazz. similar essentiale useless leans musk. “It’s the best place,” he says, “for impro\ isatinn if the ear is dor­ a musician to develop his ability to mant. New 1 ork—Dizzy Gillespie has become a standard favorite “Through analysis and practice, Those he points improvise, to develop his potential­ out, “who were the pioneers and at Birdland. This is not remarkable, since the same thing ities for originality. There’s a con­ the Tristano student becomes fa­ miliar with an infinite number of important contributor during the light just as easily happen to Les Paul perish forbid. tinually fertile exchange of ideas height of New Orleans jazz— Maynard Ferguson. What i- remarkable is that Diz has achieved rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic possibilities that he has Bechet, Ory, Foster, Simeon, etc.— this modest but consistent success -;------were ‘the modern jazz’ musicians [«any and sometimes opens a set greatest variety of materia* by striking as happy a conipromise Metterne Leaves draw from when improvising” in their youth. They experimented a» one could wish between musical by apologizing for being late—“the with ideas and techniques and commercial consideration». Ku Klux Klan was . a benefit Other Studie* they did not imitate what ha« Dizzy's band is musical. In its for the Jewish Well lociety at Aside from his hours at the done before them. be=t moments, playing charming the Harlem YMCA, so we’re lucky Herd For Fields Chicago — Doug Metterne, lead Tristano school, Bob is also study­ ‘These and others riff tunes like Birks Works, it to be here at all.” ing with to perfect still have this approach, Therefore, swings beautifully’, lightly, and Diz After all th«' headaches Dizzy trumpeter Woody Herman’s band for more than a year, has his tone and embouchure and al­ their music is as vital and ‘mod­ has been blowing some of the fin went through with his big bands, most every afternoon will find him ern’ as ever. The same holds true it's nice to see him making it with left the Herd to rejoin Herbie est horn we’ve heard from him in Field’s combo at the Silhouette club alone at ’s with his for any jazz style. years Milt Jackson’s vibrant solo this combo in several ways: he's horn and a metronome. “For example, th«' continued vi­ work and Bill Graham's baritone making pietty good music and here. In addition to this change in the Fields personnel, it is rumored In the midst of this constantly- tality of Hackett, Freeman, Clay­ sax are potent assets, too. pretty good money, and making a stimulating activity, Wilber is un­ ton, Ellington. Whether u musician lot of customers happy too. that Frank Rosolin« will replace Ecunomv Bob Burgess on trombone. Guitar­ impressed with the critiques from plays in contemporary older former admirers who accuse him idioms is unimportant compared to Dizzy’* band is economical. He ist Ronnie Singer has taken over for veteran Fieldsman Rudy Cafa of abandoning for the his creative approach and original gets so much out of this setup that "intellectualized aridity” of mod­ ity. Parker and Tristano imitators you do a double-take when you’re ro, who left to stay around New- Record York with his wife and a new set ern jazz. His answer is a classic are no more valid than Beider­ reminded it’s only a quintet. There statement on the subject becke or Dodds imitators. But, of is no regular p-amsr Jackson, Gra­ of twins. Remaining group “Listeners of this kind are con­ course, imitation is not the same ham. and Diz himself all double on fusing the feeling the music evokes as influence.” piano, and of Diz adds Reviews drummer Guy Viveros, pianist Joe «Jumped from Page 15) Black, and bassist Jimmy Aton. in the listener with the emotions ex­ many Cuban percussion sounds pressed by the performer through Hone-t when required. originally released on 12-inch Com­ The outfit will stay at the Silhou W’ilber is practical and honest ette indefinitely. his playing. The easier it is for tne Dizzy’s band is funny. Since jazz modore discs. listener to comprehend the melodic, about his own goals in music. “I’d does not live in a vacuum but is This set brings together foi; rhythmic, harmonic, and tonal as­ like to develop sufficient techniqu«- part of the great field known as about hour's uninterrupted pects of any music, the easier it to be able to play radio, TV, com­ entertainment, we find nothing of listening a jam session featuring Band Routes will be for him to get an « motional mercial jobs if necessary in order fensive about the fact that bop most of the stars who built Com­ impact from it. (E.g. Tennessee to make a living. In this position, vocalist Joe Carroll is a great modore’s fine jazz catalog. They (Jumped (rom Page 17) Waltz as opposed to a Bartok when I play jazz, I won’t be com­ laugh-getter. While his singing sel­ were made when and Mossman. Ted < Desert Inn ) Las Vexas, h quartet.) pelled to make commercial compro- dom achieves the stature of Leo Eddie Condon were pioneering an Page, Patti (Ambassador) L. A., h More to Hear Watson, who was obviously his all-jazz label. Raeburn. Betty (Felling's) Elizabeth, N.J., “I have no plans about forming nc early idol, Joe’s sense of humor The Carnegie tunes are credited Reed, Lucille (Streamliner) Chicago, nc “Modern jazz requires much a band. Uncle Sam will probably blends perfectly with that of the to . , and