Playing Standards: Authenticity, Evaluation, and Agency Among Seattle Jazz Musicians
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Playing Standards: Authenticity, Evaluation, and Agency among Seattle Jazz Musicians Leah Pogwizd A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington 2015 Reading Committee: Christina Sunardi, Chair Patricia Campbell Michelle Habell-Pallán Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Music ©Copyright 2015 Leah Pogwizd TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOLWEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... ix INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 1 Fieldwork .................................................................................................................................... 4 Consultant Backgrounds ........................................................................................................... 10 Musical Settings ........................................................................................................................ 18 Key Concepts and Main Argument........................................................................................... 21 Chapter Outline ......................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER 1: TECHNIQUE ........................................................................................................ 33 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 33 Innate Talent ............................................................................................................................. 36 Developed “Chops” .................................................................................................................. 46 Individualized Technical Approaches....................................................................................... 55 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 63 CHAPTER 2: TRADITION ......................................................................................................... 66 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 66 Past Convention ........................................................................................................................ 69 Familiar Recordings .................................................................................................................. 79 Creative Innovation ................................................................................................................... 86 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 94 CHAPTER 3: DEMEANOR......................................................................................................... 96 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 96 Dedication ................................................................................................................................. 99 Artistry .................................................................................................................................... 107 Being a “Good Hang” ............................................................................................................. 113 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 120 i ii / Playing Standards: Authenticity, Evaluation, and Agency among Seattle Jazz Musicians CHAPTER 4: GENDER ............................................................................................................. 122 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 122 Gender and Musical Instruments ............................................................................................ 129 Gender and Canon................................................................................................................... 137 Gender and Visual Presentation .............................................................................................. 142 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 154 CHAPTER 5: RACE................................................................................................................... 156 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 156 Race and Talent....................................................................................................................... 161 Race and Narrative .................................................................................................................. 169 Race and Nerdiness ................................................................................................................. 176 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 184 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................... 186 REFERENCE LIST .................................................................................................................... 192 APPENDIX A: INTERVIEW SCHEDULE ............................................................................... 210 APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW EXCERPTS ................................................................................ 212 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Geographical Scope of Study. ......................................................................................... 6 Figure 2. Framework for Playing Standards. ................................................................................ 23 iii ACKNOLWEDGEMENTS My dissertation process – including extensive research, fieldwork, writing, and revisions – was more than merely a culmination of my educational experiences. Rather, it was a deeply intensive, often painful, and amazingly transformative journey. I could not have survived or completed this process without an extensive support network of family, friends, mentors, and colleagues. These awesome folks have provided support, guidance, encouragement, and constructive feedback at every stage of my journey – one that began around fifteen years ago. I am incredibly grateful for the mentorship and guidance of my dissertation committee; together they have offered a rich tapestry of multidisciplinary perspectives and approaches to musical scholarship. Christina Sunardi has been one of the most involved and dedicated mentors that I have ever worked with; she continually was an inspiration and motivation to raise the standards of my scholarly thinking and writing – not to mention an exemplary role-model as an ethnomusicologist, educator, and performer. Patricia Campbell has provided me with endless support and encouragement while I explored numerous avenues of scholarly inquiry; she also opened my eyes to the numerous connections between ethnomusicology, music education, and musical communities, which have greatly influenced my own scholarship. Michelle Habell- Pallán has expanded my thinking about musical studies by providing me with a firm grounding in feminist studies, particularly feminist musicology. All three professors generously offered me their time and guidance via advising, coursework, and conference participation. I am also grateful for the insights provided by my other two committee members, Philip Schuyler – who helped me develop as ethnographer – and Sonnet Retman – who offered important perspectives from American Ethnic Studies. iv Acknowledgements / v I am also indebted to the other ethnomusicology faculty and instructors at the University of Washington. Shannon Dudley, Ter Ellingson, Laurel Sercombe, John Vallier, and Li Bo all offered thought-provoking courses (and related mentorship) covering a variety of ethnomusicological topics – all of which contributed to the formation of this project. Throughout the program, I relied on Brenda Banks and Michiko Sakai to show me the ropes of the School of Music and the ethnomusicology program, respectively. Like many other students in the program, I know Laurel as more than just a faculty member – she is the rock of the department, providing constant support and counsel through the emotional rollercoaster ride of being a graduate student. As a performer and scholar, I benefited from the guidance of the School of Music’s jazz faculty: Cuong Vu, Fred Radke, Marc Seales, and Michael Brockman;