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GRAPESHOT are "somewhat calculated" (see page "thunk" is an onomatopoeti invention I should like to point out some of the 92), nor did I say that Monk had never meant to describe a sound otherwise things in Max Harrison's bad-tempered demonstrated a talent as an arranger indescribable—a linguistic process review of my book, The Sound of Sur• before the Monk's Music LP. Louis Arm• that, if outlawed, would soon reduce prise, in your November issue, which strong does miss a lot of notes on his the English language to the level of make the review, it seems to me, a early records, and it is quite clear from Mr. Harrison's prose. notably slipshod and even dishonest its context that my phrase "tea-dance Finally, Mr. Harrison accuses me of piece. One of the fundamentals of any background" does not refer to the ac• being "quite censorious of the mod• kind of reviewing is to tell the reader companiment Armstrong received from erns." There are, nonetheless, sympa• what it is the reviewer is reviewing. In• Hines and Singleton on the Hot Sevens, thetic, if searching, passages in the stead, Mr. Harrison merely opines. In• but to that in the version of Basin book on John Lewis, Mingus, Cecil deed, he attempts to dismantle the Street made five years later for Victor. Taylor, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Art book by flattening my opinions with It seems to me that elsewhere Mr. Farmer, Philly Joe Jones, Art Blakey, his, in such a way that my opinions Harrison is simply playing dumb, and and more. The only out-and-out lumps are often made to appear as factual not very convincingly. He states that are handed to the West Coast boys errors. Thus, I say that Rex Stewart is the "picturesqueness" of my style, and some of the hard boppers. And, a "diminishment" of Cootie Williams, which uses a good deal of metaphor anyway, total approval has nothing to and give the reasons. Mr. Harrison says and in which, God forbid, there are do with good criticism. he isn't, and gives no reason, which even some attempts at humor, is a re• Mr. Harrison closes his review by blank• leaves us where we started. I criticize, sult of having to sugar-coat my ma• ly saying that my "values seem very in considerable detail, some of the as• terials because I am writing for a non- uncertain," which is not the kind of pects of Max Roach's drumming. Mr. jazz audience—a non-jazz audience, I gratuitous statement that a man cer• Harrison simply says my "views on guess, that includes such self-revealed tain of his own values is apt to make. Roach are quite unacceptable"—a readers as Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Whitney Balliett flatulent tone that might have been Pee Wee Russell, John Lewis, Marian New York City telling in a Victorian household be• McPartland, Rex Stewart, Tony Scott, tween an employer and her upstairs and more. Beyond that, my style, I like maid. And, unacceptable to whom? Mr. to think, is—rather than being merely Harrison? Max Roach? Princess Mar• confectionary—a serious attempt to JUST THE FACTS garet? describe the music, to make the reader I am not one of those who maintain Then, passing from fancy to fact, Mr. hear what jazz is, an essential that has that a reviewer must always be 'ob• Harrison goes after my supposed factu• fallen largely into disuse in music criti• jective,' or that his criticism must be al slips. He is right in catching me up cism. Mr. Harrison then qiotes illus• 'constructive.' Criticism without at least for saying that it was only "a few years trations from the book, and, all agape, some subjectivity is worthless. So I ago" that Monk, John Lewis, Mingus, asks what relevance they have to the cannot dispute Paul Oliver's right to re• et al, began their various compositional music. If Mr Harrison does not hear view Jazz: New Orleans, 1885-1957 by experiments. I don't think he's right the "port and velvet" in Gil Evans' Sam Charters (Jazz Review, Sept.) as anywhere else. Sonny Stitt does seem a orchestrations. I can't help him. If he he sees fit. Certainly the repetition of hard bopper—in his tone, attack, and can't see the difference between a anecdotes which he finds irritating has uncompromising fluidity—and one of "crablike" run and a "grapeshot" run, been commented upon by other review• the first at that. Roy Hanes, along with then he doesn't know the difference be• ers. This perhaps could have been Louis Hayes and Elvin Jones, is under tween a crab and a grapeshot, which rectified in my capacity as publisher, the spell of Max Roach. I never said must be a handicap. As to the "curi• but I feel that an author's work is his that polytonaiity and atonality are the ous" verbs I have "devised"—"blat," own and should be interfered with as "exclusive property of straight musi• "whump," and "thunk." "Blat" is, of little as possible. At the risk of 'sour cians." I never wrote that Monk's course, in Webster's "whump" is grapes,' however, I would like to point "compositions" (Mr. Harrison's word) an old American colloquitlism, and out the references to T-Bone Walker in Paul Oliver's 'Blind Lemon Jefferson' and to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 85 miles men. I am sure that if more informa• article (Jazz Review, Aug. 1959), and to the north, along the Lake Michigan tion was available on, for example, wonder whether these will show up shore, as well as Chicago proper and Sidney Vigne, Sam would have included again when and if he dissects Walker its myriad suburbs. It will also include it all. in a similar article. biographies of men like Reuben Reeves This book is certainly the original work My primary concern is that Oliver (from Evansville, Ind.), Junie Cobb of its author and his sources, and not patently misinterprets the premise of (from Hot Springs, Ark.), Harry Dial a synthesis of all the previous literature the book. He devotes a major portion (from Birmingham), Earl Hines (from supplemented by original work. Wheth• of the review to discussing his interpre• Duquesne, Pa.), Doc Cooke (from er this failure to believe or to "inter• tation of this premise, and the impres• Louisville), and Louis Armstrong, Joe pret" the previous literature is good or sion given the reader, whether so in• Oliver, Johnny Dodds, Natty Domi• bad, depends on one's point of view, tended or not, is generally unfavorable nique, Omer Simeon, and others (all but a charge of "ever narrowing lines to the book . . . from New Orleans). And these bio• of research" is hardly fair to the Paul apparently reads the title and sub• graphies will have to concentrate on author. title as: Jazz: New Orleans Style, 1885- their playing activities in the greater Paul also condemns "the sad failure to 1957; An Index to the Negro Musicians Chicago area. draw conclusions from the facts ob• Playing New Orleans Style. The author's While one may dispute Sam's implied tained." What type of conclusions are intention, by contrast, was: Jazz: as de• contention that New Orleans musicians to be drawn pray tell? The trouble with veloped in New Orleans, 1885-1957; an who migrated to another area were no the literature of jazz now is that there Index to the Negro Musicians who play• longer playing New Orleans style jazz, are too many articles and books "in• ed in New Orleans and surrounding this is certainly an original thought, terpreting" or re-interpreting what were region. Viewed in this light, Sam's and not bound to the "straight-jacket dubious facts to begin with. Paul cor• opening statement in his preface: "The of the N.O.-K.C.-Chicago-N.Y.C. theory" rectly mentions the "N.O.-K.C.-Chicago- music of New Orleans was so distinctly that Paul rightly objects to. One cannot N.Y.C. theory" as a case in point, yet the product of the musicians whose dispute that those who were actively he is silent on the value of this book entire life was spent playing in that playing in New Orleans, whether born on the wealth of new material on post- city that no effort has been made to there or in Mexico or Missouri, were Storyville New Orleans. If he had writ• follow the career of a musician after the contributors to the music of the ten nothing else, Sam's biographies of he left the city permanently. He was New Orleans region. Therefore the Chris Kelly, Buddy Petit, the Morgan no longer a New Orleans musician and question Paul raises as to the virtual brothers, Kid Rena, Punch Miller, Herb his activities in another musical en• exclusion of several of the musicians Morand, etc., would have earned him vironment are beyond the scope of he considers important, who were born our gratitude. I do not subscribe to the this work." becomes self-evident, and in New Orleans but never actually dictum that "relationships are more snide references to red beans and played much there, is irrelevant. For important than facts." Facts do stand bouillabaise are uncalledfor. Certainly, examples, Ed Garland and Natty Domi• by themselves, and without them there without the preconceived connotation nique moved to Chicago as young men can be no accurate determination of of 'style' that naturally attaches to the after only a few local engagements but relationships! The discographical works words 'New Orleans,' a statement such no permanent affiliations with any es• of Delaunay, Blackstone, and McCarthy, as: "The music of the city of Boston tablished musical group. Preston Jack• for example, will endure and be con• (or Detroit, or San Francisco, etc.) was son and Omer Simeon likewise moved sulted long after Winthrop Sargent, the product of the musicians who play• to Chicago, and did not learn to play Sidney Finkelstein, and Andre Hodeir ed there, etc." would be so self-evident until after they had settled there. are forgotten. as to be ridiculous. Charlie Elgar moved early to Chicago, In conclusion: Jazz: New Orleans con• These limits imposed by Sam's subtitle where he had his own band as early tains 235 main biographical entries. Of are entirely proper, and provide a logi• as 1912. And so on. As mentioned in these, 48 names (20%) were entirely cal and workable basis for research. In my foreword, Sam has read all the new to me, and 161 others (69%) con• a historical field as large as this, a previous literature on New Orleans tained basic biographical data such as breakdown becomes necessary, and a musicians, but found much of it to be birth and death dates, that were new regional classification is logical. And unverifiable or even false. Therefore he to me. Every entry contains other new yes, a book on the carnival, medicine chose to confine his text to new ma• information; his entry on Joe Oliver, show, minstrel troupe, and other 'foot• terial, and to old material that could be for example, put to shame the opening loose' musicians is definitely needed. verified, so that many things that Paul pages of the Allen-Rust King Joe Oliver. As implied above, this book is about and I "know" to be "facts" about other Of 124 orchestra names in that index, the musical history, relating to jazz, of musicians who are hardly mentioned 68 were new to me. A total of 690 the whole Mississippi delta region, not (Willie Hightower, Eddy Vinson, Buddy musicians' names, not counting nick• just the city of New Orleans. This leads Christian, and the like) are not discuss• names and other not within the scope, naturally to the inclusion of men from ed. The information on others is frag• are listed in the general index, and "other towns in Louisiana from 30 to mentary, and includes what Paul con• therefore are at least mentioned in the 150 miles from New Orleans" as well siders non-essentials, simply because text; I am sure that I, too, could have as those who were born and raised in so little could be learned about these added more names, but what is the the city proper. It also follows that men point? Are we to judge this book by from outside the area, such as the ones what it could or should have been, or Paul cited in the review, who moved Sorry by what it is? Sure, it could have been into it and assumed an active part in better; but I submit that any research the region's musical life, should be in• Our caption on the photograph on that turns up as much new information cluded. It also follows that, once a man pages 6 and 7 of the December issue as this is worthy of publication on that moves away from the region, he no incorrectly identified the group as the count alone. I submit also that this longer contributes to the musical life Duke Ellington Orchestra, and the material is of the quantity and quality of the region. If a similar history of banjo player as Freddy Guy. The group that Paul Oliver finds useful in his own Chicago jazz (the region, not the style) was The Washingtonians, and the researches, and that therefore, by his is ever written, it will of necessity cover banjoist was Elmer Snowden. Our own standards, it deserved a better at least the area extending to Gary, thanks to several alert readers for the review than the one he wrote. Indiana 31 miles to the south and east, correction, and our apologies to Mr. Walter C. Allen Snowden. Belleville, N. J Co-editors: Nat Hentoff Martin Williams Contributing Editor: Gunther Schuller VOLUME 3 NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 1960 Publisher: Hsio Wen Shih Art Director: Bob Cato Advertising Manager: Hank Leonardo 6 The Passionate Conviction The Jazz Review is published monthly by The Jazz Review Inc., 124 White St., N. Y. 13. N. Y. Entire contents copy• An Interview with Jimmy Guiffre right 1960 by The Jazz Review Inc. Israel Young and Leonard Feldman were by Lorin Stephens among the founders of the Jazz Review. Price per copy 50c. One year's subscription $5.00. Two year's subscription $9.00. 12 Buster and Bird Unsolicited manuscripts and illustrations should be accompanied by a stamped, self- id addressed envelope. Reasonable care will be taken with all manuscripts and illustrations, Conversations with Buster Smith, Part II but the Jazz Review can take no responsi• bility for unsolicited material. by Don Gazzaway NEW CONTRIBUTORS 17 The Blues John Benson Brooks is the well-known composer-arranger whose Alabama Con• certo has been recorded by Riverside 18 Early Duke, Part III Records. Lorin Stephens is a surgeon practicing by Gunther Schuller in Los Angeles and a long time friend of many jazz musicians.

