Willie Cook One of Duke Ellington´S Foremost Trumpeters with a Career Also in Sweden

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BULLETIN NR 3, SEPTEMBER 2016, ÅRGÅNG 24

Willie Cook One of Duke Ellington´s foremost trumpeters with a career also in Sweden.

Foto: Olle Lindholm 3-2016 DESS-konsert med Kustbandet m.m. Mycket har hänt sedan min ledare CD-utgåva med samma material. i föregående Bulletin. En konferens Självklart är det något oekonomiskt i New York har avverkats varom att de båda föreningarna ger ut var mer kan läsas på annan plats i för sig samma typ av CD. Kontakt detta nummer. I den cybervärld vi togs därför med DESUK med förslag nu lever i kan man vara aktiv om ett samarbete och vårt initiativ i olika sammanhang utan att mottogs med stor entusiasm. En nödvändigtvis vara boende i visst större mängd CD kan därmed land eller på viss ort. Tack vare produceras vilket leder till lägre denna moderna teknik som går kostnad per enhet. Vi tror och hoppas under olika namn som Internet, att detta samarbete kan fördjupas i Facebook, Twitter, Instagram m.m. framtiden även på andra plan. kan man delta i aktiviteter även på Avslutningsvis vill jag ge ut- avstånd. Vi som är medlemmar i tryck för min kritik över flera diskussionssiten DukeLYM får ta del av våra medlemmars bristande av synnerligen intressanta detaljer betalningsrutiner. Vid årets början och uppfattningar om allt som hade endast hälften av våra kretsar kring Duke Ellington. DESS- medlemmar betalat medlemsavgiften medlemmen Ulf Lundin är boende i för innevarande år. När detta Som framgått av tidigare uppgifter södra Frankrike, men detta till trots skrives i augusti månad saknar vi i Bulletinen har redaktionen de- har han varit föreningen behjälplig ännu flera medlemsavgifter och cimerats sedan någon tid tillbaka. med att modernisera vår hemsida vi tvingas därför stryka namn ur En förstärkning kan nu behövas. och att skapa en närvaro för DESS vår medlemsmatrikel. För att vår Därför efterlyser vi nu en eller flera på Facebook. Alla våra medlemmar förening skall kunna fortleva och medlemmar att ingå i redaktionen. med internetuppkoppling, och det ge ut en läsvärd Bulletin och CD- Vederbörande bör ha idéer om gäller väl de flesta av oss, bör skivor är det nödvändigt att vi vad som skall införas i Bulletinen regelbundet gå in på www.ellington. får in medlemsavgifterna när de framöver och gärna själv bidra med se eller på Facebooksida Duke förfaller till betalning. 250 riksdaler inlägg. En tidigare erfarenhet av Ellington Society of Sweden och ta i årsavgift kan rimligen inte anses redaktionellt arbete är naturligtvis del av vad som erbjuds i nyhetsväg vara särskilt betungande, så jag en fördel men ingen nödvändighet. och vi välkomnar gärna inlägg med vill gärna se inbetalningarna i tid Uppfatta detta gärna som ett synpunkter på vad som skrivits. så jag slipper gå ut med upprepade upprop till alla våra medlemmar. I oktober kommer Stockholms påminnelser. Tänk på det när det blir Vi i styrelsen och i redaktionen Jazzdagar att arrangeras med massor dags att betala medlemsavgiften för kvarvarande medlemmar hoppas på av evenemang under en vecka. Även nästa år. nytt blod och nya idéer i en framtida DESS kommer att medverka genom slagkraftig redaktion. Vi syns vid nästa medlemsmöte ett samarbete med Scalateatern och den 3 oktober. Kustbandet. Biljetter till konserten Jag har tidigare antytt att vi kom- Känn er mer än välkomna! den 9 oktober säljs till DESS- mer att som en julklapp presentera medlemmarna med reducerat pris våra medlemmar med en CD med enligt separat mejl som gått ut till intressant Duke Ellington-material. alla medlemmar. Se även annons i Vi hade kommit långt i förberedelserna denna Bulletin. Vi hoppas verkligen när vi i vår engelska systerförenings att våra medlemmar utnyttjar det medlemstidning kunde läsa att de Leif Jönsson, generösa erbjudandet. hade precis identiska tankar om en ordförande i DESS

2 1939. När han litet senare spelade upp Duke´s Place en inspelning av In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree kunde man inte låta bli att undra om det inte i realiteten var fråga om samma melodi. Gå in på hemsidan, Få besökare lyssna och döm själv. trots attraktivt Det musikaliska konsertinslaget bestod av en trio under ledning av program klarinettisten Bosse Tigrén assisterad av två välutbildade ungdomar; Joel Vårterminens sista medlemsmöte Svensson på gitarr och Eirik Lund på ägde rum den 9 maj i Franska Skolans bas. Det märktes att det var fråga om en aula. Trots det i vårt tycke attraktiva åldersskillnad. Ungdomarna var klart programmet var tillströmningen av modernare i sitt spelsätt än den lite äldre medlemmar icke det vi önskade. Vi Bosse Tigrén, som man kanske kan säga hade tydligen konkurrens. Den tidiga är Sveriges svar på Pee Wee Russell. sommaren hade kommit och kvällen var Melodivalet var blandat, men vi fick i alla sommarljuv, vilket kanske fick någon fall avnjuta en Ellingtonkomposition, att hellre tillbringa kvällen i en trädgård Prelude To A Kiss. Bosse har senare eller på en veranda. Somliga kanske förklarat att han inte var nöjd med sin hellre ville tillbringa kvällen framför Foto: Sonja Svensson prestation denna kväll, vilket berodde på TVn för just den kvällen spelade Tre att klarinetten före konserten legat i bilen Kronor i VM mot Tjeckien. betonade, Ellington trogen under hela i drygt 40-gradig värme och därför inte De som inte kom gick miste om ett sin karriär och utgjorde en av Ellingtons fungerade till Bosses tillfredsställelse. superbt kåseri av Thomas Erikson om mest utmärkande färgklickar på hans När detta skrives, strax efter Ellingtons mest säregna trombonist Joe musikaliska palett. Musikexemplen var ovannämnda medlemsmöte, kan vi bara ”Tricky Sam” Nanton. Thomas kan sin väl valda och de kan alla nu avlyssnas hoppas att höstens första medlemsmöte Ellington och det var ett sant nöje att få på vår nya hemsida. En intressant detalj skall genera fler besökare. ta del av hans detaljerade kunskaper om i musikvalet var Thomas val av I En Röd Nantons karriär. Han var, som Thomas Liten Stuga från Stockholms Konserthus Bo Haufman

BUSTER COOPER IN MEMORIAM Buster Cooper gick ur tiden den 13 maj utan ingick i det som Ellington kallade 2016 i en ålder av 87 år. Han föddes i St. sin ”stockpile” och gavs så småningom Peterburg, Florida, 1929 och det var till ut i hans Private Collection. Sin vana den staden han drog sig tillbaka de sista trogen komponerade Ellington ett åren av sitt liv och det var där han dog. featurenummer för Buster Cooper. Det Buster hade en genuin musikutbildning. rör sig om Trombonio-Bustoso-Issimo eller Han började redan som sextonåring att som den oftast kom att kallas Trombone spela i en lokal orkester. 1950 studerade Buster eller ibland El Busto. han vid en musikskola i New York och blev därmed en bra notläsare. Han Buster Cooper deltog i många skaffade sig musikalisk erfarenhet genom Ellingtonkonferenser runt om i världen. engagemang i Lionel Hamptons orkester Ofta tillsammans med sin gode vän John som under 1950-talet var mycket av en Lamb, som likaledes härstammade från plantskola för nya talanger. Han hade Lawrence Brown och Chuck Connors. St. Peterburg. Buster visade sig vid dessa senare kortare engagemang hos Benny Hans stil skilde sig väsentligt från alla tillfällen alltid vara glad och hade alltid Goodman och Lucky Millinder, innan andra trombonister i Ellingtons orkester. nära till skrattet. Han ställde gärna upp han 1959 reste till Europa där han bl.a. Han hade en tydlig blueskaraktär i sitt på samtal med konferensdeltagare som spelade i en mindre grupp som kompade spel och hans solon var som regel snabba. alltid hade mängder av frågor att ställa. Caterina Valente. Efter återkomsten till Han använde sig aldrig av sordin och Buster Coopers roll som trombonist USA blev han vid flera tillfällen erbjuden vägrade att ta på sig Nantonrollen. Den i Duke Ellingtons orkester är värd ett att ingå i Duke Ellingtons orkester. rollen fick i stället Lawrence Brown mera ingående studium och vi hoppas Något motvilligt gick han med på ett något motvilligt ta på sig. att i ett framtida nummer av Bulletinen engagemang över en vecka. Det kom att Som solist kan Buster tillsammans med kunna fördjupa oss mer detaljerat i hans vara i sju år. andra solister avlyssnas i September 12th musikaliska liv. Han kom att ingå i den trombontrio Blues, som spelades in just detta datum som förutom honom själv bestod av 1962. Den inspelades inte kommersiellt Bo Haufman

