Eddie Condon, Jazz' Great Pitchman

NEWS-FEATURES Eddie Condon, Jazz' Great Pitchman During Eddie’s long servitude at Nick’s, vast from Panieo’s hand, Terchemachet slews of Nick’s customers were so sure that Eddie from Floyd Towne’s band, and considered them his personal friends that they felt Krupa from Eddie Neibauei’s S< safe in following him across the street to Julius’ attle Huimony Kings—all without to have a drink between sets. Nick used to fire Eddie notice. Along with McKenzie, the1, New York—The upper hierarchy of great on alternate weeks for little or no reason but he went to New York and started jazuneu include* quite a few instrumentalists. never could bring himself to point out to Eddie that starving. It also include* a few singer*. But only one his Pied Piper routine wa« depriving Nick’s saloon of a lot of revenue. Mixed Hund “Eddie is sensitive,” Nick said in a rare philo They picked up jobs where and segment of I he jazr world. The operator of this hoi sophic moment. “I wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings when they could find them. Occu larynx 1» Eddie (London, the Great Pitchman of Jara, by bringing up such a commercial mutter.” signally Eddie’s conversational whose willingness to talk to anyone, anywhere, any Today no one has to bring such commercial mat abilities landed n*cording dates for time is matched only by hi» ability to bring any ters to Eddie’s attention. As host and front man for some of them. One of these was conversation around to the merit» of unM-ured music the deadfall bearing his name, he makes a point of the Victor session which produced a» played by a »mall band. being available for conversation there practically Pm Gonna Stomp Mr. Henry Lee This has been the dorninunt theme of Eddie’s life. all night every night. And not just luring inter and That’s a Serious Thing, on It has gotten both him and his friends quite a few mission», either. There is u chair on the bandstand which Condun combined three jobs ar" lost them almost iv many. It has made his which is reserved for him. hut he rarely burdens it. members of Charlie Johnson’s band name significant enough to decorate t night club - Leonaid Davis, Happy Cuuld- on New York’s W. Third street. And it has brought StiU Play« well, and George Stafford—with nn awareness of jazz to a vast assemblage of dyed- Despite these wemingly prolonged absences from Sullivan, Mezzrow, und Jack Tea in-the-wool squares who have allowed themselves to his guitar, Eddie claims that he still plays every garden from his own entourage. be inculcated with knowledge in order to maintain night. In support of this theory, he recently shoved This turned nut to be the first time the privilege of listening to the Condon monologues. his callvus-ridged fingers under the nose of a friend that a mixed bund of white and w-ho felt he was no longer applying himself assidu Negro musicians had recorded for ously enough to his instrument. a big label. Eddie is a fast man with a strong opinion or a “That,” said Eddie, indicating the hardened ac A year after his arrival in New vivid phrase. Some of his comments on what he cumulation of callous, “is not sponge cake.” York, things had gotten so tough term* “the maniacs”—otherwise the self-proclaimed For a man who has made a name for himself as ‘moderns’’ of the ’40s—would not readily pass a musician, Condon’s career ha1- bee n studded with Eddie London working for Red Nichols. When through the mails. Before the arrival of the mani some remarkably negativ« legends. The most persist Nichols fired him in the natural acs, his favorite whipping boys were Mezz Mezz row ent of these* is that Eddie has never taken a solo. Eddie might make u successful course of events, Condon and Mc and people who spouted jive talk. When an overly He admit« to doing 16 bars alone while temporarily Kenzie reorganized the Mound City hip character cornered him a decade age and of arguing for unscored employed by Artie Shaw at the Paramount in New small band jazz He had been Blue Blowers with Josh Billings croaked, “What’s cookm Condon cooled him York. But he has never committe*d a solo on record on suitcase and Eddie und Jack off with a single word, “Lepke.” sneering it Red Nichols’ records because, in his view of jazz, there is as little room because the music was planned. Bland playing lutes. Glowingly ac As a man who has been greatly attracted to alco for guitar solos a« there is for 