RECORD REVIEWS 26 Pepper Adams-Jimmy Knepper by Max Harrison 26 Harold Baker by Stanley Dance 27 Dave Brubeck by Joe Goldberg 28 Tadd Dameron by Max Harrison 29 Dizzy Gillespie-Charlie Parker by Bill Crow 30 Thad Jones by Harvey Pekar 30 Jackie McLean by Michael James 31 Charlie Mingus by Ross Russell 32 Charlie Mingus by Michael James 32 Sonny Rollins by LeRoi Jones 33 Sonny Rollins by Larry Gushee 34 Cal Tjader by Bill Crow 35 Lester Young by Michael James

BOOK REVIEWS

36 John Mehegan's Jazz Improvisation by Max Harrison 36 These Jazzmen of Our Times by H. A. Woodfin

38 George Russell by John Benson Brooks 40 Jazz in Print by Nat Hentoff An Interview with Jimmy Guiffre by Lorin Stephens

The Passionate Conviction

This interview is intended as a begin• ning in exploring the impact of hipness on jazz. Jimmy Guiffre is regarded by many as one of the major composers in modern jazz, but his position has been contro• versial. His admirers feel that his mu• sic has great validity. Even his strong• est detractors, who consider his work of peripheral concern, are struck with his deep sincerity. It is fitting to ex• plore this question with him, particu• larly because of his recent marked in• terest (along with hip legions) in the music of Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins. The interview was graciously granted in November 1959. I believe that a reader cannot help but be moved by the sound predominated. After jobs with Boyd Raeburn and Jimmy Dorsey, I came Jimmy Guiffre's willingness to expose back to Los Angeles and I started studying. (I don't mean to make this a history—I'm trying to work it into himself honestly in the interest of fur• the thinking inside about the instrument.) I went to thering understanding of jazz and the U.S.C. to get a master's degree, having changed my major from teaching music in public schools to composi• jazz artist. tion. Well, there were so many prerequisites at U.S.C. that it threw me back quite a bit. After a semester of Lorin Stephens that, I decided it wasn't the answer. I had heard about Dr. Wesley La Viollette and his approach. Before this, Why do jazz players change styles in an almost wholesale my concept had been totally vertical. I had in my mind fashion with the arrival of a Parker, a Monk or a Rollins? a chart of voicings, for instance if I used five saxes The thing that's hard for a non-performer to understand and there was C-7th and G was in the lead, I could spell is how things keep changing inside. A listener often an• you out immediately, the ideal voicing vertically, right alyzes changes as being arbitrary, but they're not. In down the saxes; I knew just how to space them. This other words he thinks that when you play a certain was a crazy sound if you could just play it by itself. phrase, you've planned it out and played it, when actual• You didn't consider where it came from or where it was ly a big percentage of the music comes out almost like going, you just thought vertically each note, and this a stone rolling down a hill, especially in improvisation. was pretty standardized for dance band writing, and a And it depends on the rhythm section, the acoustics, lot of writing is still done that way. There's nothing your frame of mind, your reed (if you play a reed in• actually wrong with it: there probably is no right or strument), and your lip. Also on your maturity at the wrong. I will say this about it. it can be done by anyone; time, and your experience—all these things. And if one it is mathematical, and difficult to do creatively. I had little thing is out of line, you're distracted from being no awareness of counterpoint. In my work it didn't occur most natural, perhaps. For instance, a stiff reed if you're to me for a very good reason. At college I had only one playing a reed instrument (you're always torn between semester of counterpoint because the degree plan which I followed was to prepare a man to stand up in front of reeds; you never have a perfect one). high school or junior high students, and you had to You must go through different stages. I've been playing know a little bit abou+ e>'erything—how to play a trum• the clarinet since I was nine and I'm thirty-eight now— pet, bass fiddle and all those things. They didn't have so that's twenty-nine years of playing the clarinet! I time to go into the depth of counterpoint. So that's all started on the E flat clarinet, and it took a lot of blow• I got. I had studied harmony with my clarinet teacher ing; a little bitty thing—but it took a lot of blowing. And when I was about fifteen and in college I got harmony, I don't know if the mouthpiece was right or not. I wns but my thinking was all derived from listening to records; just a baby. But you have to start with something, so Basie and Bennv Goodman. you just start blowing in this tube and years later vou might start to think about whether you have the right In college we had a pretty radical attitude, I'll admit that. mouthpiece, and then years after that you find out the We wore long hair, zoot suits and we pretty much thought choice you made when you were fifteen was wrong, and we knew what things should be. A pianist friend, Bill so you just keep going with these mechanical things. Campbell, said to me. "Well, it doesn't matter what the You have certain ideas in your mind that shadow your voicing is, how many parts, its how each one of them choice of reed, your choice of instrument, your choice leads." It didn't strike me; I didn't understand what he of mouthpiece—and the choice of musicians you play was talking about. Years later Scott Seeley, who was with. studying with Dr. La Viollette. gave me a similar answer In high school we got a dance band together and played when I asked him a question about his writing—his dances. And I started into an area of sound; I was in• writing sounded strange. I asked him. "How do you voice terested in getting a beautiful sound from the saxo• your brass?" He replied that he did not voice, he just phone, and I was complimented on my sound. In col• wrote each part separately. I just sort of shook my head; lege I went further with this. We played a lot. We had I didn't understand. At that time, believe it or not, I had this eight room house in college, and I lived with Gene a college education and I'd been writing music for ten Roland, the arranger and trumpet and valve trombone years and playing for fifteen years, and I just didn't player, Herb Ellis the guitarist, Harry Babison the bass know the counterpoint approach to music. player, and Tommy Reeves the trumpet player and ar• Then later on when I went to Los Angeles, I met Frank ranger. We had big bands, we had a small band and we Patchen. We played together down at the Lighthouse jammed a lot. We learned a lot—we listened to a lot of and he'd been studying with Dr. La Viollette. They both records then. I liked Sam Donahue; he got a beautiful told me this was the answer. So I started studying with mellow sound when he was with Gene Krupa. And we him, and it turned out to be one of the most important got a sax section that used no vibrato; we got a perfect things I've ever done in my life. His influence personally blend. And the sound thing was very dominant in my and musically has been profound on me. Studying with thinking, and it continued on that way—sound super• him began to shadow my jazz thinking. For instance, seding anything else. when you write counterpoint, you write a duet for a Then I went into the Army and played with a quintet, clarinet and trumpet. That's all there is to it, there's no xylophone, snare drum, electric guitar, bass, and I play• rhythm section, a complete composition for these two ed tenor. (I didn't start improvising on the clarinet ac• instruments. If you happen to use a drum with them, tually, until about six years ago or so.) This little group you write a complete composition for clarinet, a trumpet played for the different mess halls at lunch hour and it and drum. If you happen to write for a piano too, you do the same thing. There isn't a function for any one of the was a groovy little group—light and straight, but still instruments as there is in conventional jazz; in jazz ed perfect—that was the first consideration—to have a there's a fairly set part for drums. They more or less beautiful sound quality. I've run into hundreds of people have been called upon to keep time. Now I've come who felt exactly the same way, Bill Perkins was one of through several different outlooks on this thing. I started them. He had the same kind of thing gnawing at him. studying in '46 when I first came out here. At that time The sound had to be beautiful and smooth. And I've I didn't conceive the possibility of using counterpoint known so many people like this. Lester Young, he had in jazz. I was studying it to become a 'composer', but this smoothness. He said he idolized Frankie Trumbauer found out that a 'composer' includes jazz composing. who had this kind of sound too. In other words, it domi• Anything that can be used any place can be used in nated me—that had to be fixed up before anything else jazz. I remember one time Barney Kessel talking to me could happen. It went to such a point with me that when about that. I told him I was writing fugues and canons I got the clarinet going, this was number one. There was and counterpoint inventions, and he said, "Why do you nothing else considered about it at all—sound was it. want to study writing fugues?" He wasn't negative, he The ideas in the whole thing were secondary to sound. just didn't understand it, didn't see the point of it. But why so important? It took me about five years studying with La Viollette to Well, it goes with my personality, I'm sure. I won't ac• shake off all the prisons I had locked myself in—the cept the thing that I am an introverted personality, which vertical prisons. This is my own opinion; there are many some have tried to make me out. I have gone through harmonists in the world who will take exception to what periods, and I won't say I have shaken that off com• I'm saying. I felt as though I were in a prison, whether pletely, but I have gone through periods where I was it was vertical or not I don't know, but I have that con• quiet; I like the pastoral—the country; I like Debussy viction in my own mind. and Delius—I like peaceful moods. This all came into the After about five years of studying with La Viollette I trio sound as I've discovered now. I don't know why I began to be able to write counterpoint in jazz—with the wanted it to be pretty. I can't figure it out except that I jazz feeling. Before, all the study was what you might just didn't want to look ugly, didn't want to offend any• call straight music; it didn't have too much syncopation, body. I've always been afraid of offending someone, and and it didn't have too much of me in it. I was writing I don't argue with people for that reason—I mean I'm lines of music, straight, learning how to write lines to• not a vehement person, nor forceful—and I'm not too gether, and to be able to put myself into each one of frank for that reason; maybe I should be, but I avoid those lines is another thing that came later, but it took those things because I don't like them. me five years to start it. If this is natural for you, doesn't current hipness force After I got to writing jazz, I began to think of each man's you and others like you into unnatural strictures? roie in the music and it just began to be inconceivable All I can say is for myself ... it traces like a snail what that a certain man had to sit back and play time all the began to happen to me. Well, I don't know what effect while, and that another guy had to play quarter notes comments have had. I'm sure they must have had some. all night. I just didn't understand the point of it. A man For instance, one time I played a performance that seem• is in music all these years, then why should he just have ed to be very successful and a critic said it was suc• to play one portion? Why couldn't he just express him• cessful, but that my playing clarinet was like mowing a self along with the other musicians? Right away, I put lawn with an electric razor. When it was announced that this to work in the music and began writing things where I was going to be a clarinet teacher at the School of Jazz