3 A conversation with John “Willie” Cook An interview made by Göran Wallén in 1999.

Göran Wallén: Hello Willie, how are in Milwaukee and Fats Navarro and you? You seem to have been a romantic I were sitting and listening to Roy and pesonality according to Duke Ellington. Jabbo Smith playing together. That was What do you say about his statement a great evening. At this time in spite of in his autobiography ”Music Is My how young Fats was he had already Mistress”. Duke said: ”Willie Cook has developed into a great trumpeter. Fats always been potentially the best first had earlier been working with Snookum trumpet player in the business, but from Russell’s band. time to time romance has had a stronger Childhood appeal than running all over the world doing one-nighters and all that jazz. He GW: Where did you grow up? has been in and out of the band many WC: My life story starts in Louisiana. times since 1951, but whenever he returns I had a family with three kids and I he gives a brilliant performance. His taste divorced my wife Alma in 1968 and as a soloist is quickly proved to annyone since 1982 I live in Stockholm. I live with who listens to his records. At one time a Swedish girl Christl. She was earlier a we had Willie Cook, Shorty Baker, Clark dancer in Sweden. My father and mother Terry, and Ray Nance sitting side by side Foto: Olle Lindholm were religious and my father Hosea was a in our trumpet section ….. To much!” steward in our church on Sundays. I was to see musicians and listen to them too Willie Cook: Well, that was the way for born November 11, 1924 in Tangipahoa, often. But at New Years Eve most of the Duke to answer when he didn’t want to Louisiana, it’s about 60 miles from New bands were playing on the radio for say that ”he left because of the money”. Orleans. Leonard Feather says I was about 30 minutes or so from all over the The salary wasn’t too good always, but born 1923 in his Encyclopedia of Jazz, country. That’s the way we could listen Duke exemplified it by saying something but that was what I told the people in to other bands, because otherwise the about women instead of money. the old days, because I wanted to play bands didn’t have time on the radio. I and get a draft card to allow me to play. GW: Well, what kind of person are you? first heard and listened live to Duke’s I said I was born in 1923 instead of 1924. I think that you are a very open minded band when I put down my foot on the Then later on when I came to Sweden I person. bandstand with the band in 1951. changed back to 1924 in the books. WC: Well, you know that I have always My father and my mother Laura had been trying to put myself in the other Many influences two boys, me and my older brother Hosea people’s situation. I remember when I GW: As a trumpeter which influences and we moved to Chicago when I was was young I was very anxious when I met do you have? five years old. My mother had relatives in Freddy Webster and Jimmy Crawford WC: My first influence was Harry New Orleans so she went there back and from Jimmie Lunceford’s band. I hadn’t James and then Louis Armstrong and forth to her family. My father worked as met such famous people before. So I was later on Charlie Spivak. My godfather a railroad worker in Louisiana and then scared then. It was in Indianapolis and John Vinson was a good friend of Louis he got a job in Chicago in a factory, so he I was there playing with the King Perry Armstrong in New Orleans. John gave sent for us to come to Chicago. We lived band. me an introduction letter to Louis when in East Chicago, Indiana, and my parents I stayed mostly in the bands until the I started to play, but I never used it. I got two more kids, my sister Shirley Ann bands broke up. As in King Perry, Earl had it in my pocket for years. Another and my brother Edward James. Hines, Dizzy, Billie Holiday and Jay favorite was Russell ”Pops” Smith, he My older brother started to play cornet McShann’s band, who didn’t have much was a fantastic first trumpeter in Cab but the stopped after a while, so I could bookings. With Duke it was different, but Calloway’s band 1942-1945. He played practice on his horn. When I couldn’t I always came back, because of the music melodically and that is what I like and play his horn I was practicing on violin up to 1973. I had some disagreement that became my own style. Snooky at home. In my 4th grade in school my with Mercer Ellington around 1970, after Young was also a first trumpeter and teacher Nick Young, he played later on he became the road manager in the 60s, he played powerful and flexible and with Stan Kenton in California, found and that’s why I didn’t play with the I tried to emulate him. Later on I had out that I could play scales on a cornet band after Duke’s death. Roy Eldridge as a favorite and I tried and that’s the way I started to play cornet In those days you didn’t have time to copy is solos. I was one evening 1942 in school. Fred Riggins was another

4 teacher, my private trumpet teacher. turned around and told me once ”Man, playing at Savoy Ballroom in Chicago He used to work with Tiny Bradshaw’s get yourself a new trumpet, it doesn’t and I talked to them. The manager band, but he had to stop because his wife sound too good”. I had had my old asked if I wanted to join the band. Jay told him to stay home. trumpet from my mother since 1935. needed one more trumpeter and he had Bill bought me a ”King” trumpet for 20 a pretty good name already. At this time Early professional debut dollars. Nowadays all trumpeters are everybody started to listen to Charlie GW: When did you start to play pro- using Bach and I got my first Bach when Parker, who was early 1943 in Jay’s band. fessionally? I started to work with Duke in 1951. For Charlie’s eight bars in the tune Sepian WC: At the age of 15 I was playing a while I also had a Martin trumpet like Bounce became famous. That was a great trumpet with a family band of Jesse Dizzy had in the end of 1940s. Anyway, and a sensational solo for all musicians. Evans from Gary, Indiana. Jesse had a Alabama State Collegians was a 15-piece It was recorded July 2, 1942. ”Skippy” dixieland band. Around this time I saw band with my friends Dave and Morris Hall was the arranger. for the first time a big band playing and there was a young Lucky Thompson On December 1, 1943, Jay McShann in Chicago. It was Louis Armstrong’s on tenor, Sonny Stitt on alto/tenor, Joe recorded Say Forward, I’ll March (also band with Sonny Woods as singer and Newman and Joe Morris on trumpets. titled Hamp’s Got A Duke) and that is my I believe Sid Catlett was on drums. My Joe Morris went later on with Lionel first recording and my first solo. I had my father would not allow me to go into a Hampton. The band was also a fore band solo after tenor player Paul Quinichette. dancing hall, so I had to look through the to Louis Jordan and sometimes also for He had his sixteen bars and he came back windows. I remember they played Dear Jimmie Lunceford’s band. Louis Jordan again after me with another eight bars. Indiana. was very famous at the time and I believe In the discography sometimes trumpeter Later on at the age of 17 my mother that he was the first band, which showed Jesse Jones is mentioned as trumpeter was asked by Fred Riggins, if I could the arrangers that they didn’t need a big but I played the solo. Bill Goodson was go on the road with them and play band to get people coming to the clubs. mentioned as playng the first tenor solo, with King Perry’s band. My mother You also had Nat ”King” Cole, who was but that is wrong because it was Paul. said ”yes”. King played the clarinet, a great success with his trio. But Louis In the band was also trombone player alto and tenor and he was a good man Jordan started the idea I think and that Rudy Morrison, and altosaxophonist from Gary. He had a 15-piece band with was the beginning of the end of the Big John Jackson called ”JJ”. Rudy followed five saxophones, three trombones, four Band Era. That happened in the middle me later on to join Earl Hines. This was trumpets and rhythm. My friend Dave of the 1940s. my last and only recording with Jay Mitchell also played the trumpet in the GW: But Duke didn’t approve this idea! McShann and I left the band after six months. We played at the Armory and in band. That was my first professional job WC: No, Duke Ellington didn’t like to Washington, DC., in December 1943 and we played at a place called Cotton work with a small band. He wanted to Club at Cincinnati, Ohio. We also played have the color and a diversified music, GW: Jay McShann is fairly unknown in at Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and which a big band can offer. He never Sweden. Indiana from February up to July 1942. considered to run a small band. In the That gave me some experience and I also WC: It is not much written about Jay case of bad times and with little money, McShann and the reason for that is met the tenor player Morris Lane. The he even paid from his own royalties to King Perry band was called ”Pied Piper maybe the roadmanager Moe Gale. He keep the band together. Duke always didn’t give much information. Skippy of Swingdom”. King Perry wanted to wanted to write music for his members play like Fletcher Henderson. He wrote Hall was the arranger and band boy of the band. Duke got a question once for the band and he also played piano. what we musicians called ”hard keys” in a TV show how he could keep his and they are on the violin E-D-G-keys Jay was a great and nice guy. He had band together: ”What are your tricks?” trouble during the war to keep the band and arrangements in these keys are not Duke said with a smile: ”My gimmick is easy to play. together but he succeeded. Jay had a money”. wonderful rhythm section with Gus After King Perry broke up the band Another thing occurred in the 1940s Johnson drums and Gene Ramey bass. in August 1942 Lester Shackleford and when the Afro-Americans wanted to Jay loved the music to swing like Earl I started a new band. We had Ranny get away from being cleaners and door Hines and usually he started to play the Leftwitch on piano, Eddy Robinson on openers. The great star in Hollywood at piano and when the groove was right he trumpet, Mentors Gallaway on alto and the time was comedian Steppin Fetchit. let the band have it. When everything sat Pee Wee Jernigan on drums. We played He made a lot of money and was very perfectly the only thing the musicians around for about two months. When I successful. He became accepted with had to do were to blow their horns and left the band they stayed in St. Louis. all kinds of funs about the situation. So swing. We had in the band good blues After I left Shackleford I started to play it was hard for black musicians to work singers, Walter Brown and sometimes with the ”Alabama State Collegians”. and earn money in those days. Bob Merrill did some singing. The band The bandleader was Claude Trenier With Jay McShann lost five musicians when we started to and the band had Claude’s twin brother play with Earl Hines. Cliff as a singer. The manager was In the beginning of 1943 I went back for Bill Donaldson. Bill bought me a new a while to East Chicago. There I went GW: So you slowly moved to better bands? trumpet, because my friend Sonny down to see Dave Mitchell. He was WC: That was the normal way of com- Stitt, who sat in front of me in the band now playing with Jay McShann. Jay was ing up to a better band. It was like a