16-piece violin coutred in mckey’s outfits, they hol in his time, Eddie set up strict standards of “Jazz,” Eddie was saying, “can’t sections. be scored.” moved into the world of society behavior for himself. to play disguised jazz. Eddie's only “I may get drunk as hell,” he once proudly re One of his listeners was Red McKenzie, the ex-jockey who had consolation was that the band was marked, “but I never vomit on my personal friends.” Eddie has also been accused of being the least small and the music unscored. -------------- ;-----—------;-----------------—♦heard musician the business, an been riding higl for four years is comb player and vocalist with the During prohibition, the Bhie moment sh< slithered onto the tiny idea* ster ming from the no-solo Blowers were in and out of the stage at the Monte Proser club, legend. The theory behind this is Mound City Blue Blowers. McKenzie took umbrage at talk Stork club and the Bath club. which rival nitery operators refer that since Eddie only- plays en Came repeal and Condon was to hilariously as “Rose l«vine’s.” like this coming from a guy who Capsule semble and does that on a relatively w-orking the 52nd St. joints- the At a club of this kind, on the quiet instrument, no one has actu was then playing banjo in Louis Pa lico’s orchestra. McKenzie asked Onyx, the Farnou«- Door, the Club east side, you would expect Doro ally ever heard him. Thi» is the 18, tne Hickory House. Then he thy to sing hongs about wanting basest of perfidy as any study of if Condon knew anybody who could Comments play half as good as Nichols. Con started his eight-year association a man who would give her a hi- records will show, particularly with Nick’s. Dorothy Daodridgo, d.amond-mink Cadillac. And she some of the earlier ones on which don -¡aid he knew a dozen guys who did. She also did a couple of origi could. Robert Clary he appears to have smuggled a Fellow Spirit nals by Phil, aided by his nmusmg microphone into his pocket. In Nick Rongetti, Eddie found banter from the piano. Jazz critics during the ’30s a fellow spirit. They both believed Vocally, she’s not quite a Lena found in Eddie’s a model The next day McKenzie listened New York — Phil (Pygmalion) to Eddie’s friends dissect Nobody’s in the same kind of Their Horne yet. But she knew how to of what a guitar should contribute only difference was in the method Moore har. found himself another latch onto a note and hold it, and to a proper rhythm section. Hugues Sweetheart. This display won hnn Galatea. over to the Condon theories so of feeding it to the public. Nick she sang in tune and phrased well. Panassie wrote in Le Jazz Hot, felt all a musician nad to do was Before seeing him at work with “Few musicians have so much to completi ly that he immediately She did justice to Mr. Moore’s got hold of Tommy Rockwell and play jazz Eddie believed it had to his latest lady songbird had tutelage. give to a hot orchestra as Eddie, (1) caught her many years ago arranged a recording date for the be explained. “Play it and talk with hi* metronomically regular boys. about it” had become his slogan. as a teenaged member of the Dan rhythm which induces superb Nick did not completely appreci dridge Sisters, who recorded with swing. The two sides they cut, China The Moore trio also played some Boy and Sugar, introduced to wax ate Condon’s crusading zeal. He Jimmie Lunceford, read This apparent approbation didn’t fell into the habit of firing Eddie sumptuous spread about Dorothy intermission sets for dancing. And, prevent Condon from being irked the talents of Teschtmacher, Free in addition to Carl Ravasaa, the man, Jimmy McPartland, Sullivan, for talking when he should have ir. Life, (3) heard reports from at some further comments the Iwen playing, but he alw-ays hired critics around town that the gal show boasted young Robert Clary. Frenchman made on jazz when he Jim Lanigan, and Gene Krupa as Clary has been around awhile in well a • Condon. The band was him back. had everything—except a came to this country in the late At about the same time, Eddie this country as a singer, but is now ’30s. partially named for McKenzie in Usual dominent breaking through as a comedy- honoi of the fact that it was put found two more people who be “He’s a game guy, coming over lieved in his kind of music— Milt Well, maybe that’s the vocal personality and not here and telling us 1 ow to play together so he could listen to it.

Load more