the rhythm section didn't play in a conventional manner. another critic passed the remark, "Who will teach the The first one I can remember was the fugue I wrote for upper register?" Then another time a critic said he liked Shelley Manne. And also, I went overboard and wrote in the way I played, but that he wouldn't vote for me be• the so-called atonal approach. But we got it across, and cause I didn't play the whole instrument. I don't know I wrote another piece for his second album. Then I did if these things had some effect on me. Then, another my first album for Capitol. I incorporated the rhythm area—I couldn't go out and play with sticks and drums. section in different ways. I remember I took out the top The only way I could play the clarinet was the way I cymbal in the drums and had him just play the sock was playing it—very quietly. They had to play with cymbals, the two and the four, and the bass walked. brushes and practically no piano. That's one of the ways Then there were other compositions where I used no we got to playing some of the unaccompanied stuff, and rhythm whatsoever. Then, I made a point in the next counterpoint with two horns and all those things we play• album, in Tangents of Jazz, of not having a pulsating ed with Shorty's group. I found that to be the only way rhythm section, I mean no definite beating out of time, I could hear the sound of my instrument; my ears got any place in this album. The idea was valid and is valid. so sensitive that I went through a period where I just The point I'm trying to make is that I began thinking, as wanted to play the instrument by itself and hear the a result of studying composition, of the individual in the sound. To have a drummer playing a cymbal next to me music—of each one of the musicians rather than in toto. was grating. I couldn't hear myself, and I began to won• And I began thinking of what you might call 'interesting der what was going on. I wanted to hear clearly—some• ideas', counterpoint, and using the rhythm section in dif• thing in me just demanded this clarity. So I brought the ferent ways, different forms and different kinds of tone— drums down or took them out a lot of times, and I work• all these things that weren't conventional in jazz. And ed for a blend of the instruments so that I could hear so, these things became the object of my attention. But hear everything that went on in the group. This is one all this time my mind in playing had still required this concept of the thing. But we sometimes change our con• sound, this subtle, soft, mellow, deep sound. cept—if we're not afraid to. I've changed my concept, Why was sound so important to you?? and that doesn't make a lot of things that I did invalid. Perhaps it comes from my childhood. It was sort of like This business of the rhythm section using the drums not wanting to go out unless I was dressed properly. I and the bass constantly—I finally realized why this is couldn't release this music inside of me unless it sound• and why it has to be perhaps. The improvisor, as he is improvising, if he is too naked as I was with my group, Back to the reed, then. I found that I couldn't get these he's out there and he has to think of too many things. ideas out immediately with the set-up I had. It just It's thrown right in front of his face so quickly. Getting wouldn't come out. I was hung up with sound. I wanted a sound on his instrument and thinking of ideas, that's it to sound right, and in order for it to sound right it had just taken for granted in all situations. But not just being to come out slower, not quite so quickly. Well, I knew free to think up ideas: I had to cover certain functions. that if I got a soft reed it would come right out. But I had to make something happen, to provide form, com• then I also knew that I would get a thin, weak sound. position, and this was a very good thing, but not as a But, I forced myself to try it. I had tried it before, ac• constant diet. tually, down through the years every once in a while I'd What then has made you change your concepts? try getting a softer reed because I knew I could play I went down to hear Thelonious Monk. I heard an ele• faster with it, but I could never bring myself to stick ment in his music that I didn't seem to have in my with it because of the sound. Well this time something music. I don't mean ideas, style or anything like that, happened, either in my experience, my success, my ma• but it was a certain way of stating things with conviction turity or something, I reached the point where I'm not so that he spoke clearly and surely, and he played this afraid to sound ugly for a little bit. And that is what had idea without any restraint—he played it immediately, to happen, I had to soften that reed up so that the music right in front of you. I didn't know exactly what it was would come out right now. But it sounded sort of thin that was hitting me, there were many things in his music and I lost some of the quality of the sound, but it didn't that aren't in my music, but there was one that was hit• bother me this time. All these things had been inside of ting me and that was it. Then I also noticed it in Sonny me, but I didn't let them come out because of the sound. Rollins' music. I had not liked Sonny Rollins too much Once I started doing this, then I discovered a lot of because of his sound. I couldn't bring myself to listen things. I discovered how full of fear I was before—I was to the music because I didn't like the sound on his earlier holding back a lot of things because I was afraid of records, but now I heard this same kind of statement. sounding ugly—so I was cringing and tightening up my It was definite, with conviction behind it. It sounded as brow and pinching my eyes and hunching my shoulders. though he was sure of himself, and there was not any I was afraid of hitting certain notes because they would holding back, and he was ready to go ahead and say be too brassy. That didn't keep what I was playing from this right now. He didn't have to qualify it; he could stand being valid, but I held some things in me back. But I behind it. I got interested in this point. And it wasn't got the thing going, and once I got it going, I noticed a new idea at all—it is something inspired musicians these fears, this cringing, leaving. Then I put a stopper have been doing for years, but I was gradually becoming on it, I made myself practice in front of the mirror and aware of it. I heard some folk songs by Cisco Houston watching carefully to remain calm, unafraid, while I play• who accompanies himself on the guitar. He sang with ed, and I made myself play anything that would come in this same thing, and as I look back on it, I see that he my mind. I worked on this thing, and threw out all that did that too. other stuff; and finally got up enough nerve to throw There was another event which was very important. I the rock off the cliff and just play anything I wanted to was riding along in the car listening to the radio one day play when I wanted to play it. It was a revelation. I be• and I heard a violin playing Bach—all by itself—and I gan thawing a year ago, and recently I finally got up stopped and I listened. It was Nathan Milstein, but I enough nerve to where I felt I could really handle a blow• came in on the middle of it, unbiased, I didn't know who ing album by myself as a soloist. It may seem funny, it was or anything. I knew though, that he played it with with so many years of experience behind me, I hadn't this same conviction, this definite sureness. There's an• made one. But the other albums were well-planned in other thing that enters in there besides this. This con• composition and all the different elements for a planned viction originates with this person. It comes out "This listening experience. In a blowing album, one man is up is my way of saying this." Milstein didn't improvise, and front there and has to have something to say and he's it didn't have anything to do with improvisation. It was got to be sure of what he's going to say. And I wanted like the way Marlon Brando says something in his acting. to make sure before that happened that I felt that I He takes a written line, and says it his way, puts his could do it. I went into the studio last July with Red stamp on it. He doesn't change the words, and Milstein Mitchell, Lawrence Marable and Jimmy Rowles and there didn't change that Bach, he played it just like the thing was no planning. The only thing planned was that I was marked but he put his kind of vitality underneath, wrote three tunes, just the melodies and I thought of his kind of spark. And this is what Monk and Rollins do. three standards to play. (I didn't even write any music, But I saw there is a level of playing music, whether its I taught the originals to the men by ear, which is not a jazz or classical, where it all comes together. It's just new idea. First time I know of it, Monk came to a record music, and it's spontaneous sounding—it sounds like date with Art Blakey and he had all the arrangements the player—it's his personality with such a stamp that locked up in a brief case, and he wouldn't show them it reaches the listener immediately . . . "this man knows to anyone. He made them learn them which has a good exactly what he is talking about—he's not afraid to say point to it.) But, having to do this blowing album was it, and he said it." That's the way Art Tatum was. It is necessity mothering invention. A lot happened to me as something, that, whether you like what he said or not, a result of that—just doing that album at this particular you know he says these things, and that's what he be• time with the frame of mind I had of shaking off these lieves. sound prisons, and having to do it on record. It worked And this began to be interesting. I was tired of being to shoot me out over the cliff. soft, as valid as softness is. (And a funny thing is that Red Mitchell says it's the best he's ever heard you play. you can have this definiteness and still be soft—it isn't What effect did playing with Ornette Coleman at the a matter of volume). So I got interested in this thing and School of Jazz have on you? started to work on it. I had heard a lot about him, but then I heard him play. improvising, if he is too naked as I was with my group, Back to the reed, then. I found that I couldn't get these he's out there and he has to think of too many things. ideas out immediately with the set-up I had. It just It's thrown right in front of his face so quickly. Getting wouldn't come out. I was hung up with sound. I wanted a sound on his instrument and thinking of ideas, that's it to sound right, and in order for it to sound right it had just taken for granted in all situations. But not just being to come out slower, not quite so quickly. Well, I knew free to think up ideas: 1 had to cover certain functions. that if I got a soft reed it would come right out. But I had to make something happen, to provide form, com• then I also knew that I would get a thin, weak sound. position, and this was a very good thing, but not as a But, I forced myself to try it. I had tried it before, ac• constant diet. tually, down through the years every once in a while I'd What then has made you change your concepts? try getting a softer reed because I knew I could play I went down to hear Thelonious Monk. I heard an ele• faster with it, but I could never bring myself to stick ment in his music that I didn't seem to have in my with it because of the sound. Well this time something music. I don't mean ideas, style or anything like that, happened, either in my experience, my success, my ma• but it was a certain way of stating things with conviction turity or something, I reached the point where I'm not so that he spoke clearly and surely, and he played this afraid to sound ugly for a little bit. And that is what had idea without any restraint—he played it immediately, to happen, I had to soften that reed up so that the music right in front of you. I didn't know exactly what it was would come out right now. But it sounded sort of thin that was hitting me, there were many things in his music and I lost some of the quality of the sound, but it didn't that aren't in my music, but there was one that was hit• bother me this time. All these things had been inside of