5 farming system. Some people or agents ”Join me in Detroit”. I should replace in the morning 5 o’clock very tired are looking for new musicians to the big Shorty Baker and take over his chair, to the studio and there was Stanley bands. King Perry was farmer band to because he wanted a raise and when he Dance waiting for us. He had arranged Earl Hines. Duke and Basie did it more didn’t get it he wanted to leave the band. everything. The recording was OK and I in a personal way. It was also the way I came to Detroit and to my surprise I think that Villegas is Argentina’s answer for people to move. From New Orleans found that Shorty had showed up. I said to Thelonious Monk. people normally moved up to Chicago. to Duke: ”Do you want me to stay?” Later on in August 1969 Duke’s small After working with Jay McShann I Duke said: ”Yes, do”. I stayed and after group played at the Rainbow Grill. I was begann to work in December 1943 with a week Shorty left the band and I stayed together with Lawrence Brown and a Earl Hines’s band and I stayed with in the band until January 1958. We didn’t reed section plus rhythm. Singers were Hines until he disbanded in 1947. Then I play together too often Shorty and I, but Joya Sherrill and Tony Watkins. Wild worked with the Jimmie Lunceford band in 1957 we were together for a while in Bill Davis accompanied Joya on her for six months in 1948. In the summer of the band. I really missed Shorty when he numbers. We played a whole month and 1948 I met Dizzy Gillespie and he asked left. He played beautifully as he did in that was great! me if I would like to play in his band. Mood Indigo and Jam With Sam. In 1961 we recorded the music to Time Out Joining Duke Ellington Paris Blues in New York. Duke worked GW: How did you spend the 1970s? GW: You joined the Duke Ellington in Paris and we worked at home. Paul WC: I moved to Houston, Texas, in 1970 orchestra in 1951, but why did you leave Newman’s trombone was back played after I left the Ellington band. I was single the band so many times and rejoined again? by Murray McEachern. It was very at the time, because I had divorced Alma WC: I started on November 15, 1951, normal for the band when we did the in 1968. Later on when Duke came with to play with the band. I played with the work at the studio that we didn’t know the band to Houston I used to work with band up to 1958 and then I was tired for what reason the music was done. the band and we played at Sherman Rock of doing the same things so I started Mostly it was numbers in the score like Hotel in Houston. Klaus Stratemann’s my own band up to 1961 in the New No. 2 or x-5 or something like that. Many book Day by Day says that I got married York area. I was back in Duke’s band times Duke or Chris Courtney, our last in 1970 and settled down in San Antonio, 1961, 1964 and 1968-1970. I got tired of manager from William Morris Agency, Tx. That is completely wrong. travelling and that is the reason why I organized the recordings. I started to work in a music store in left the band in 1970 and I went down to In the beginning of the 1960s I was Houston during the 1970s. After a few Texas and took up a job in a music store. sometimes working in Apollo Theatre. years I started 1976 to work with B.B. But again after ten years in that business They had a 12-piece band so I sat King. I worked with him up to 1979 I got tired of that work too. That’s the in sometimes when they needed a and my last trip with B.B. King was on reason why I started to play again with trumpeter behind different blues a tour to Russia. Then I went back to Clark Terry for five weeks in 1977 and in singers. Between 1961 up to 1968 I was my job in the music store again. During the spring of 1978. In 1979 I stayed a little working in New York and I helped the years 1976-79 I played with my old longer with B.B. King. I joined the Count Mercer Ellington in his Radio Station friend Clark Terry’s Big Bad Band, when Basie band in 1980. WLAB. Mercer got the job as a disc I had a month off from the store. I did You know it is not difficult to explain jockey through Ruth Ellington. She was that for four years. He first telephoned why I gave up working with the working there for over ten years as a disc me and asked if I wanted to work in his Ellington band a few times. In 1953 I got jockey. Ruth did know the owner of the band. ”That’s OK” I said. So I worked a raise, but that was the only time I got a station. I helped Mercer in preparing the with Clark on a four weeks tour in raise. I left the band a few times because programs and the music. In those days Europe and USA. Miss Janice Robinson the money wasn’t good enough and I got we were friends but in the later years played trombone in the band. We made a better paid when I worked with other our friendship had some problems. We recording in Warsaw, April 1978, on label groups. But I was always welcomed back also organized some sessions and gigs Poljazz. with Jimmy Jones on piano and we also as the first trumpeter. I took over ”the I never visited Europe with the Duke did some film commercials for example book” as lead trumpeter. The book was Ellington orchestra. In October 1969 Budweiser Beer. named ”Shorty” Baker. Duke had a four weeks tour to Europe. My first appearance with the band was I was back in the Ellington band 1968. We came to New York with the band from at the University of Michigan, Detroit. We made a tour to Latin America 1968 Las Vegas. At the airport in New York My connection with Duke had happened with Duke’s band. During the tour it we had six hours rest before going to two weeks before when I met him in happened many times as before in the Europe. When we had to go I didnt find Pittsburgh. It was my friends Ray Nance 1950s that when Duke had to fill in a my passport. I didnt understand where and Paul Gonsalves, who introduced me tune he asked me many times to play Tea I had it so I had to leave the band and I to Duke. Paul and I had been playing For Two or S:t Louis Blues. went back to Manhattan by taxi together together in Dizzy’s band and he became After we played one evening in a with our friend Father John Genzel. I a real buddy to me in Duke’s band. Duke small town outside Buenos Aires, was carrying a thick coat and in the taxi I had a show with Nat King Cole and Paul and I took a cab back to Buenos suddenly found my passport in a pocket. Sarah Vaughan and he wanted me to Aires and recorded a session with the The band had left and Duke added three be in the band. He phoned me and said: pianist Enrique Villegas. We came trumpets and a trombone for the tour in

6 Willie Cook with Count Basie Europe; Benny Bailey, Nelson Williams, Rolf Ericson and Åke Persson. First time in Sweden GW: When did you come to Sweden the first time? Willie Cook in WC: I came to Sweden 1979 with Clark the Snader Transcription Soundie Terry’s Big Bad Band. We had played at the Nice Festival and we had Jimmy Maxwell and Ernie Royal on trumpet. I remember Jimmy told me that he said to Benny Goodman that Duke Ellington had a better band than Benny! Benny didn’t like what he said, of course. Jimmy had trouble with drinking and every time he fluffed a note the band musicians said: ”Now he is drunk again”. Jimmy always wanted to show that he was not drunk. Benny didn’t like drinking at all. A good friend of Jimmy was Don Lamond, the drummer. After my time with Clark Terry I started to play with Count Basie around Christmas time 1979 and stayed with him up to January 1982. I travelled with Count Basie’s band on a tour in Europe 1980. The band played at the Stockholm Konserthus on October 28, 1980. Later on we did a recording on September 12, 1981, called ”Warm Breeze”. Sal Nistico made some arrangement for the recording and for Harry Edison as a soloist. But for some reason they decided to let me play the solo in Cookie instead of Harry Edison. I was not prepared but I did it. I think the result was OK and on Ray Nance, Sam Woo- the same record I also played a solo on dyard, Willie Cook, Satin Doll. That was a tune I did know Duke and John Sanders of course. Norman Granz liked me and before entering the scene he said that I was the only player he did at Newport 1956. know, who had played with both Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Well, that was Willie Cook and Rolf almost true but Clark Terry did play with Ericson receiving the Basie around 1950 in a smaller band. On DESS award in 1996. November 1, 1981, we recorded ”Kansas City Six” with Count Basie and me as the only trumpeter. We also played in Las Vegas. Once I also joined Mercer Ellington’s band for two nights during Paul Gonsalves, Alfredo Rodoszynski, Willie Cook with GHBB. my stay with Count Basie’s band. No Willie Cook and Stanley Dance when recordings were made with me and recording in Buenos Aires. Mercer. A Swedish career GW: When did you settle down in Sweden? WC: I came to Sweden in January 1982. I had earlier met Christl and Gugge Hedrenius in Stockholm when I played with the Count Basie band