Richard, George (Kay-El) Chicago, cl more listening to ‘get with it’ for have something to say about me in leader. Eddie Condon, but are strictly on- Rio. Ray (Harry’s) New Bedford. Mass., cl the average listener than Dixie- Robie, Chet (Sherman) Chicago, h the near future. In any case, I the-spot improvisations. Katharina Sacco, Tony (Southern) Columbus, Ohio, h land, because he is not as familiar have m way of telling how' long If you don’t hear them too many is one of the best sides in the Com­ Smith, Eugene (Hi-Hat) Boston, nc with the techniques employed. He I’ll want to i-tudy at the Tristan»- times. Dizzy’s announcements are modore lists, featuring some fine Soper, Tut (Stairway to the Stars) Chi- has heard the harmonics and melo­ school. funny, too. He dedicates The Near­ , , and rn, Jeri (Esquire) Dayton, dies used in Dixieland in popular “A* to the type «if group I would ness of You to the Lifebuoy com- one of the instances where (Prince George) Toronto, In music for the last 30 years or like ro have or play in, I prefer Big Sid Catlett takes off. . I^es (Streamliner) Chicago, more, so naturally he is well ac­ t, George (Showboat) Rock small band« because there is more PnOMET Music Scholarships ar, Th« 20 minutes or so of working quainted with them. chance for improvisation. I’ve •»UnNLf a , ac.» at th* UN*- over Good Man is the kind of thing Sutton, Ralph (Condon’s) NYC, nc “There is plenty of emotional thought some about the advisabil­ VERSITY OF MIAMI. it was hard to handle on 78 but Tucker, Sophie (Baker) Dallas, Out 1/27. h Avditioas sow being held at th« famous nipact to be gotten from Parker, ity of adding to the instruments together in one playing it bears Tobin. Shirley (Seneca) Rochester. N.Y., h Tristano, etc., if the listener will CHARLES COUN STUDIOS Vaughan, Sarah (Rendezvous) Philadel­ generally used in jazz. E JAMES BURKE close listen!’ j some fin« jazz phia, In 2-29. nc allow himself to Income as fa­ happens, with Muergsy, Maxie, Walter. Cy (Albert) NYC. h miliar with the techniques em­ P«eWee Freeman, Mole, and Stacy Williams. Joe (DeLisa » Chicago, nr ployed as he is with the techniques Winters, Jeri (Dubonnet) Chicago, cl “Though the instruments which all involved. (Commodore LP DI Wittwer, Johnny (Hangover) San Fran- of Dixieland." up to now have been considered 30006.) Wilber, while answering his opposite to jazz do seem more flex­ ible and better suited for project ing individuality than flutes, bas soons, oboes, violins and the like, who knows? There is still a tre­ mendous lot of territory to be ex­ plored in jazz.” And there is no doubt that one of the most creatively original mid uncoil«!» omising exnlorers will be IMPOSSIBLE.. Bob Wilber, who will never be ac YOUR DEALER WILL PROVE IT TO YOU cused of preferring financial se­ BUT WE DID IT curity to musical sterility. Evolution Of Jazz

‘you couldn’t tell them opaci Q The name of cornetiM Buddy Petit i» «till circulated undoubted); and was one of the factor« that strengthened Petit’s deci­ by numerous of the New Orleans veteran*, but little of ever to pick up ■ horn. In addition to supporting several sion to return south. During the early 1920- Buddy work« d the resultant evaluation of this musician has been recorded. grog shop». Buddy had the rather annoying habit of ac­ in Texa» with a hand that included a piani»! known as Since Petit'* career was relatively brief and mo»i of hi» cepting deposits for several job» on the same evening, a Lazy Daddy, but was later replaced by Bunk Johnson while activities were centered in or around the city of hi» birth, failing that won him few friends among dance hull pro- the band hi* name has been forgotten in favor of men of greater historical importance. Trump«-t«-i Lee .Collins thinks that recorded and died relatively young, a number of legend* Buddy was "about the age of or Jimmy ing. had the cornel«»! arre«ted and delivered Io his place vet survive Buddy Petit. According to the oldtimer*. Buddv Noone.'* which would establish the date of hi» birth a» of tmployment onh in time to play the dance. Petit once carved lou« Armstrong “down to the bricks’* and somewhere between 1895 and 1898. Buddy, whose real «nd Frankie Dusen arrived in lo» Angele* in 1917 to was certainly a musician of superior ability. QarinctiM join . The boy« must nave really added George Ix*wis once stated that Petit's similarity to Bunk Petit, onetime valve trombonist and leader of the celebrated the New Orleans flavor to the band for Dink Johnson re­ Johnson was such that "you couldn't tell them apart.” Olympia band. From 1910 to 1914 Petit was employed by calls a dance at an L 4. auditorium when Jelly's gang was as high a recommendation a* could be passed along. the Empire rice mill and also studied cornet with one of so hoi that the boss -enl the other bands home. The boys Petit died in mid-1931. Hi« Funeral wa* one of the more the titan* of New Orleans music. Bunk JohnMiu. In thr from the Crescent city didn't linger in California, how- distinguished New Orleans functions with hi« old friend years that followed. Petit played with the brass bands and «ver. Their quaint habit of eating on the «land plus other «nd itdmirer, lout« Armstrong, in altendanre a* one of also led hi* own small dance orchestra. By all accounts, he "back home'* custom- brought about a good deal of razzing the pall bearers.