ting me and that was it. Then I also noticed it in Sonny me, but I didn't let them come out because of the sound. Rollins' music. I had not liked Sonny Rollins too much Once I started doing this, then I discovered a lot of because of his sound. I couldn't bring myself to listen things. I discovered how full of fear I was before—I was to the music because I didn't like the sound on his earlier holding back a lot of things because I was afraid of records, but now I heard this same kind of statement. sounding ugly—so I was cringing and tightening up my It was definite, with conviction behind it. It sounded as brow and pinching my eyes and hunching my shoulders. though he was sure of himself, and there was not any I was afraid of hitting certain notes because they would holding back, and he was ready to go ahead and say be too brassy. That didn't keep what I was playing from this right now. He didn't have to qualify it; he could stand being valid, but I held some things in me back. But I behind it. I got interested in this point. And it wasn't got the thing going, and once I got it going, I noticed a new idea at all—it is something inspired musicians these fears, this cringing, leaving. Then I put a stopper have been doing for years, but I was gradually becoming on it, I made myself practice in front of the mirror and aware of it. I heard some folk songs by Cisco Houston watching carefully to remain calm, unafraid, while I play• who accompanies himself on the guitar. He sang with ed, and I made myself play anything that would come in this same thing, and as I look back on it, I see that he my mind. I worked on this thing, and threw out all that did that too. other stuff; and finally got up enough nerve to throw There was another event which was very important. I the rock off the cliff and just play anything I wanted to was riding along in the car listening to the radio one day play when I wanted to play it. It was a revelation. I be• and I heard a violin playing Bach—all by itself—and I gan thawing a year ago, and recently I finally got up stopped and I listened. It was Nathan Milstein, but I enough nerve to where I felt I could really handle a blow• came in on the middle of it, unbiased, I didn't know who ing album by myself as a soloist. It may seem funny, it was or anything. I knew though, that he played it with with so many years of experience behind me, I hadn't this same conviction, this definite sureness. There's an• made one. But the other albums were well-planned in other thing that enters in there besides this. This con• composition and all the different elements for a planned viction originates with this person. It comes out "This listening experience. In a blowing album, one man is up is my way of saying this." Milstein didn't improvise, and front there and has to have something to say and he's it didn't have anything to do with improvisation. It was got to be sure of what he's going to say. And I wanted like the way Marlon Brando says something in his acting. to make sure before that happened that I felt that I He takes a written line, and says it his way, puts his could do it. I went into the studio last July with Red stamp on it. He doesn't change the words, and Milstein Mitchell, Lawrence Marable and Jimmy Rowles and there didn't change that Bach, he played it just like the thing was no planning. The only thing planned was that I was marked but he put his kind of vitality underneath, wrote three tunes, just the melodies and I thought of his kind of spark. And this is what Monk and Rollins do. three standards to play. (I didn't even write any music, But I saw there is a level of playing music, whether its I taught the originals to the men by ear, which is not a jazz or classical, where it all comes together. It's just new idea. First time I know of it, Monk came to a record music, and it's spontaneous sounding—it sounds like date with Art Blakey and he had all the arrangements the player—it's his personality with such a stamp that locked up in a brief case, and he wouldn't show them it reaches the listener immediately . . . "this man knows to anyone. He made them learn them which has a good exactly what he is talking about—he's not afraid to say point to it.) But, having to do this blowing album was it, and he said it." That's the way Art Tatum was. It is necessity mothering invention. A lot happened to me as something, that, whether you like what he said or not, a result of that—just doing that album at this particular you know he says these things, and that's what he be• time with the frame of mind I had of shaking off these lieves. sound prisons, and having to do it on record. It worked And this began to be interesting. I was tired of being to shoot me out over the cliff. soft, as valid as softness is. (And a funny thing is that Red Mitchell says it's the best he's ever heard you play. you can have this definiteness and still be soft—it isn't What effect did playing with Ornette Coleman at the a matter of volume). So I got interested in this thing and School of Jazz have on you? started to work on it. 1 had heard a lot about him, but then I heard him play. He was doing the same thing that I was after, in his own There's the musical experience; what does it matter how way. The wonderful thing about this point is that it has much he or anybody else talks about it? If it's there, it's nothing to do with the ideas or the musical content, it there, and if you get something from it, you get some• has to do with the statement—and when somebody gets thing from it. As I say, I don't have a way of thinking to this point where he can be this free and this sure in about playing, I just play. And when I start trying to fol• his statement, then its just a matter of his speaking. It's low a route—harmonically or scales or anything like not competition with anyone else. You could take two that—it limits me, as you say. Of course, I'm just one men who played this way, and they could be playing com• person, and I work in a way that's most natural for me. pletely different ideas, but they would both be projecting Is freedom what the scale-orientation improvisors are the maximum in immediacy and quality. So, I found that after? this was what Ornette was doing. He was doing a lot of Yes. But I'll tell you what they're concerned with more other things too, but this appealed to me more than than that. This scale approach requires a certain kind of anything. Even if he said hardly anything at all, the way composition that can be aproached in a certain way arid he said it would have come across, because he speaks they're more interested in playing that kind of a piece, directly. He has thrown out the bugaboos about being and that's the way I am too. The piece must have longer afraid of what he's going to sound like. That's what it is, harmony—pedal-point harmony. You stretch out on the it's a matter of being unafraid to stand up and be your• same chord for a while instead of changing every two self—right there in public—and it's very difficult to do, beats or every four beats. but I've got on the trail of it now. Ornette's gone further Then pedal-point orientation does free the improvisor? with it, because he's thrown out the preoccupation with Yes. This kind of a piece lends itself much better to free• trying to fit in musically with any given situation. That's dom than a musical comedy type of piece. Because of what I'd like to do. It means like almost playing flow of having to adjust to the vertical requirements, it's dis• consciousness, playing without any regard to channeling tracting—it's abrupt. That's why I suppose I've written what you're doing into a given tradition of any kind. And counterpuntally, I can't see adjusting vertically all the that means in sound, in tone, key, and all the different time. There's going to be harmony there. This is the ways. In other words, you're so free that you're out in technique Dr. La Violette taught me a long time ago. I space, and you do what occurs to you at that instant remember the words. 'Stretch the harmonies out, and without thinking it over. I'm not saying this is the answer the music will flow more smoothly.' How do you stretch to everybody's problems, but I can see a wonderful re• the harmonies out? Well, the way you do when you write lease in it for me. Ornette and I had a jam session with counterpoint, you don't think of the harmony vertically, George Russell on the piano and some students, and but in the back you put the harmony of pedals. To ex• Connie Kay and Percy Heath. We just cut the strings, plain; a pedal-point is having a certain note in tenure for jumped out of the airplane, and a lot of wild things hap• several bars. A figure pedal is when you have the same pened. We didn't know what it would sound like, but it figure over and over. Actually there are many kinds of was a release anyway. But the point I'm trying to get at pedals: it denotes a sameness over several bars. It can is that it's a matter of really not being afraid to do any• be one note, one chord or one figure. A sound that be• thing—I don't care how different from whatever else has comes permanent in the background—as in a painting been done. It's not just doing something because it's dif• where you would have a white background. If you stretch ferent, it's doing something because it occurs to you right this pattern out over a period of time then the improvisor now. can just let himself go free, he can play so many things Does scale orientation (as opposed to chromatic harmoni• against a pedal point. He can play any note of the scale zation) free the improvisor? against a pedal note and it's correct and it moves on and The first time I heard about that kind of thing was with on. This is one of the basic things in counterpoint. This George Russell. He's got a complete system, an analysis is what they are discovering frees them in improvisation. of music that places everything in scales. In all of his Ornette, from the way I understand it, is attempting to music, he can break it down as to what scale it is. As circumvent the whole thing. In fact he and I did it this for myself. I don't know if I can really say, that clearly, night we had this session. The rhythm section played the what I'm doing when I improvise. I'm not sure I've ever blues—we weren't even playing the same tempo they been able to think about anything when I play. (Of course, were. We were playing any tempo—we weren't playing playing I Got Rhythm when I come to the bridge I know any chords, any tunes, any key. We were playing any• it's E 7th. If anybody can avoid thinking about that, thing that came in our minds. And you can plainly ask, they'd be pretty, miraculous. It's E 7th—and it's like "Well, what bearing does that have on the rhythm sec• written on the wall.) But there are different things. For tion playing the blues?" All I can say is that if we did it instance, the first eight bars of I Got Rhythm can be by ourselves, we wouldn't have had the way to do it. thought about as just being in B flat. There are all kinds They provide a background; just like a background for of changes in there, perhaps, according to who you play a painted rose. You see that rose, and the background with. But you can just think in B flat for the whole thing. becomes a color. The blues is a pedal type tune you can I think more in keys than in scale—it might be the same stretch out; there are so few changes and the changes thing the others, Miles and Bill Evans, are thinking about. are not abrupt. But does scale orientation further free or is it just a dif• But do most musicians who pattern their ways of playing ferent set of rules? after, say Sonny Rollins do so to achieve freedom or to I think it is another kind of limitation perhaps. But ac• serve the hip ritual? tually it doesn't matter if it's a limitation or not, all that I'm fortunate to have waited until this time to look in on matters is that something comes out that somebody can this thing—because if I didn't have my experience be• enjoy. They say that certain people analyze themselves hind me, I might have done this same kind of thing—I way past where they are. I've heard this about Hindemith, might have done this superficially. But superficially you that he's very analytical, but his music comes out. can't emulate you only imitate.