7 1980 in Stockholm. We talked about and did some work with the pianist the possibility for me to play with Anders Ekdahl and the singer Cindy Gugge’s Big Band (GHBB) as a lead Peters. trumpeter. I asked Christl about ”Lincoln Center Jazz moving to her and she said ”yes, Orchestra” why don’t you try?” That is the In 1988 I was asked by Wynton reason why I moved to Stockholm. Marsalis to play with the Lincoln My situation in USA wa not so good Center Jazz Orchestra. The band when it came to money. I live in played Ellington music. I stayed in Stockholm since then. We get along the band for four years. I lived in ver well Christl and I and we got Stockholm all the time, but I took married after a while. We live in the the plane over to New York for the apartment where Red Mitchell used concerts. The last time we played to live. A happy couple, Willie and Christl. was for two nights and the first was My musical career in Sweden began Foto: Olle Lindholm with Ellington music and the second was with playing with the GHBB. It is a with Benny Carter music. Then suddenly 15-piece band. They started in 1959/60s back home and we made a great success Wynton decided that all musicians and Gugge has always tried to emulate with GHBB. The band had the following should not be older than 35 years. I don’t his band to become a blues and swinging members: Thomas Driving, Rolf Ericson, know why, but that was the end for me band. He plays the blues and the music Willie Cook (tp), Ulf Johansson Werre, and I don’t understand today the reason he has a feeling for. It was great what Dicken Hedrénius, Magnus Olsson (tb), why age is a problem in the band. That he did and he wrote his own music. Wåge Finér, Håkan Lewin (as), Jesper was my last musical effort outside of Gugge´s band played at Restaurant Bal Thilo (ts), John Högman (bars), Gugge Stockholm. Palais in the center of Stockholm for Hedrénius (p), Jan Adefelt (b), Måns GW: How are you doing today? five years and later ona at Restaurant Ekberg (dr). We played for a week at Strömsborg, a little island in the middle Hotel Days Inn. We also played at Village WC: Well, since 1995 I have some of Stockholm. During that time I was the Vanguard and the Swedish Consul problems with my teeth. I can play just first trumpeter and I started to influence residence in Battery Park. The leaders now. It cost me a lot of money. Thomas the band about Duke Ellington and of the tour were Lars Bjur and Roland Driving who is both a trumpet player his music. One evening the tap-dancer Westerlund. We also got time for a visit and a dentist helped me a lot. Harold Nicholas came to visit us at to see the grave of Johnny Hodges up in GW: To finish these talks, a little blind Restaurant Strömsborg. I had worked Bronx. A second tour with the band was fool test. What do you think of this with him in a show earlier and we have made to USA in the autumn of 1986. We recording? (Mercer Ellington Orchdestra met many times. It was nice to see him played in Minnesota and Chicago. from 1976). again. The Nicholas Brothers were three In 1994 GHBB made another recording; WC: Well, he has a different feeling about from the beginning but one brother hurt ”Jazz Ballroom Nights”. Mood Indigo compared to what Duke had his back once so bad that he couldnt Other well known musicians in GHBB in mind. People have different ideas dance any more. were trumpeter Bosse Broberg. He is an about it than Duke had. The soloists are In 1985 my friends wanted me to make excellent trumpeter and one of the best OK. Was it Mercer Ellington? a record with a small group. Christl and I in Sweden. Another good musician was GW: Yes planned the music and we put together a Christer Boustedt on alto saxophone. group of musicians. One of them was Ulf Christer was an innovator musically and WC: He wants to do Duke’s ideas Johansson Werre on piano and trombone. he played his own music. He was his differently. He said to the young guys in He is in my eyes a better pianist than own man and with his own style. There the band that he wrote those tunes from trombonist. He just plays anything on were no guidelines to hold him back 1942. Mercer doesn’t care about Duke’s piano. He is acquainted with every style from his music. That made him unique music. He tries to make Mercer Ellington and music category. But Ulf is a very in GHBB. Wåge Finér alto saxophone, is music. good trombonist as well. an old friend of Gugge since the 1960s. (Willie Cook contracted kidney cancer GHBB made a recording ”Festival They both came from Umeå. Wåge had in 2000. He was hospitalized and later Ballroom” in 1984. In the band for this a certain influence on the band. Hector admitted to a special cancer clinic in recording we had some great friends Bingert was another good tenor player. Nacka, a Stockholm suburb. He passed participating. They were Jesper Thilo on He has now his own band. The singer in away on September 22, 2000. His son tenor, Mel Lewis on drums and Hank GHBB was Claes Jansson. He is mostly Crawford on tenor. a blues singer but he also sings other Wambi came from Los Angeles to attend kind of music. Normally Gugge plays the funeral. Christl died of cancer only Touring USA instrumental music, but Claes makes a month after Willie in her hometown In June 1986 we did a tour with GHBB to great success as a singer in the band. Laxå. In a future Bulletin we will hear USA and we started by playing on June 1 Today he is working on his own career. more of Willie Cook´s work with the in the Swedish Seamen´s Church in New Outside of Gugge’s band I participated Jimmie Lunceford band, Billie Holiday, York. That was a nice tour for me to be in some TV-shows with Lill Lindfors Earl Hines and Dizzy Gillespie.) 8 Later on in the same year lie left the band we had another very fine trumpet player in Bob Summers. Said about Göran had a chance to talk to He tried to play Willie’s solo in Corner Count Basie’s barytone sax- Pocket, but you always thought of Willie. Willie Cook ophonist John Williams and Willie’s lyricism was outstanding and he had a nice tone. the following In 2005 Göran Wallén had conversation about Willie a conversation with Clark Cook took place: Terry and put the following In 2014 the jazz critic Ehsan Khoshbakht GW: Willie Cook’s wife Christl used to made an interview with Clark Terry who questions to him: say that Willie was the best lead trumpe- at that time had the following to say GW: Why was Willie Cook influenced ter in the world. Is that true? about Willie Cook: ”Willie Cook came by Harry James? over from Dizzy’s band. He was play- JW: No, it’s not true. But anyway. Willie ing ’à la Birks’. Very small but a power- CT: I can understand why he did. I can had a very lyrical sense about him when ful player with interesting solos. Dark- tell you the reason. Miles Davis’ first fa- he played his solos. That was amazing. skinned with nice features – almost like vourite was Harry James. We were all We had a Freddie Green composition a Native American. He wore a conk all Harry James fans. Miles used to overdo Corner Pocket that was an Ernie Wilkins the time.” (The word ”conk” is a slang it. He had a thing of wavering the notes. arrangement that we played. Willie Cook expression for straighten out curly hair). played a lyrical solo. After a while he de- GW: Charlie Spivak, why did Willie lis- veloped the solo so that he played the In a future Bulletin we will show more of ten to him? solo in the same way, note by note every Göran’s interviews with Clark Terry and CT: Charlie Spivak had a magnificent pure night, when he played the solo in Corner John Williams. sound. His theme song was Star Dream. Pocket. But it was so masterfully done, it I think Willie liked just the pure song. was so cleverly constructed. When Wil- Konsert med Kustbandet Willie Cook Som tidigare meddelats våra medlemmar i separat at Newport 1956 mejl kommer DESS i samarbete med Kustbandet och Willie Cook was one of the Scalateatern att arrangera members of Ellington’s band en konsert på nämnda teater at the famous concert at Newport. He actually saved den 9 oktober kl. 15.00. the first part of Ellington’s Alla vet vi sedan tidigare att Kust- appearance. He was on bandet kommer att bjuda på den stage when others like Ray nostalgiska musik som vi alla äls- Nance were missing so El- kar. Ellingtonlåtar blir det säkert lington could call on him to men också annan underbar musik play Tea For Two. Why El- från anno dazumal framfört på ett lington chose this tune is a tidstypiskt sätt. little bit of a mystery. Cook Ordinarie pris för föreställningen played it very infrequently är 275:- men medlemmar i DESS with the band. betalar det reducerade priset 200:-. Foto: Olle Lindholm In 1995, Göran Wallén made an extensi- Sådan biljett kan beställas genom ve interview (published in Bulletin 3/1995 number – Tea For Two. Unfortunately, insättning av beloppet på bankgiro – https://ellingtonblog.files.wordpress. it is not released on record. The reason konto 211-3207 med tydligt angi- com/2016/04/dess_1995-3_bulletin.pdf) that total hysteria broke out was that vande av namn och adress så vi vet where he also spoke about Newport 1956 the band was in really good shape and vart biljetten skall skickas. and this is what Willie said: that a blond woman started to dance in Boka in konserten i almanackan och ”The concert was scheduled for 11 p.m. front of the stage during Paul Gonsalves’ sprid informationen till vänner och But it got delayed one hour and a half solo. It is not really likely that Jo Jones bekanta. and meanwhile the band was sitting in was marking the rhythm with a news- the bar 500 meters from the stage. So paper backstage since Jo Jones and Sam DESS och Kustbandet when the band was supposed to start Woodyard were not the best of friends.” önskar alla hjärtligt playing there were only 7 members in välkomna. place. So Duke told me to play a solo Ulf Lundin 9 The 24th International Mercedes Ellington Duke Ellington Study Group Conference 1979 ägde den första konferensen rum. Då var det en ”Study Group” i ordets egentliga mening. Senare utvecklades dessa ”groups” till konventionella ”konferenser” med ibland upp till 200 deltagare. Hur många som deltog vid den 24:e konferensen är okänt, eftersom ingen deltagarlista presenterades, men troligen inte fler än 60/70 delegater varav 4 svenskar. Under Merce- des Ellingtons och hennes ”Duke Ellington Center for the Arts” kom konferensen till stånd efter vissa tveksamheter. Slutbetyget blir att hon lyckades väl med uppgiften, även om det finns anled- ning att kritisera många praktiska detaljer och även visst inne- håll i programmet.

Om man vill kan man säga att konfe- Europa och jetlagen börjar slå till 18.00 är lumbia ägd biograflokal. TV-filmen, som rensen började en dag tidigare än an- det svårt att tillgodogöra sig de sista pro- ursprungligen visades live, skiljer sig nonserat genom att en auktion hade ar- grampunkterna. Tid fanns faktiskt för musikaliskt i många delar från vad som rangerats på Harlem Jazz Museum av att sprida ut dessa inslag över de övriga spelades in för LP-utgåvan. John Wriggle Ruth Ellingtons son Stephen James som dagarna. Viss irritation uppstod genom höll en intressant föreläsning om filmens auktionerade ut diverse material som att arrangörerna inte var tekniskt förbe- tillkomst och de ovan nämnda personlig- en gång tillhört Duke. Det rörde sig om redda när programmen skulle starta. Att heterna svarade på delegaternas många hans piano, målningar av Duke, kläder öppna lokalen strax innan programmet frågor. och mängder av handskrivna noter och skall börja och då ställa upp all nödvän- På kvällen kunde vi avnjuta ett för arrangemang. Totalt rörde det sig om dig utrustning fördröjde en presentation tillfället sammansatt storband vari in- över 200 objekt. Priserna som betalades med 45 minuter. Tekniska problem med gick Art Baron på trombon som spelade var förvånansvärt höga. $14.000:- för ljud- och bildöverföring förekom ofta. en vacker version av ”Single Petal of a Billy Strayhorns handskrivna ”Lush Men låt mig hellre framhålla de posi- Rose” som sin hyllning till den nyss bort- Life” och samma pris för Ellingtons ar- tiva detaljerna. Som vid alla konferenser gångne Buster Cooper. rangemang av ”Mood Indigo”. En kavaj är ett synnerligen trevligt inslag att man Andra dagen inleddes med att Aaron gick för $7.000:-. Målningarna gick bort får möjlighet att träffa och språka med li- Bells dotter Robin Bell-Stevens kåserade till höga priser. För Dukes vita baby kasinnade entusiaster från olika delar av på ämnet ”Women in Jazz” och det följ- grand piano begärdes $300.000:- men världen. En detalj som är nog så viktig. des av en ung universitetsstuderande, en reduktion ned till $50.000:- fann ändå Här skall kortfattat redogöras för några Rebecca Fulop, vars specialisering var ingen köpare. Pianot såldes inte. Efter av programinslagen: musik i film. Hon lät oss få ta del av vad som antyddes var det Smithsonian Första dagen inleddes med en visning Institution, Library of Congress och an- av TV-filmen ”A Drum Is A Woman” Candido och Carmen de Lavallade dra museer som stod för det mesta av och dansösen Carmen de Lavallade som inköpen, men många objekt hamnade spelade ”Madam Zzaj” var närvarande hos privata samlare. Den som vill stu- tillsammans med Candido Camero som dera auktionsobjekten i detalj kan gå in också medverkade i filmen. De ameri- på https://www.liveauctioneers.com/ kanska reglerna hur material av detta catalog/87743_forever-ellington-may- slag får visas är mycket restriktiva. Fil- 18/?pagenum=4&rows=20 men ägs av Columbia och det var endast Som antytts ovan kunde konferenspro- genom särskilt medgivande som filmen grammet ha organiserats bättre. Att star- fick visas för en sluten privat grupp. Den ta kl. 09.30 och avsluta 21.30 tar på kraf- fick emellertid inte föras ut ur deras lo- terna. Speciellt om man kommer från kaler varför visningen skedde i en av Co-

10 musiken i ”Anatomy of a Murder” och bakgrunden men det råder inget tvivel beskrev hur den var komponerad för att om vilka de är. passa händelserna på filmduken. Dagen avslutades med att Will Fried- Philippe Baudoin höll ett intressant wald visade en rad mer eller mindre föredrag om Billy Strayhorns gode vän okända filmer och videoupptagningar pianisten Aaron Bridgers, som tillbringa- av Duke Ellington och orkestern från de större delen av sitt liv i Paris. Han be- olika platser i världen. skrev Bridgers som ”The Ambassador of Fjärde dagen bjöd på en ”champagne the Grand Duchy of Ellingtonia in Paris”. brunch” varvid Carmen de Lavallade Krin Grabbard, känd skribent av jazz- tilldelades utmärkelsen ”Beyond Cate- artiklar och böcker, beskrev initierat de gory Award” för ett lång och framgångs- få tillfällen då Charlie Mingus och Duke rikt liv som dansös i olika sammanhang. Ellington samarbetade. Allt från kontro- Senare gjordes ett besök på ”Jazz at versen med Juan Tizol till ”Money Jung- Lincoln Center”, en fantastisk byggnad le” och framförandet av ”The Clown”. speciellt byggd för musik- och teaterfö- Matthias Heyman, belgisk musikolog reställningar. med kontrabasens roll i jazzen som sitt Steven Lasker, (bild ovan) kåserade på studieområde och därmed Jimmy Blan- temat ”Earliest Ellington”, ett område ton som sitt specialintresse, beskrev med som han är specialist på. Han talade om stor kunskap hur Ellington arbetade med de tidigaste inspelningarna på de säll- sina basister allt ifrån Wellman Braud synta etiketterna Blu-Disc och Up-To-Da- och Billy Taylor fram till Jimmy Blanton te och han kunde med viss stolthet kon- och Oscar Pettiford. statera att han var innehavare av flera av Bill Saxonis, kunnig Ellingtonkännare, dessa rariteter. Under Ellingtons tid på talade om Ellingtons inflytande på andra Club Kentucky uppträdde där även en artister i underhållningsvärlden. Han artist vid namn Bert Lewis. Lasker hade följdes av John Hasse, författaren till bo- kommit över en skiva där Lewis sjunger ken ”Beyond Category”, som talade om den kända melodin ”Don’t Bring Lulu” Ellingtons uppväxt i Washington och ackompanjerad av en pianist. Frågan hans tidigaste influenser. ställdes till alla om pianisten möjligen Dag tre gav möjlighet för delegaterna kunde vara Duke Ellington. Något svar att välja mellan två olika bussutflykter. kunde inte med bestämdhet ges men frå- En till Ellingtons grav i Woodlawn Ce- geställningen kommer säkert att bli fö- Den sista programpunkten, och kan- metary och en till Ellingtonstatyn, Apol- remål för forskarnas studier i framtiden. lo Theatre, platsen där Cotton Club låg ske ett av de mest intressanta, var Phil och till Ellingtons bostad. Undertecknad Schaaps (bild ovan) kåseri om de tillfäl- valde den första turen och kunde således len då Duke Ellington och Louis Arm- bese Ellingtonfamiljens förhållandevis strong samarbetade. Idén till ett samar- enkla gravplats och de i närheten pam- bete hade sitt ursprung i filmatiseringen piga gravmonumenten över Sir Miles av ”Paris Blues”. Kontakten knöts och Davis (på den eleganta gravstenen stod Roulette Records ville spela in de båda det faktiskt skrivet så), Illinois Jacquet tillsammans, men Duke var vid tillfäl- och Lionel Hampton. let knuten till Columbia och därmed På eftermiddagen hade vi nöjet att förhindrad. Emellertid släppte Colum- få höra vår egen Olle Edström tala om bia honom för denna inspelning mot att Ellingtons påverkan på svenskt jazz- Roulette som en gentjänst släppte Count liv och hur jazz uppfattades i Sverige Basie och hans orkester till Columbia för från 1930-talets början och vidare fram inspelningen av ”First Time” tillsam- i tiden. Föredraget, som uppskattades mans med Ellingtons orkester. Ett lyckat mycket, var i princip en koncentration exempel på bra samarbete. av hans bok ”Duke Ellington och jazz i Slutligen skall nämnas att bland de Sverige”. handlingar som utdelades inför konfe- Carl Woideck talade om Irving Mills Ken Steiner, (bild ovan) likaledes fors- rensen ingick en CD producerad av Frits ”Advertising Manual” som publicerades kare om Ellingtonia, visade stumfilmen Schjött med ”Unpublished Hurricane 1931 och per automatik skickades ut till ”Headlines” från 1925 som är The Wash- Broadcasts 1943-44 ex Timme Rosen- alla teatrar, danspalats som engagerade ingtonians första framfrädande på film. krantz Archive”. Intressant tidigare out- Ellingtons orkester. Mycket av innehållet Filmen visades redan vid konferensen i givet material som inte finns omnämnt i i manualen levde kvar bland den typen Amsterdam men den var nu restaurerad New DESOR. av arrangörer långt efter att Mills upp- till bättre kondition. Duke Ellington och hört att vara Ellingtons manager. övriga i bandet kan svårligen urskiljas i Bo Haufman

11 vember 17, 1957, assembled a group of Some Ellington musicians and made a number Nya medlemmar of recordings for Argo (LP 650). The al- DESS hälsar följande nya representative bum was released under the title ”Taylor medlemmar välkomna i vår Made Jazz”. It was later re-released as illustra förening: recordings a CD by Fresh Sound Records (FSR-CD 111). In addition to Willie Cook we can Henning Ytte Andersen, Malmö by Willie Cook hear Clark Terry, Britt Woodman, Johnny Ronald Baronner, Den Haag, When studying the discographies Hodges, Paul Gonsalves and Harry Car- Holland one finds a great number of recor- ney. Accompanying are Billy Taylor, Earl Quentin Bryar, London, England May and Ed Thigpen. This is a record Murche Eklöf, Stockholm dings with Willie Cook, especially every Ellington collector should have in Marcus Girvan, Helensburgh, from his time with the Duke El- his collection even though Duke himself England lington orchestra. Playing the lead did not participate. Rasmus Henriksen, Odense, trumpet in the band meant that Danmark his possibilities to solo were a bit During his long stay in Duke Elling- Stig Johansson, Sandviken restricted. The solos were as a rule ton’s orchestra in the 1950s Willie Cook got quite a few opportunities to present Helmut Kirch, Stuttgart, Tyskland left to the more established soloists himself. He can be heard on several per- Brian Koller, Richardson TX, USA like Ray Nance, Clark Terry and formances of Jam With Sam and the first Per Olof Peterson, Torsås Cat Anderson. However, Duke recordings of Billy Strayhorn’s Upper DESS behöver fler medlemmar. realized Willie Cook’s ability as a Manhattan Medical Group became a fea- Inspirera Dina vänner och bekanta soloist and he got his chances to ture for Willie. This applies to the first att också vara med! prove his talent in a few numbers. performances of the number in 1956, Here follows a list of some recor- whereas it would later on become a ve- dings where Willie Cook’s talent hicle for Clark Terry. can be heard as a trumpet soloist: When Duke Ellington made his tour Duke and Be-Bop of South America in 1968 Willie Cook Already during the late 1940s Ellington On March 14, 1952, Duke Ellington re-entered the band. While the orchestra started to employ a few musicians with and his orchestra made a soundie for played in Buenos Aires on September 15 certain dispositions for the new ideas in Snader Telescriptions, which can ea- a local pianist by the name of Enrique jazz. Ellington surely wanted to be with sily be found on YouTube. The band Villegas arranged for a recording session his times but what was his true opinion played several of the numbers inclu- with Paul Gonsalves and Willie Cook. The about the modern jazz called be-bop? In an ded in the book at the time and most of music was released on an Argentinian LP interview 1954 he had the following to say: the band members got their chances to show off. So did also Willie Cook who Trova TL22, which today is a collector’s Playing bop is like playing scrabble can be heard in a very beautiful solo in item. A re-release was later made by Fresh with all the vowels missing. Mood Indigo. Sound Records (FSR-CD 72). While Duke Ellington was contrac- Willie Cook returned to the Ellington

Jazz Humour ted to Capitol in the early 1950s we can orchestra on several occassions by the A womanizer enjoying hear Willie produce a nice solo in Three end of the 1960s and into the 1970s. From his company: Little Words recorded on April 7, 1953. this period it is well worth mentioning In the Mosaic booklet Stanley Dance his soloing on Tippytoeing Through The described Willies solo as ”precise and Jungle Garden from January 7, 1970. It tasteful”. was released on Fantasy F-9640 The In- Whenever Duke Ellington had the timacy of the Blues. opportunity he recorded for his own When engaged by Count Basie, Willie account. He called these recordings was featured in a number appropriately his ”stockpile”. On January 29, 1957, named Cookie included in the Pablo-LP the band was in Chicago and Willie Warm Breeze. (D23131311), recorded on Cook got the chance to demonstrate September 1, 1981. his ability in a bluesnumber Ellington During his stay in Sweden Willie Cook appropriately named Blues A La Willie can be heard on several recordings by Cook. Here Willie really demonstrated Gugge Hedrenius band and he also made what a good jazz musician he was. It a recording for Phontastic under his own was well into the 1980s before we had name; Christl Mood with Willie Cook the possibility to enjoy this performan- & The Young Swedes (Phontastic 7563). ce. The number was first presented on This was recorded on May 24, 1984. Up-To-Date 2099 and later on CD WEA 255923-2 (The Private Collection #7). One of Duke Ellingtons admirer was Ava Gardner, Duke, Lena Horne the pianist Billy Taylor, who on No- Bo Haufman

12 Nya CD-skivor

Återigen finns nya CD-skivor med outgivna. Skivans ljudkvalitet är mycket Duke Ellington att anmäla och vi god och man fäster sig gärna vid Russell börjar med en upptagning från Köln Procope’s långa och fina solo i4:30 Blues. den 10 november 1969: Vår franska systerförening Maison du Duke är mycket aktiv och har nu gett ut CD nr 8 (MDD 008):

DUKE ELLINGTON TREASURY SHOWS, Vol. 21 Storyville Records har nu kommit ut med DETS 21, alltså en dubbel-CD, med DUKE ELLINGTON musik från radioutsändningar från dels & HIS ORCHESTRA Million Dollar Theatre i Los Angeles den – Live At The Opernhaus Cologne, 6 juli 1946 och dels från Orpheum Thea- 1969 DUKE ELLINGTON tre i San Diego den 27 juli 1946. Dessa inspelningar fanns tidigare utgivna på LP – The Cologne Broadcasts – The (almost) complete Jazz som DETS-40 och DETS-41. Som bonus- (remastered) – (WDR N 77 029) Violin Session material finns nu två kortare och tidigare Låtlista: C-Jam Blues/Kinda Dukish & Rock- Skivan distribueras endast till förening- outgivna radioutsändningar med på in’ In Rhythm/4:30 Blues/Take The ”A” Train/ ens medlemmar. Det rör sig om upptag- skivan. Den ena från Trianon Ballroom i Up Jump/Satin Doll/April In Paris/El Gato/ ningar från den 22 februari 1963, då den Southgate, CA., den 2 maj 1942 och den Black Butterfly/Don’t Get Around Much kända ”Violin Session” gjordes och där andra från El Patio Ballroom i Denver, Anynore/Caravan/Mood Indigo/I’m Begin- Stephane Grappelli, Svend Asmussen CO., den 14 juli 1942. ning To See The Light/Sophisticated Lady/ och Ray Nance medverkade. Ursprungs- Diminuendo In Blue & Wailing Interval LP’n, DUKE ELLINGTON’S JAZZ VIO- Det mesta av detta finns utgivet på en ti- LIN SESSION gavs ut på Atlantic SD digare CD, (West Wind WW 2406), dock 1688 och alla låtarna finns med på denna Anders Asplund är Black Butterfly, I’m Beginning To See CD plus ett antal alternativtagningar The Light och Sophisticated Lady tidigare som inte givits ut tidigare.