Talking about Moten again, how long were you with him? kins. I was there when the telegram came, but when I was with him till he died in 1935. During the time I John Hammond came down I had just left. We'd heard was with Bennie was when a lot of this stuff we've been so much about how somebody was going to come and talking about happened. We travelled all around through get the band and make it big. I just didn't think any• the mid-west. thing about it—figured it was just more talk—so I left. Was there any sort of a contract in those days between Lips left too, before I did. We hadn't been gone long be• sideman and leader? fore I heard Basie broadcasting from the Grand Terrace No, a guy could be hired today, and tomorrow would be in Chicago, and I was pretty surprised—and a little sorry- gone and it was still O.K. There were so many musicians, I hadn't stayed with him. He sent back for me, yeah, he you wouldn't miss him. Everything was free and easy sent back for me. I was in Iowa with Hopkins and then and anything you wanted to do was O.K. I went back to Kansas City and started playing with I'll tell you one thing that changed though, and that George Lee's sister, Julia Lee. Basie wanted me to come was the "commonwealth' band. After I joined Moten we back but some of the boys in the band said, 'Aw, don't band either. We just decided that somebody had to be take Buster back, he went off and left us.' So Basie said, got rid of that. Of course we didn't have it in the Basie 'Bus, some of the boys are a little hot, so just stick the one boss. That was the only way to get anywhere. around a while till they cool off and then come on back.' In Basie's band all the sideman were paid the same and But I never did go back as a member of the band. So I Basie and I got a little more. Of course we paid the ar• went back to Kansas City and organized my own band in rangers in the band for their arrangements. 1937. We had twelve pieces. Jay McShann was in the When did Basie leave Moten and start his own band? band, Odel West, tenor, Hadnott, bass, Willie McWash- Well, it was after Bennie died. Basie pulled out and went ington on drums, and a guy named Crooke on guitar. down to the Reno Club. He and Bus Moten couldn't get Then there was Fred Beckett trombone, Andy Anderson on along. Buster took the band over after Bennie's death, second trumpet and I don't remember the third trumpet's I told you how hot-headed he was. Anyway Basie left and name. The first trumpeter was Tiny Davis' husband, but went to the Reno. Joe Keyes went down there before I can't remember his name either. And then we had an• Basie left, and then Basie took off and opened with about other tenor player that I can't remember. I played alto eight pieces in '35. and of course Charlie Parker played the other alto. Charlie had been in Kansas City for a long time. I'd seen I stayed on with Bus till all the boys started cutting out, him running around in 1932 or 1933 when he was just so I saw theye were going to leave me by myself with a kid. He came up with Tommy Douglas' brothers: Bill Bus, so I took off too and went down to the Reno and played alto and Buck played tenor. They were pretty carried my repertory with me. Basie told me, 'Prof, I'll good boys themselves, and Tommy too. I used to listen tell you what I'll do. We'll organize the band and have a to Tommy on alto myself. And then there was Jack Wash• partnership. It'll be your and my band and we'll call it ington. Bennie Moten played a lot of alto, but you could the Buster Smith and Count Basie Band of Rhythm.' I hardly make him play unless you got right behind him. said O.K., be fine. So we started the band and split our But he played a lot of alto. Eddie Barefield too. money. I got about $21 a week and Basie got $21. The Anyway, Charlie came up with Tommy Douglas' brothers, boys in the band didn't get that much. We started work• Bill and Buck. Charlie would come in where we were play• ing there at the Reno from 9:00 at night to about 4 or 5 ing and hang around the stand, with his alto under his in the morning. Jo Jones was with us then, till somebody arm. He had his horn in a paper sack—always carried stole him, and then I went back later and stole him back. it in that paper sack. That's when the boys named him A little after that John Hammond came down and got the 'Yardbird.' He'd stay around till we got off and when he'd band, about three weeks after I'd left. get ready to go home he'd say, 'I'm going home and I haven't heard it this way before. Was it generally known cook me one of those yardbirds when I get up.' The boys that the band at the Reno was Basie's and yours? would say, 'What are you talking about, yardbirds?' And Well, it was known then, and I don't know about later. Charlie would say, 'One of them chickens in my yard.' Basie had the band first and he had me come on down He called them yardbirds. He got to saying that so much and be a partner. So when I left Bus Moten's band— that the boys started calling him 'Yardbird.' And that's Bennie's old band—I joined Basie as a partner and we how he got the name. had eight pieces. We called it the Count Basie-Buster Smith Band of Rhythm. He used to carry his horn home and put it under his pil• Did you stay in Kansas City during your time with Basie? low and sleep on it. Mostly right there at the Reno Club. We broadcasted You were the one he listened to most? there at night. About 11:15 to midnight I think it was. Well, he used to tell me he wanted to play like me. He'd That was when Benny Goodman heard us, on one of our say, 'Buster, you're the king,' and I'd say 'no, you're broadcasts. Benny heard us and sent Basie a telegram the king,' and he'd say, 'No man, you're the king.' and said he was going to send a representative down Charlie would run by himself. He wouldn't stay with any• there. Benny thought that was a fine eight piece band. one for over a night or two and then tomorrow he would You know, Fats Waller had tried to get us before but be with somebody else. I tried to get him to join Bennie nothing ever came of it. Moten about 1934, but he wouldn't do it. He wanted to Well, John Hammond came down as Benny's representa• play in the small groups where he could solo like he tive and got the band some uniforms and booked them wanted to, when he wanted to. There was a trumpet into the Grand Terrace in Chicago. player there, a white boy named Neal that Charlie ran Were you with them then? around with. [Neal played with Charlie Barnett later on.] No, I was gone. I had already left and joined Claude Top- The two of them used to go out and play all night around didn't send for them. Charlie got downhearted when it looked like I wasn't gonna send for them, so he just caught a train and hoboed up there, came up there where I was. He sure did look awful when he got in. He'd worn his shoes so long that his legs were all swollen up. He stayed up there with me for a good while at my apart• ment. During the day my wife worked and I was always out looking around, and I let him stay at my place and sleep in my bed. He'd go out and blow all night some• where and then come in and go to sleep in my bed. I'd BUSTER SMITH make him leave in the afternoon before my wife came home. She didn't like him sleeping in our bed because he wouldn't pull his clothes off before he went to bed. (Laughs) He was always like that. He would go down to Monroe's and play all night. The boys were beginning to the joints. listen to him then. Charlie was headstrong, but he wasn't a smart-alec kid. He stayed around doing that for a while and then went He was a good boy, he'd listen to you. down to Baltimore for about three weeks, and that's Was Charlie in Kansas City when you came back and or• when McShann sent for him. McShann had started his ganized your band? own band and he out Charlie on tenor at first. He was still there. He had been there ever since '32 or I didn't see Charlie much after he joined McShann. I was '33 just running around taking gigs where he found them. in New York and he was in the Midwest and Southwest When he heard about my band, he was the first in line with McShann's band. to get in it. He'd improved a good bit since I'd seen him When I first came to New York I was tring to get a steady before and of course I wanted him. The only trouble he job for the band, but I didn't know how tough things had was with his mouthpiece. He had trouble getting the were up there. You had to wait three months to get in tone he wanted to get. But as for knowing his horn, he the union. knew that. He always knew that, since I first saw him. Basie was there and wanted me to arrange for him, so I You know he often called you his musical 'dad'. How wrote some arrangements for him and some for a few much of your style did he absorb? white bands downtown. Well, later I got a little low on He used to call me his dad, and I called him my boy. cash so I hocked my horn. Pete Johnson and Joe Turner I couldn't get rid of him. He was always up under me. came up and wanted me to make a record with them so In my band we'd split the solos. If I took two, he'd take they got my horn out of hock and we made a record of two, if I took three, he'd take three, and so forth. He al• Cherry Red. ways wanted me to take the first solo. I guess he thought During this time in New York, I arranged a good deal, he'd learn something that way. He did play like me but didn't do much playing, although I did play with Don quite a bit I guess. But after a while, anything I could Redman's band. I was going to arrange for Don, but he make on my horn he could make too—and make some• did all his own arrangements and didn't want any others. thing better out of it. Besides, it took all my time just learning to play his We used to do that double time stuff all the time. Only stuff. we called it double tongue sometimes in those days. I I ran into a lot of great musicians there in New York. used to do a lot of that on clarinet. Then I started doing Now, when was this? it on alto and Charlie heard me doing it and he started This was in 1939 and 1940. Don Byas was there, he playing it. Tab Smith did a lot too. was in Redman's band for a while. Sidney Bechet had How long was he with you?? his own little group then. He played in the village, all I had that band about two years and Charlie was with down the East Side, and over in Brooklyn. Lips Page had me all that time. He was the youngest cat in the band. a band too and I was in that for a while playing and I'd use the 12 piece band for dances and tours and arranging too. In fact, that's when I first saw Nat Cole. things like that and try to keep 6 pieces, or maybe 7 or Bechet's group was playing down at Kelly's Stables. Lips' 8 pieces, working steady there in Kansas City the rest seven piece group that I was in was there too. We'd of the time. Jay McShann was gone and we had Emil trade sets and Cole would play the intermission. He had Williams on piano in the little group. And then Parker. a fine little trio. Hadnott, McWashington, Crooke, and me. We worked John Kirby's group was there playing all the "high col• at a place called Lucille's Band Box on 18th Street. We lar" places. They got nothing but the cream of the book• used to broadcast from there sometime. When I left for ings because they could play anything. They could all New York the band was working at a white place—the read was one thing—even the drummer. Antler Club. Artie Shaw came up to my apartment one time too. He Was yours the first organized band Charlie played with? wanted me to arrange for his big band. I didn't take the Yeah, the first organized band. He was a little hot-headed job though. Artie wanted me to write three arrangements sometimes and he wouldn't stay with nobody but me. a week for him, and I didn't want to be under pressure He stayed with me longer than anybody till he got with to do that much in just a week. Too, the band was so M-cShann. big and Artie wanted not only good, solid arrangements, In 1938 I went to New York to look for work for the band. but something different all the time. I always liked to I thought we might get a break up there. I left Charlie take my time on arrangements, and I couldn't do it on and Odel West in charge and told him I'd send for them that kind of deal. Sy Oliver took the job later, but he got when I found something. Well I stayed seven months and a better deal. He only had to write one arrangement s week, but he did have to rehearse the band. on the coast. I don't know what he's doing, but he's Did you listen to Shaw's clarinet? probably tailoring or something like that. I sure would Yeah, he was one of the greatest. He and Benny. I was like to see Ernest again. We were just like brothers. crazy about them both. Well, I don't know, I believe I What was the musical situation at Kansas City at that liked Artie a little better. He had better control of his time? high notes—I admired that high register. His tone was The town had cooled off quite a bit by that time. All the so true and Artie seemed to have a little more feeling big organized bands had left before then and gone north. in his playing. Basie was gone, Andy Kirk had left, and everybody else Who else did you work for in New York? too, by about 1938. A lot of people off and on. Snub Mosely for a while, and I stayed there a few days with Ernest and came on home Eddie Durham. While I was with Durham I ran into R-n and started a little chicken farm in my mother's yard. Smith again. I had first met him here about 1928. He All my brothers were going in the army and I was the was an arranger and a fine alto man. He was the fastest only one around to take care of my mother. A little while arranger I ever saw. He could write three arrangements after I got here I organized my own little band. We played a day—and they were usually good ones too! He was at the Shangri-La out by Love Field, and at the Rose with Durham in '39 and '40. Room which is the Empire Room now up on Hall Street. Of course "modern" jazz was beginning to "happen" in We played at a little place called the Log Cabin. That 1939 and 1940. How much of it did you hear? was a jumping little spot. We had eight pieces on that Well, there weren't too many, but several guys were band. We did pretty well. playing something a little different then, but the first Have you ever regretted leaving New York and the "big- ones I heard playing it were trumpet players. time"? Dizzy? No, I never seriously regretted it. I missed some of the No, Dizzy wasn't on that yet. Freddy Webster and Dud boys of course, but I liked to hunt and fish and relax Bascombe were the two. Dud and his brother Paul were once in a while. Some of the boys razzed me about it in Erskine Hawkin's band. Paul was playing tenor, but when I decided to leave New York. They used to say, he wasn't playing that modern stuff. Dud Bascombe and "Old Buster's going back to the sticks," and I'd say, Freddy Webster were the ones I heard on it, around the "Yeah, that's where I'm going. Right back to the sticks, last of 1939. Harry Edison was playing a little too, but where a dollar in your pocket counts for something." not as much as those boys were. Have you been earning your living primarily as a musician Did you go to Minton's or Monroe's? since you came back? I never went to Minton's though a lot of the fellows I Yeah, I've had my own groups just about all that time, knew did. I was at Monroe's quite a bit though. It was usually about eight pieces. When I first came back and a small place in a basement and mostly a musician's organized the band we played all kinds of engagements— hangout. Sometimes they'd have two or three bands there roadhouses, cafes, joints, dances, everything. The last at one time. several years, we've cut out the joints. We don't play I ran into Charlie Christian again about this time too. anything now but the nicer places. We usually tour all In fact, I was one of the first ones he looked up when the army camps around in Texas, Oklahoma, and Ar• he got to New York. I'd first known Charlie when he was kansas. In town here, we play a lot of school dances and just a little boy down in Oklahoma City. He was born in private social affairs. We've got a good reputation around Dallas, but I think he was raised in Oklahoma City. His here, mainly because we don't play the joints, and our brother Ed was a musician and I knew him first. I didn't boys know how to handle themselves. I've got some good even know Charlie was interested in music until I ran musicians, and I don't allow a lot of drinking or that into the Nat Towles band in Omaha. Somebody said they stuff. had a great guitar player named Charlie Christian. So I Have you followed the jazz scene to any extent since you went around to hear him and there was little old Charlie came back? playing all that guitar. I guess I haven't kept up too well. I followed Charlie And then when I saw him in New York, I told him, "Son, Parker's work fairly well, but not like I would have liked you're in New York now, so take it easy. Don't stay up to. all night, watch yourself, and be careful." I used to tell At this point I played excerpts from two Atlantic albums a lot of those cats that. I was a little older than they to get Buster's reaction to jazz that has been played and were and they'd say, "Yeah, you're right. Pop," and all accepted in the last year or two. The records were, "The that, but the next thing I knew, they had Charlie out in Modern Jazz Ouartet at Music Inn." Atlantic 1247. and the hospital and he died. "The Jimmy Guiffre Three." Atlantic 1254. Buster's re• How long did you stay in New York City? sponse was immediate and positive: I stayed about two years. I first left there in 1940 and That's really something. I would call that "uptown" jazz. came back to Dallas. When I got here I saw the boys were Yeah, that's strictly educational music. Only educated playing for peanuts and didn't have much work either. musicians can play that. That goes for both groups. I I stayed about four months and finally went back to New don't think there's much left after that's played. You can't York the first part of 1941. I played with Snub Mosely add anything to it, and I wouldn't advise anybody to take and played a lot of the army camps for the USO after anything away from it. That's great music. Just sitting the war started. But I finally got ready to come home down, listening to music, I'd rather hear that than the again in the Fall of 1942. so I came on back and stopped old stuff. You can learn something from this. One thing on the way in Kansas City to see Ernest Williams. He about this jazz—you don't have to worry about anybody wasn't playing much then, working at a dry cleaners in sitting in. (Laughing) You have to know what you're doing the daytime. He was a pretty good tailor and knew a little and what you're fixing to do. I'd never want to hear any• about dry cleaning, and all that. Last I heard he was out thing any better than that. Buster, do you ever see any of the musicians you used 67092 I Ain't Got Nobody — 7714 to work with? 67093 A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid — 7757 Yeah, they come around to see me. I've seen most of 67094 Gone With the Gin — 7714 67095-98 (unissued and untitled masters from same session) them I guess right here, at one time or another. Basie 67099 Walk it to Me Decca 7757 always comes to see me when he's in town. Joe Turner 67100 I Wont be Here Long — 7699 is here fairly often, in fact I think he's coming in pretty soon for a few dates. Lips was here, this was his home Eddie Durham too, you know. Walter Page was here. Eddie Barefield is and His Band New York: November 11, 1940 about the only one I haven't seen. Joe Keys, trumpet; Buster Smith, Willard Brown, Lem John• Charlie came down too one time, but I missed him. He son, saxes; Conrad Frederick, piano; Eddie Durham, guitar- was here for a couple of days with Stan Kenton. Kenton arranger; Averill Pollard, bass; Arthur Herbert, drums. was coming in from the coast and wired Charlie to meet 68336 I Want a Little Girl Decca 18126, DL 8044 him here as a sort of added surprise to Stan's concert 68337 Moten Swing — — — — here. It was just a little while before Charlie died. I didn't 68338 Fare Thee Honey, Fare Thee Well, vU Decca 8529 even hear about them being here till they were already 68339 Magic Carpet — — gone. They told me Charlie was looking for me up on Bon Bon and His Buddies New York: July 23, 1941 Hall Street. I went on up there, bu.t he was already gone. Joe Thomas, trumpet; Eddie Durham, trombone-guitar-ar• If you could do it over again, what would you change? ranger; Buster Smith, clarinet; Jackie Fields, alto; James I don't know much that I would change except for being Phipps, piano; Al Hall, bass; Jack Parker, drums. George a little more careful with the songs I wrote, and all that. "Bon Bon" Tunnell, vocals. I lost a lot of good arrangements, and never saw any 69557 I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire money for a lot of things. Music was all we cared about Decca 3980, BrE 03258 in those days; we wanted to play just to be playing. We 69558 Blow, Gabriel, Blow Decca 8567 studied our instruments and our arrangements and 69559 Sweet Mama, Papa's Gone worked hard at them. The music was the thing. Decca 3980, BrE 03258 One reason we never made much money out of it was 69560 All That Meat and No Potatoes Decca 8567 that we had the bands on a commonwealth basis for so Snub Mosely and His Band New York: February 11, 1942 long. We never could do anything with it. We fooled away Courtney Williams, trumpet; Snub Mosely, trombone-vocals; a lot of good opportunities and most of us never got Buster Smith, alto-arranger; Hank Duncan, piano; John much out of it. Brown, bass; Joe Smith, drums; Hazel Diaz, vocals. 70306 'Deed I Do, vHD Decca 8626 This is the third of a series of three interviews with 70307 Case of the Blues — — Buster Smith. 70308 Blues at High Noon Decca 8614, BrE 03462 70309 Between You and the Devil, vSM Decca 8614 The following Don Redman items are included tentatively, since Redman does not recall Buster's presence in the band for recordings, although Buster remembers otherwise.