varande Ellingtons sondotter såg de till att Ny Ellingtonbok hon fick träffa både sin far och Duke. Duke ville inte bli kallad farfar utan instruerade med många bilder Mercedes att kalla honom Uncle Edward. Lagom till konferensen i maj kom en ny Mercedes ville tidigt ägna sig åt dans och bok om Duke Ellington ut på marknaden. det var med stor tveksamhet som hon fick Det är mera ett bildverk än en litterär bok. support av pappa Mercer och Uncle Ed- De flesta bilderna känner man igen sen ward att utbilda sig i disciplinen. Mercedes tidigare, men ett fåtal är okända i varje hade svårt att få engagemang på grund av fall för undertecknad. Boken är författad, sin etnicitet men lyckades ändå göra en eller snarare sammanställd av Mercedes karriär både som dansare och koreograf Ellington med assistans av Steven Bro- vilken toppades med succén på Broadway wer. Det skrivna innehållet är som sagt ”Sophisticated Ladies”. begränsat, men Mercedes bidrar med ett Boken är vad man brukar kalla en s.k. intressant avsnitt om sin uppväxt och sin ”Tea Table Book”. Mercedes sålde och sig- relation till Mercer och Duke Ellington. nerade boken under konferensdagarna för Hon bodde aldrig tillsammans med sina $50:-. Den kan nu inhandlas från Amazon föräldrar, de var aldrig gifta. De tidigaste för $35:48 men då tillkommer frakten. åren av sitt liv bodde hon hos och upp- fostrades av sina morföräldrar. Men som Bo Haufman

13 orchestra leave the stage in disgust. This permitted the Ellington Orchestra, the dancer and singer Gertrude Michael, and Murder at the an African-American chorus line to per- form their Ebony Rhapsody. Vanities Meanwhile, the disgruntled symphony conductor reappeared in the A 1934 Paramount film featuring- wings and asked a member of the staff The Duke Ellington Orchestra for a submachine gun, which is part of the plot. The symphony conductor then By Fred Glueckstein closed the production number by mo- The Earl Carroll Vanities, a music, wing down the entire troupe, including murder, and romance revue, was a Ellington’s Orchestra and the corps de popular Broadway show of the 1930s. ballet. It is fair to say the Ellington band In 1934, it was the subject of a movie never had an on-stage closing as in the Murder at the Vanitites. titled Murder at the Vanities produ- ced by Paramount Pictures in Hol- Several film clips from Murder at the Vanities may be found on YouTube by lywood. Among the performers were searching ”Murder at the Vanities”. Duke Ellington and his Orchestra. When Ellington learned that one of the Ellington’s participation in Murder at chorus girls in the film, Gladys ’Derb’ had small roles. The use of a black chorus the Vanities was due to Sam Coslow, Henderson, was planning to marry line in Murder at the Vanities was a first a songwriter at Paramount, who was a trumpeter Buck Clayton, he arranged for Hollywood. Previously, white girls ap- former employee of the music publisher for the wedding to take place on the set peared in blackface. The black chorus line Irving Mills, who originally signed Duke of Murder at the Vanities. Clayton, in dancers were from the floor show at Frank Ellington. Coslow, who had contributed his autobiography Buck Clayton’s Jazz Sebastian’s Cotton Club in Culver City. twenty songs to eight films at Paramount, World, described the wedding in part: insisted that Ellington be brought into The Story Plot ”Duke’s band played a number and then Murder at the Vanities. After Paramount In Murder at the Vanities, Victor McLag- out comes all of the chorus girls … Duke Pictures agreed, Ellington and the band len starred as Bill Murdock, a detective played another number, then came the boarded the train from Washington D.C. investigating a series of murders during ceremony and I found myself married. to Hollywood on Saturday, February 17, the opening night of a new edition of the Carl Brisson, star of Murder at the Vani- 1934 and arrived in Los Angeles on Mon- Vanities. When private detective Sadie ties, gave the bride away.” day, February 19, 1934. Evans (Gail Patrick) is found murdered, It seems that Ellington’s contract with On Tuesday, February 20, 1934, Duke Murdock must investigate between mu- Paramount Pictures covered more than Ellington and his band were at Para- sical numbers to find the killer. just Murder at the Vanities. Over a peri- mount to work on Murder at the Vani- When Rita Rose (Gertrude Michael) od from February till mid May Duke El- ties. The film was directed by Mitchell next turns up dead, Murdock concludes lington and his Orchestra also appeared Leisen. It starred Victor McLaglen, Carl young Ingénue Ann Ware (Kitty Carlis- in Belle of the Nineties with Mae West Brisson, Jack Oakle, Kitty Carlisle, Ger- le) is the next person marked for death. singing My Old Flame. Paramount also trude Michael, Toby Wing, Jessie Ralph, Murdock has to find the murderer before made use of the Ellington band in a short and Duke Ellington and his Orchestra. the ending of the show or else the killer film titled Hollywood on Parade and the Murder at the Vanities was released on could disappear in the departing crowd longer film Many Happy Returns featur- May 25, 1934. of theatergoers. ing the harmonica player Larry Adler. For a publicity photo for Murder at the Murder at the Vanities included a va- Simultaneously while filming for Para- Vanities, Ellington and his orchestra po- riety of song hits, such as Sam Coslow’s mount, Duke Ellington and his Orchest- sed at a railroad station. With Ellington Cocktails For Two and Live and Love To- ra took up engagements at Paramount in the center, the members around him night; Ellington’s Ebony Rhapsody; Mara- Theatre in Los Angeles and at Sebastian’s were: Earl ”Snake Hips” Tucker, Juan Ti- huana, (Marijuana), and Lovely One. The Cotton Club in Culver City. zol, Artie Whetsol, Ivie Anderson, Tricky appearance of the Ellington Orchestra While in Los Angeles Duke Ellington Sam Nanton, Harry Carney, Wellman was part of a symphony concert by the and his Orchestra made commercial re- Braud, Otto Hardwick, Fred Guy, Fred- show’s full orchestra. After it began cordings for RCA-Victor of many of the die Jenkins, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hod- playing Liszt’s Second Hungarian Rhap- hit songs from the films such as Ebony ges, Lawrence Brown, and Sonny Greer. sody, it was rudely interrupted twice by Rhapsody, Cocktails for Two, Live And Love (See photo in John Edward Hasse’s Bey- Ellington and the band, which suddenly Tonight, and with Ivie Anderson sing- ond Category: The Life and Genius of appears behind the musicians and plays ing Troubled Waters and My Old Flame. Duke Ellington, (p. 182). a few riffs. The band then smoothly mo- Soundtracks from the films have also The large number of show girls in Mur- ved into Ellington’s conception of the been issued on various record labels. der at the Vanities included Lucille Ball, rhapsody. Appalled by Ellington’s mu- (Sony&BMG 88697302362 Original Mas- Ann Sheridan, and Virginia Davis, who sic, the symphony conductor and the ters – The best of Duke Ellington). 14 Bill Savory Collection

Bill Savory var en ljud- ton-material. Pga co- tekniker som bl.a. bi- pyrightregler och an- drog till att utveckla dra juridiska hinder är LP-skivan. Han hade det än så länge oklart för vana att på 1930-ta- hur denna musikskatt lets senare hälft spela in skall komma en all- radioutsändningar för mänhet till handa. För eget bruk. Han spelade närvarande kan man in på 16-tums acetat och endast avlyssna några kunde därmed få med smakprov på museets längre versioner än de hemsida. Den som vill konventionella 78-ornas veta mer om samling- tre minuters begräns- en kan gå in på följan- ning. Totalt innehöll de nätadresser: hans samling upp till 1500 skivor. Bl.a. spelade han in Benny Goodmans Carnegie detta vid Ellingtonkonferensen i Amster- Hall-konsert 1938 och det är den enda dam 2014. Acetatskivorna hade under www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org – Klicka: av hans inspelningar som kommit en årens lopp utsatts för dålig förvaring och the museum/collections/ allmänhet till godo. Han slutade spela endast 25% anses vara opåverkade av ti- the savory collection eller in 1940 pga ändrade arbetsförhållan- dens tand. Ytterligare 25% anses kunna www.abajournal.com - Search: Bill Sa- den. Samlingens existens har varit känd åtgärdas med modern teknik, medan vory Collection eller bland samlare, men det var först 2010 den resterande delen anses svårligen www.nytimes.com – Search: Bill Savory som Loren Schoenberg och National Jazz kunna restaureras. Det är oss okänt ex- Collection Museum in Harlem kunde får tillgång akt vad samlingen innehåller, men enligt Bo Haufman till hela samlingen. Loren berättade om Loren lär där finnas hittills okänt Elling-

DESS på webben och Facebook

Den 30 april var det premiär för DESS’ nya webbplats. När kommer från Sverige men c:a 40 procent från andra länder. Key Jigerström avsade sig uppdraget som webbredaktör, Webbplatsen har fått många vänliga ansåg styrelsen att det var dags att gå vidare och erbjuda en omdömen. ”It is absolutely superb - and, vidareutvecklad webbplats rik på information och tjänster. instantly, the best website devoted to Duke and his music presently on line”, Den nya webbplatsen, som har tagit DESS är del av ett internationellt nät- sade en. över adressen www.ellington.se, är av- verk. Därför finns den nya webbplatsen Webbplatsen kompletteras av en sedd att vara mer nyhetsinriktad än den både på svenska och på engelska. När sa- DESS-grupp på Facebook – ”Duke El- förra och ha mer av tjänster som ger till- ker och ting skrivs på engelska kommer lington Society of Sweden”. Alla DESS- gång till Ellington-material. Men mycket det alltid att finnas en svensk översätt- medlemmar, som finns på Facebook, bör av det gamla finns naturligtvis kvar, t.ex. ning och vice versa. se till att bli medlemmar i gruppen. diskografierna och allt material -om El Sedan starten har det publicerats ett Ni, som har epost men inte är med på lingtons turnéer i Sverige. fyrtiotal artiklar i vitt skilda Ellington- Facebook, skaffa er ett konto där. En central funktion för webbplatsen är ämnen på webbplatsen och ett drygt att ge medlemmar tillgång till unikt el- femtontal unika radioutsändningar ler svåråtkomligt Ellington-material av och konserter har gjorts tillgängliga för olika slag. Det sker i avdelningen DESS- DESS’ medlemmar. Foton från Elling- Ulf Lundin rummet. Det är enbart förbehållet med- tons olika besök i Sverige är också en lemmar i DESS och skyddas därför av ett viktig del av innehållet på webbplatsen. lösenord. Majoriteten av besökare av webbplatsen