Don Redman's Orchestra New York: March 23, 1939 Sidney DeParis, Robert Williams, Tommy Stevenson, trum• BUSTER SMITH ON RECORDS by Frank Driggs pets; Quentin Jackson, Gene Simon, trombones; Don Red• man, Eddie Williams, Ed Inge, Buster Smith, altos; Carl Walter Page Frye, Gene Sedric, tenors; Nicholas Rodriguez, piano; Bob and His Blue Devils Kansas City: November 10, 1929 Lessey, guitar; Bob Ysaguirre, bass; Bill Beason, drums; Hot Lips Page, James Simpson, James LuGrand, trumpets; Redman, vocals. Druie Bess, trombone; Buster Smith, Theodore Manning, 35079 Three Little Maids Bluebird 10305 Reuben Roddy, saxes; Charlie Washington, piano; Reuben 35080 The Flowers that Bloom in the Spring — — Lynch, guitar; Walter Page, baritone-sax, tuba, bass; Alvin 35081 Jump Session Victor 26206, ElecG 6933 Burroughs, drums. Jimmy Rushing, vocal. 35082 Class Will Tell, vDR — — — — KC 612 Blue Devil Blues, vJR Vocation 1463 KC613 Squabblin' — — Don Redman Orchestra New York: May 18, 1939 Al Killian, replaces DeParis; Quentin Jackson, vocal; Henry Pete Johnson's Smith, replaces Ed Inge; Tapley Lewis, replaces Carl Frye; Boogie Woogie Boys New York City: June 30, 1939 Slick Jones, replaces Beason. Laurel Watson, vocals. Hot Lips Page, trumpet; Buster Smith, alto; Pete Johnson, 36962 Chew, Chew, Chew, vLW J DR and chorus piano; Lawrence Lucie, guitar; Abe Bolar, bass; Eddie Victor 26258, GrF K8390 Dougherty, drums. Joe Turner, vocals. 36963 Igloo, vLW — — — — 25023 Cherry Red, vJT 36964 Baby, Wont You Please Come Home, vQJ Vocalion 4997, Okeh 4997, 6819, PaE R2717 Victor 26266 25024 Baby, Look at You, vJT 36965 Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You, vDR — — Vocalion 4997, Okeh 4997, 6819, PaE R2717 25025 Lovin' Mama Blues, vJT Buster Smith's Band Fort Worth, Texas: June 7, 1959 Vocalion 5186, Okeh 5186, PaE R2947 Charles Gillum, trumpet; Clinton Smith, trombone; Buster Smith, alto; Leroy Cooper, baritone; Herman Flowers or Hot Lips Page Boston Smith, piano; Josea Smith, bass; Robert Cobbs, Jr., and His Orchestra New York: January 23, 1940 drums. Hot Lips Page, trumpet, vocals; Buster Smith, clarinet, alto; Untitled Atlantic LP Jimmy Powell, alto; Sam Davis, tenor; Jimmie Reynolds, piano; Abe Bolar, bass; Ed Connery, drums. Buster definitely did not record with Bennie Moten in* 1932, 67091 I Would Do Anything for You Decca 7699 nor with Ivy Anderson in California in 1947. CONJURATION THE I put ashes in my sweet papa's bed So that he can't slip out. Hoodoo in his bread, BLUES Goofer dust all about— I'll fix him! Conjuration is in his socks and shoes Tomorrow he'll have those mean sundown blues. (Traditional. Used by W. C. Handy in Sundown Blues. Submitted by Mimi Clar.)