15 band recording sessions, and gradually almost all of the vocal arrangements for Take The ”A” Train Duke’s vocalists, Ivie Anderson and Herb För en större allmänhet är detta Jeffries. This measured process culmi- nated in Strahyhorn’s masterful arrang- troligen den melodi som är mest ement on Flamingo, which was sung by förknippad med namnet Duke El- Herb Jeffries and recorded memorably on lington, men som vi alla vet var det December 28, 1940. Billy Strayhorn som var kompositör. As 1941 began, the simmering dispute Jazzskribenten Michael P. Zirpolo between the nation’s then powerful ra- författade inför förra årets Stray- dio networks and the American Society hornjubileum en mycket initierad ar- of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) boiled over. Duke had been an tikel om Strayhorn som finns att läsa ASCAP member since 1935, and all of his i IAJRC Journal (September 2016). music was licensed for radio performan- I sin blogg Swing & Beyond (http:// ce through ASCAP, which decreed that swingandbeyond.com) kan man läsa radio networks should not play any AS- följande kortare analys av Stray- nes and supple rhythm quartet. At the CAP music, starting on January 1, 1941. horns komposition, som författaren end of his solo, Strayhorn creates a stri- For any band then, radio exposure was essential. The ASCAP prohibition struck gett oss tillstånd att återge: king transition into the next chorus with a modulation played by the brilliant the Ellington band particularly hard be- ”Take the ”A” Train” – Composed and open brass, employing tangy harmony. cause so much of the music played by arranged by Billy Strayhorn – Recorded The harmonized saxophones play what them had been composed by Duke. El- by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra for will be a later repeated four bar phrase lington was suddenly faced with the Victor Records; February 15, 1941, Hol- to usher in Nance’s second solo, this one daunting challenge of coming up with a lywood, CA. played on brilliant-toned open trumpet. lot of new ”Ellington” music composed Personnel: Duke Ellington, piano, direc- Again, Strayhorn keeps the musical co- by someone other than Duke Ellington. ting: Wallace Jones, first trumpet; Ray lors changing, backing Nance’s trumpet The person he looked to immediately for Nance, trumpet; Rex Stewart, cornet; with the saxophones during the first 16 help was Billy Strayhorn. Lawrence Brown, first trombone; Joseph bars (hear Nance’s superb glissando near Ellington told Strayhorn to start wri- Nanton, trombone, Juan Tizol, valve the end of this segment), then with the ting as many original compositions as trombone; Otto Hardwick, first alto saxes and open trombones in swinging fast as he could. Within a short time a saxophone; Johnny Hodges, alto saxop- interplay after that. Sonny Greer follows remarkable amount of music had been hone; Ben Webster and Barney Bigard, swing era tradition by playing a backbeat composed. The new Strayhorn compo- tenor saxophones; Harry Carney, barito- behind Nance’s solo, but it is as personal sitions were: Take The ”A” Train, Chelsea ne saxophone; Fred Guy, guitar; Jimmy as such a thing can be, and swinging. Bridge, Clementine, A Flower Is A Lovesome Blanton, bass; Sonny Greer, drums. Yet again, Strayhorn creates a stunning Thing, After All and Love Like This Can’t The music: Duke Ellington’s iconic four kaleidoscopic transition after Nance’s Last soon followed by Rain Check. These bar piano introduction leads the way solo concludes employing a descending compositions were arranged throughout into one of the most famous swing era figure employing the open trumpets and 1941, and began to be played by the El- anthems. Composer Billy Strayhorn’s trombones in perfect juxtaposition with lington band on radio broadcasts. Soon arrangement is a model of balance and the saxophones, in only two bars! From the Ellington band had a hit with Take varying instrumental colors. The smooth that point, the band reprises the opening The ”A” Train and he adopted the com- unison reeds state the melody, with the scheme with unison saxes stating the position as his theme song. It became the muted trumpets and open trombones al- theme, this time backed by syncopated tune the Ellington band began all broad- ternatingly providing rhythmic empha- oo-ah brass. As the dynamic level gra- casts, dances and concerts with for the ses behind them for the first 16 bars. On dually lowers, this superb arrangement next forty-plus years. the bridge, the saxes, still in unison, are draws to a close. backed by the open trombones. Then for The story: 1940 was the last year that the last eight bars of the opening chorus, Duke Ellington’s orchestra did not re- the open trumpets and trombones play flect, to a significant degree, the musical the rhythmic ”kicks” together. Notice personality of Billy Strayhorn, one of the how perfectly bassist Jimmy Blanton and most creative and brilliant musicians of drummer Sonny Greer (playing with the swing era. Strayhorn was hired by brushes) work together. Ellington in early 1939, but in typically The full chorus trumpet solo is played Ducal fashion, Strayhorn was given no by Ray Nance, using a Harmon mute job description, or duties, at least not at in the bell of his trumpet. His solo is a first. Soon, however, Ellington began as- perfectly constructed jazz improvisation, signing musical tasks to him, including supported by the harmonized saxopho- preparing music for the Ellington small

16 riär en inspelning av låten för Bethlehem och använder sig då till stora delar av Take the ”A” Train lyrics Ray Nances ideer. Lee Gaines, basrösten i Delta Rhythm Duke Ellingtons komponerade Boys, var en bra ”lyrics writer” och han skrev en längre version med följande mängder av melodier, som ingår fortsättning på den ursprungliga texten i den amerikanska musikskatten, och som följer Nance´s solo: men frågar man en person på gatan vilken melodi han förknippar med Well, get aboard the ”A” train to take a Vid konserten i Carnegie Hall den 4 ja- little ride around the City Duke Ellington så är det stora chan- nuari 1946 spelas Take The ”A” Train och Brooklyn or Broadway train you see ser att svaret blir Take The vissa källor uppger att Joya Sherrill då that only yours is ridig pretty. ”A” Train, en melodi som sjunger sin text men den uppgiften är Take your baby subway ridin’ that’s Ellington inte komponerade. felaktig. Någon sång förekommer inte. when a romance may be hidin’ När Billy Strayhorn kom in i Ellington- Under årens lopp har mängder av sång- Forget your car or airplane, you find a artister gjort inspelningar av Take The organisationen var det primärt som text- little day to take the ”A” train. ”A” Train. Oftast har man då använt författare till Ellingtons kompositioner. You take your baby to Harlem. You’re Men det var det minsta han kom att ägna originaltexten men gjort justeringar och bound to find a hall sig åt. Som vi alla vet blev han en framstå- lagt till egen fortsättning på texten. Up on Sugar Hill where everyone’s ende arrangör och kompositör. Han mest Den intressantaste och roligaste vokal- kända verk är Take The ”A” Train som El- tolkningen av melodin görs av Ray Nan- having a solid ball. lington skulle komma att använda som ce, som var en fantastisk improvisatör You’ll board that ”A” train and then sin signaturmelodi. Men melodin har en och upptågsmakare. Han sjöng så här: you ride ’til you dig this number: text det påstås att Joya Sherrill är upphov 145 Street where all the cats meet, more Hurry hurry hurry take the ”A” train till. Hon har berättat att när hon som ung than on a stroll. And you’ll find it’s the quickest way to tonåring 1941 hörde melodin på radio så Pops, they’re really in there. get to Harlem författade hon en text till melodin och den That’s the riff that the bands all play If you should take the ”A” train tog hon med sig till Duke när hon fick ett It’s groovy the hep-cats say; then you’ll You’ll find you get to where you are första kort engagemang i orkestern 1942. know that you’re in Harlem. going in a hurry Hennes alster är som följer: You got to get on that ”A” train, and Hurry hurry hurry now its coming You must take the ”A” train you will have a ball – yeah. Can’t you hear those rails are humming To go to Sugar Hill way up in Harlem If you’re lookin’ for rhythm, you’ll find You better get with it If you miss the ”A” train it on Sugar Hill. If you should take the ”A” train You’ll find you missed the quickest Now that you know just You’ll fin you get to where you are way to Harlem how to get up there going in a hurry Hurry get on now it’s coming Dig up a nickel and you got your fare I ain’t mad at you pretty baby Listen to those rails a-thrumming If you want to go to happy Harlem Don’t be mad at me. Me and you Get on the ”A” train You take the ”A” train that goes up- I cover the water front, Soon you will be on Sugar Hill town and ride, ride, ride. I cover the water front in Harlem Wait until you get on Sugar Hill Don’t know why there’s no sun up in Den 8 oktober 1942 deltar Duke Elling- You’ll jump for joy ’til you get your fill. the sky ton med orkester i filminspelningen av Have you got your nickel in your hand? I’ve got no money, help help Reveille with Beverly, där man passande Then hurry, don’t you miss that train, Yankee Doodle went to town. nog framför numret i en tågkupé. Vid oh man. Old rockin’ chair got him detta tillfälle ingår inte Joya Sherrill i You must take the ”A” train That’s beat but all I need is bandet utan Betty Roché får förtroendet To go to Sugar Hill way up in Harlem Sweet Georgia Brown att stå för det vokala inslaget. Texten är i Better hurry. Get aboard that train grunden den samma men något justerad: Now Laura that’s the face 145th Street Station, watch your step. Hurry hurry take the ”A” Train I ain’t much to look at. Quit shovin’ man, I’m getting off too To get to Sugar Hill way up in Harlem Ain’t nothing to see OK Daddy-O If you should take the ”A” train I got my gal waiting for me. Delta Rhythm Boys kan avnjutas sjung- You get away a-going if you hurry I got my gal ande denna version av Take the ”A” Train Hurry hurry now it’s coming Stroferna interfolieras med Nances scat i flera versioner på YouTube. Lee Gaines Can’t you hear the rail go humming sång. Ett genialiskt och dråpligt famfö- skrev även sin egen text till Just A-Settin’ If you should miss the ”A” Train rande där han använder sig av citat ur And A-Rockin’ som likaledes kan hittas You’ll miss the quickest way to get to andra välkända texter. på YouTube. Harlem Betty Roché gjorde senare under sin kar- Bo Haufman

17 Steve Little

Steve Little är inte någon av Duke Elling- tons mera kända batterister. Sonny Greer, Louie Bellson och Sam Woodyard är av- sevärt mer omskrivna i litteraturen. Men det faktum att Duke använde sig av Steve Littles tjänster torde utgöra ett gott betyg på hans kapacitet som slagverkare. Hans tid i bandet var inte lång. I New DESOR kan man läsa: ”Stay in band: early July – early October, 1967; occ. for the sessions of Janua- ry 19-23, 1968, and September 2, 1969.”