STRUT THAT THING Woke up this morning feeling bad Thinkin' 'bout times I've had: You went out and stayed all night. Do you think that's treatin' me right? I DON'T KNOW Aw you shouldn' not do it at all I'm gettin' sick and tired of the way you do. Shouldn't do it all. Good kind papa kinda botherin' you. Shouldn't do it all. Sprinkle goofer dust all around yo' bed. Wake up one of these morn's, find your own self dead. I'm tellin' you lover How do you strut that thing She said, "You shouldn't say that." Night and day? I say, "What should I say this time, baby?" Gettin' sick and tired of the way you do She says: "Mmmm, I don't know! Gawd, mama, gonna pizen you, My oh my oh my! Sprinkle goofer dust 'roun' yo' bed I don't know what my baby puttin' down." Wake up s'mornin', find yo' own self dead.

The woman I love, she got dimples in her jaw, (By Cripple Clarence Lofton. Vocalion 02591. The clothes she's wearin' is made out of the best of cloth.. Submitted by Mimi Clar. She can take and wash and she kin hang 'em upside the wall. She can throw 'em out the window and run out and catch 'em a little bit befo' the fall CRIPPLE CLARENCE LOFTON Sometimes I think you has your hairpins on. M She said, "You shouldn't say that." I say, "What should I say to make you mad this time, baby?" She says: "Mmmm, I don't know! My oh my oh my!

I don't know what my baby puttin' down."

My papa told me, my mother sat down and cried. She say, "You're too young a man, son, to have that many many women you got." I looked at my mother dear and I didn't even crack a smile. I said, "The women kill me, I don' mind dying." The woman I love, I warned her week before last. The woman I love, I got out of class. I thought I warned you, baby, long time ago: _ If you don't watch your step, I'm gonna have to let you go.

She said, "You shouldn't say that." I say, "What should I say this time, baby?" She said, "Mmmm I don't know! I don't know!

I don't know what my baby puttin' down, puttin' down!"

(By Willie Mabon. Chess U-4314 [1531]. Transcribed by Mimi Clar.) Part III EARLY DUKE

GUNTHER SCHULLER

In the production or show-music category, Ellington pro• duced some two dozen numbers, ranging from such bits of dated exotica as Arabian Lover or its companion piece, Japanese Dream (pentatonic melodies, ominous "Charlie Chan" gongs and all)34 to more original pieces, such as Jungle Jamboree or Rocky Mountain Blues. As a category, it was perhaps the least fruitful in this period (except, of course, for the outright pop tunes); but, as I have indi• cated, it led to experimentation with different program• matic ideas that Ellington might otherwise never have chanced upon. It produced, among other things, a whole line of heavily stomping four-beat pieces—a genre for which Duke had a special predilection, especially after the success of the prototypical Black and Tan Fantasy and The Mooche. In Harlem Flat Blues, Rent Party Blues and parts of Saratoga Swing, Mississippi, Haunted Nights, Jazz Lips, Lazy Duke, and Jolly Wog, Ellington tried to recapture the success of the two earlier medium-tempo stomps. Some of these were also attempts at conscious jungle evocations—pieces like Jungle Jamboree, Jungle Blues, or Jungle Nights in Harlem, the latter one of the most patently dated pieces in the band's rapertoire. It is easy to imagine how such a number complemented the pseudo-jungleistic, "primitive" murals on the walls of the Cotton Club. But as we have noted, in almost every piece—whether bad or good—Ellington and his men tried to work out some new sound, some new musical idea. Saratoga Swing, for instance, was an early, successful attempt to employ a combo within the big band. Played by a septet consisting of Hodges, Bigard and Cootie Williams, plus the four rhythm, Saratoga Swing became the forerunner of many similar small-band recordings, notably the series made in the late 1930's under the leadership of various Ellington sidemen. Two other early septet recordings— among the finest of this period, though unfortunately not as well known as many lesser sides—were Big House Blues and Rocky Mountain Blues.

This is the third of a series of three articles on the early work of Duke Ellington. The entire series is Copyright 1959 by Rinehart & Company, and is reprinted with their permission.