Under sin första sejour i Ellingtonbandet band had one or two outstanding solo- the Octet. During the engagement at the deltog Little i de inspelningar som skulle ists that you could recognize. Anybody Rainbow Grill we did this record date komma att ingå i LP-utgåvan … And His else you could take out of the band and …And His Mother Called Him Bill. As Mother Called Him Bill. I augusti samma replace them and you really would not I said there were no drum charts and it år hade Duke också sitt första engage- notice that much difference. Duke’s was one or two time down. The guys in mang på Rainbow Grill i New York där band was not like that. Everybody had the band who had been there since 1927 Steve Little ingick i oktetten. På den CD an absolute unique voice. The ensembles knew this stuff. Cootie Williams was in som gavs ut av DESS för några år sedan weren’t great. They could read music the band, Lawrence Brown and Johnny medverkar Steve Little. När skivan skul- very well and playing a show with an act Hodges, Harry Carney. They were all le ges ut behövde vi en bild på Little men that you had to read music for with them there from the get go. I had no idea that någon sådan fanns inte att uppbringa was absolutely embarrassing. It was like this was going to be a big hit record of på nätet, men genom sökning via Du- a High School band! But everybody had Ellington’s. If I had, I would have raised keLYM fick vi emellertid direktkontakt a unique voice. Well, everybody except Holy Hell and said, I want to learn it, do med Little som tillhandahöll en bild på me. There was no drum book and that is another take please, I want to learn this sig. Han var emellertid något kritisk till something that really bothers me now. music. Like on Blood Count Duke said, vår utgåva eftersom han uppfattade den People listen to records I am on and they ”Play something exotic.” We played six- som en s.k. ”bootleg”, men han accepte- don’t understand a lot of things about teen bars and we were off recording it in rade vår förklaring när vi deklarerade this. It wasn’t like you went in and you one take. våra avsikter. played down the chart. There were no In fact On the Road with Duke El- År 2012 gjordes en intervju med Ste- charts! And in …And His Mother Cal- lington, the television thing, was my ve Little av journalisten Ethan Iverson. led Him Bill in particular. Not only were first night on the band, when we played I utskriven form omfattar intervjun 15 there no charts but I did not know that with a symphony orchestra in Michigan. A4-sidor men nedan återges endast de music then. This stuff was brand new to There’s a drum solo in one of the pieces avsnitt som relaterar till Littles tid med me. I guess the guys in the band played it and I had no idea it was there. We were Duke Ellington. years before as Billy Strayhorn wrote the playing this uptempo thing and Paul music. But by the time I got there they Gonsalves turns around and says – and SL: Duke called that summer (1968). I had moved on to other stuff. I knew Up- I’ll never forget how he put it – ”Me thought I would never go on the road per Manhattan Medical Group but all this thinks you have a drum solo coming up.” again. I had a chance to go on the road other music was rather unknown. That And I yell to him ”How long?” and by with Basie but I just did not do it. When album is what made it known to musi- then he had turned around to play and Duke called I said, ”I got to do this.” cians all over. We played different mu- all of a sudden I am playing a drum solo. Duke was my favorite band of all time. sic completely when we were working I didn’t know whether to play five bars You know it was different. It was com- at the Rainbow Grill with the Octet and or five minutes. We also played Harlem pletely different than any other band. when the band first came back together with all the changes in tempo and feel to go on the road. I had only been with and no drum part. All of this was being EI: How so? the big band for about three weeks, then televised for Bell Telephone Hour which SL: Every band had a book and every- we went into the Rainbow Grill with was a big music TV-show of its day. I had

18 absolutely no idea what was next. That’s improvise a bit and the band would for so long their reading skills weren´t the way it went down. From my vantage slowly assemble. what they once were. point now of a 77-year old guy, If I had They were great artists but they couldn’t something like that today, I would love it. SL: Possibly. When I was there Mercer read music very well. Jimmy Hamilton As a 31 year old guy trying to make good, was managing the band and he was could read well and he would solfège it scared the living daylights out of me. keeping a pretty tight ship. Guys were (sic.) the stuff in the ears of some of the pretty reliable. Well, Paul Gonsalves was guys in the band. He would go up to EI: Did you hear a lot of Sam Woodyard Harry and say ”Here’s how it goes” and before you played with Duke? a good friend and when we had a day off we would just go off and play, but sing the line. You know band music is not SL: No. That’s a very interesting thing. Paul had a problem with alcohol. When Debussy. Reading-wise it is basically ele- Duke was very supportive. He called he was sober he was brilliant. Very in- mentary stuff. In terms of copying, get- me up a couple of nights and said you’re telligent guy, well read and everything. ting the stuff together, putting it together doing fine and you have a wonderful Somewhere in his life, he did a lot of and reading it was an unbelievable expe- feel for music. I said ”Duke, look, I don’t reading and had a good education. He rience because we rehearsed for a week know this stuff. Do you have some of the played so beautifully. One of the abso- something that a New York studio band records that I can listen to?” I’ll never for- lute greats. Wonderful player. would read down the first time. What get what he said because no band leader are you going to say? It is Duke Ellington said anything like this to me before. He EI: What did he like to drink? with these wonderful, individual voices. said, ”I don’t want you to hear it. I don’t Artistic voices. You saw that every kind SL: I don’t know. I stayed out of of musician has different strengths. want you to play like Sonny Greer or everyone’s personal life. Nobody really Sam Woodyard. Do your thing.” That used to hang out. They had been around EI: What about the bass players with was a very interesting comment because each other too long. Duke? Were there others besides Aaron no other leader had ever said anything Bell? like that to me. I always heard, ”Do this, EI: Were there any racial tensions? Do that, Sticks, Brushes, Louder, Softer, SL: It was essentially Aaron. My first Faster, Slower.” That’s part of being a SL: No. As a matter of fact when I left night was John Lamb’s last night. Aaron drummer in the music business. Mercer said to me that Duke wanted to was coming back. I hung out with him a know if I was leaving because I thought lot but I don’t know if it was comfortable EI: Did you have any other conversa- there was racial prejudice against me. for him playing with me. I was more on tions like that with Duke? I was sincere when I said I never even top than Sam Woodyard was. That was the thought about it. It never even entered my other thing Duke once said to me. He said, SL: No. Once he said regarding drum mind at that point. I am not trying to gloss solos, ”Lift your hands higher. You’re ”On the uptempos, don’t lett these guys over anything here. I was on a couple of pull you back. Keep it up.” I was aware of making it look too easy.” The old guys gigs with other bands that I really got into used to put on a show. That’s the only the fact that I was more on top than Sam it over race with some guys but I don’t did but Duke wanted it that way. thing I remember him saying to me. I want to get into that one now. stayed with him a while and I just did Intervjun fortsätter med flera musikexempel not like that lifestyle, constantly having EI: Understood! But the guys in the Elling- och Steve Littles kommentarer till dessa. Av to travel. I just wanted to come home so ton band were cool with you on that point? utrymmesskäl väljer vi att avsluta intervjun I left the band. här. Den som vill läsa den i sin helhet kan SL: As far as I knew. I never heard any göra detta på http://dothemath.typepad.com/ EI: I have a bootleg of the Rainbow Grill race thing. I rejoined the band, but not dtm/interview-with-steve-little.html with the Octet. Was that a dance? for long. In January of 1968 they called me up to do the Ed Sullivan show and SL: We played dance music up there. The Second Sacred Concert at St. John We did play a jazz concert but when the Divine. When I left, they got Sam A word they put out that record, it was not the back and he was having trouble again jazz concert. Most of that stuff was boot- with alcohol. I don’t want to say anyth- from our sponsor leg. (Most probably they are referring ing against Sam, he seemed to be a very to the LP Unique Jazz UJ15 (Italy). The nice person but had a bad problem with DESS CD cannot be considered a bootleg WRAPSONS alcohol and Mercer did not trust him on as it was released to members only with live television. So I did the Sullivan Show. no profit interest. Ed.) Wraps, EI: And you are both there for The Se- EI: Was there a lot of people to see Duke? cond Sacred Concert. sallader och

SL: Oh yeah. Judy Garland was there SL: Sam was there and I was there. catering every night. She was a big fan. Everybo- Leading up to that I was getting over- dy came by to sit in. Roland Kirk, Shirley tures about coming back and I thought Jättegott-Jättesnabbt Scott, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald. I about it. The next day after the Sullivan www.wrapsons.com can’t remember for sure. Show we started rehearsing The Second EI: Seems like Duke would start solo, Sacred. These guys had been on the road

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

KALLELSE! Duke Duke Ellington Society of Sweden Ellington hälsar sina medlemmar välkomna till höstens första medlemsmöte den 3 oktober. Society

PLATS: 19.00 – 20.15 of Sweden, Paus med möjlighet till mingel och Franska Skolans Aula, inköp av öl/vin 30:- och wraps 40:- DESS Döbelnsgatan 3, Stockholm. Obs! Endast kontanter gäller. Portkod för kvällen: 0310 19.00 – 20.15 ISSN 1400-8831 Entrén öppen från kl. 17.00. Det musikaliska inslaget denna kväll Entréavgift: 100:- i kontanter tillhandahålles av Stockholm Jazz Notera portkoden som endast DESS Trio bestående av Daniel Tilling gäller för denna kväll. c/o Leif Jönsson piano, Jan Adefelt bas och Jesper Kommer Du inte in så ring: Anbudsvägen 15, 187 50 TÄBY Kviberg trummor förstärkta med 070-622 88 16 eller 070-540 70 09 08 - 51 05 03 14, 0706 22 88 16 Gustav Rosén altsax och klarinett. [email protected] Bered er på en musikalisk högtids- PROGRAM: stund. 17.30 - 18.30 Redaktionsgrupp: Med anled- Bo Haufman, ning av Claes Brodda, Thomas Harne, Kustbandets Ulf Callius (layout) konsert den 9 oktober Bankgiro: kommer Jens 211-3207 Lindgren Hemsida: att berätta om evenemanget och www.ellington.se om Kustbandets mer än 50-åriga historia. Självklart kommer Jens Facebook: att illustrera sitt anförande med Duke Ellington Society of Sweden musikexempel och troligen kommer han att välja några Ellington- E-postadress: arrangemang. [email protected] PayPal account: [email protected]

DESS medlemsavgift är per kalenderår: Inom Norden 250 kr

Membership outside Scandinavia annual fee USD 40