DUKE and JOHNNY HODGES Courtesy Columbia Records

Rocky Mountain Blues is an especially good example of like The Creeper, Birmingham Breakdown and Jubilee the inability of the Ellington musical mind to be satisfied Stomp. All were very similar in intent and content, and for long with the tried and true. Basically founded on the some—like Double Check Stomp and Wall Street Wail— twelve-bar blues progression, Ellington finds a very imag• were even based on the same chord progression. They inative alternative for the fourth bar, which by rights were mostly head arrangements, thematically rather non• should have been a B-flat seventh chord. As can be seen committal. But they inspired the major soloists, most in Example 17, a subtle shift of two notes (the expected notably Carney and Nanton, to create a profusion of fine B flat and a half tone higher D to C flat and E flat re• improvised solos. Interestingly, time and time again in spectively) results in a wondrously new sound. The three these pieces, Nanton teams up with Braud. The great "horns" thus end up in the key of A flat minor, while trombonist seemed to thrive on the near-slap-bass punch Braud's double-time walking bass holds on to the basic of his colleague, and together they produced some of the B-flat chord, thus creating a delightful bitonal combina• hottest and most swinging moments on these sides of the tion—this in 1930! late 1920's and early 1930's. Bigard, during this time, Clor. 3 4 seemed to be coming gradually into his own, although he yP iTpt f" i had not yet quite found the liquid quality of later years, and more often than not he relied on old New Orleans cliches that he remembered from numbers like Tiger Rag. PtonO i i « i i Also, his time was still rather shaky during this period. Cootie Williams was developing with rapid strides, espe• Bass 1 r r r UZJ r r F cially in the use of the growl and plunger, a heritage left Example 17 him by the departure of Miley. His best solos—Saratoga Swing, Ring Dem Bells, Echoes of the Jungle, to name but Primarily, the jungle pieces offered Duke a more or less a few—already show a considerable mastery of this diffi• legitimate excuse to experiment with "weird" chords and cult style, at times even glimpses of a more imaginative sounds—as, for instance, in Jungle Blues. Similarly, use of it than Miley's. Hodges was used mainly in flashy, Harlem Flat Blues gave Nanton his first opportunity to bubbling solos, not yet having discovered the subtly wail• produce a lengthy "talking" solo. He was to return to this ing style that was to make him famous in later years. As idea hundreds of times in his career, but this early fan• lead alto he added a tremendous solidity to the reed sec• tasy, evoking a not-quite-human language, stands out as tion; and his solo work, generated by an endless flow of one of his best. During this period Ellington also learned melodic inspiration, was never less than reliable. His to use Nanton (mostly cup-muted) with two low-register playing already had an inevitability about it—not to be clarinets, a very unusual sound; and when he made the confused with predictability—that seemed always to guar• practically unheard-of move of adding a second trombone antee the right note in the right place. Hodges' solo, for in the person of valve trombonist Juan Tizol, Duke had example, on Syncopated Shuffle—otherwise a minor rec• at his disposal not only another color, but a highly chro• ord—has this quality, and his solo break at the end is matic instrument that could be used interchangeably with far ahead of its time in its freedom and perfect timing. the trumpets or reeds, as the occasion demanded. An The solo capacities of these players were naturally con• early example of Ellington's use of the chromatic-trom• siderably constrained by most of the show material and/ bone line can be heard in the final eight-part ensemble of or arrangements. A series of pieces based on the old Jazz Lips (Ex. 18). standard, Tiger Rag, was probably intended to give the feeds T"T"1 i r ^" ' , musicians a chance at some uninhibited free-wheeling im• „ TIMS. provisation. The most cohesive of these was the two-part Tiger Rag itself. The early Creeper and Jubilee Stomp had been based—in part, at least—on these same time- Votve _ r ; honored chords, and now Hot and Bothered and High in.rr' r r V r*fa^ Life were added to the repertoire. All of them were fast, hard-driving numbers, underscored by Braud's indefatig• Example 18 able though occasionally erratic bass. Tiger Rag, of On some of these sides, guitarist Teddy Bunn appeared course, as a staple of the jazz repertoire, had through as guest soloist. His simple, lean melodic style stood out the years been done to death by innumerable bands. "In• in contrast to the now-enriched, more and more vertically spired by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, this poor conceived tonal quality of the band. In Haunted Nights vehicle was customarily overloaded with a wide assort• this contrast is most apparent. In this piece, an obvious ment of corny or humorous instrumental effects. The attempt to effect another Black and Tan Fantasy, only Ellington band's version suddenly changed all that by Bunn's guitar is able to recreate the expressive simplicity presenting a staggering array of non-gimmicky, highly in• of Miley's playing. dividual solos. Even Bigard's brilliant chromatic run— By and large, the most successful pieces in terms of jazz under other circumstances a fairly tawdry idea—has in came out of the category of music written for dancing. this context a propulsive drive that turns it into a high Among these, the best were a whole series of up-tempo point of the record.35 The two players who seemed to stomps, headed by Old Man Blues (especially in its first feel most at home in these Tiger Rag pieces were Bigard, recorded version). Others, almost as good, were Double who suddenly found himself returned to a thrice-familiar Check Stomp, Cotton Club Stomp, Stevedore Stomp, Wall mold, and Freddy "Posey" Jenkins, whose bent for the Street Wail, Duke Steps Out, Hot Feet, Ring Dem Bells— flashy, high-stepping solo happily coincided with the ob• all of them direct descendants of earlier "flag wavers" viously ostentatious nature of the pieces: Jenkins' solo became a regular fixture of the Tiger Rag numbers. Not of nineteenth-century romantic composers. In fact, when only did he virtually repeat it in High Life, but in a later compared to the great formal achievements of a Beetho• version of Hot and Bothered, for the obscure Velvetone ven—or even a Chopin—Ellington's form, in the majority label, we find Cootie Williams (according to Aaslands' dis- of cases, seems almost hackneyed and naive in its re• cography, at any rate) playing the same solo. Still later it straint. This was, of course, already inherent in the prin• was arranged for trumpet ensemble. ciple of linking twelve- or thirty-two-bar small forms into It was the original Hot and Bothered recording, incident• one single larger form. The fact that Ellington was able ally, made in October, 1928, and issued later on English to infuse these stereotyped forms with such life and—by Parlophone, that so excited the British conductor-com• the late 1930's—such seamless continuity, is one of the poser and Ellington enthusiast, Constant Lambert. He measures of his genius as a composer. It is precisely be• likened it to the best in Ravel and Stravinsky, which not cause he is not a rhapsodist in the formal sense that only seems somewhat exaggerated, but ignores several Ellington has been largely unsuccessful in the big, ex• other Ellington sides that surpass Hot and Bothered in tended forms. He is basically a miniaturist and lacks the terms of both conception and performance. Indeed, the control and discipline a good "rhapsodist" has—and performance leaves something to be desired, a fact which must have—in order to contain his inspiration within Lambert in his enthusiasm failed to notice. Admittedly, it a logical form. But the problem of Ellington's large works is emotionally rousing, again due largely to Braud's ex• of the past fifteen years really requires a degree of discus• citable bass. But the wrong entrances of Miley, vocalist sion quite beyond the intended scope of this article. Baby Cox and Braud, as well as the ragged saxophone Two oddities from this prolonged "workshop" period are ensemble work in the final chorus—which Lambert in• Oklahoma Stomp and Goin' Nuts. In them the rhythm in• cidentally found so "ingenious"—indicate that the piece struments outnumber the "horns" (Hodges, Cootie, Jen• was not quite ready to be recorded. Also, Bigard had kins and Nanton). Teddy Bunn on guitar, and a wash• troubles with his timing, and even Hodges seems less board player by the name of Bruce Johnson, were added assured than usual. The point is, of course, that a flashy to the normal four-man rhythm section. Oklahoma Stomp virtuoso piece is very little without flashy virtuoso playing. is very aptly named, because, with its modern-sounding It was Lambert, too, I believe, who first compared El• hard drive, emphasizing the second and fourth beats, it lington to Frederick Delius, which in turn led to a kind sounds very much like the kind of strong, rocking rhy• of tacitly accepted notion that Ellington had indeed been thmic music characteristic of the Southwest. In this re• influenced by the English impressionist. Aside from my point earlier about the indirect influence on Duke of cer• spect the record is unique in the Ellington discorgraphy. tain European composers (footnote 29), I cannot see how The unusual rhythmic feeling is especially noticeable the use of lush ninth and eleventh chords or the tendency during Bunn's solos. Here the group sounds like some towards an "impressionist" approach constitute sufficient imaginary, superior multi-guitar hillbilly band from the justification for such a claim. It smacks of over-simplifi• Ozarks or some such place. Unfortunately the side also cation and the kind of snobbism that implies a piece of contains what must be Ellington's worst and most un• jazz music is not very good until it can be equated with intelligible piano solo on records. some accepted European compositions. Hot Feet is another fine record from 1929. After a very The fact is that Ellington's harmonic language is quite "jazzy" syncopated opening, designated to get the dan• original, and as different from Delius' as Debussy's Jeux cers on the floor, Cootie scat-vocals a la Armstrong, an• is from Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe—perhaps more so. swered by Freddy Jenkins in a sort of chase chorus. A To cite just two obvious differences, Delius' harmonic two-bar bridge, used later in Reminiscin' in Tempo, leads writing in his best works constantly features first, second to a Hodges solo, followed by a chorus of some of the and even third inversions of chords. The somewhat sus• above-mentioned blistering Nanton-Braud teamwork. pended feeling thus engendered allows him to drift in Brass riffs, embellished by some superb three-part sax endless chains of unresolved modulations. Obviously this ensembles, lead to one of the most stalling endings El• is not the case with Ellington, who rarely uses such in• lington ever created: a sudden brass pyramid followed versions and whose phrase endings are quite clearly de• by a major seventh chord on the already often-encounter• fined by resolutions of whatever has passed before. Fur• ed lowered sixth step of the scale (Ex. 19). thermore, I do not find Ellington to be entirely the "im• pressionist" the comparison to Delius implies. True, there are dreamy landscapes like Dusk and Misty Mornin', and atmospheric abstractions like Mood Indigo and Moon Mist. But what about the hundreds of vigorous, earthy, directly expressed pieces that make up the bulk of the Ellington repertoire?

It is the link to Delius, I believe, that has also fathered the notion that Ellington is a "rhapsodist" and most at Example 19 ease in the looser form of the rhapsody. This again is only partially true. Ellington may be a rhapsodist in terms of Ring Dem Bells is a somewhat similar piece, slightly musical expression (even this is debatable); but he cer• slower and again with a responsorial chorus, this time tainly is no rhapsodist when it comes to form. In this re• Cootie's vocal answering Hodges. Cootie then solos, with spect he is a strict classicist, perhaps only surpassed by some wonderful "rolling" sax figures as accompani• Jelly Roll Morton. And certainly Ellington's forms are ment.36 Fluent yet bursting with a kind of controlled ex• more concise and symmetrical than those of any number citement, these figures are the perfect contrast and com- plement to Cootie's jabbing solo. As in Hot Feet, the serve for the musician the freedom inherent in jazz, final chorus features five-part brass chords, through while the piece in its totality satisfied the demands of or• which one can hear the running sax ensembles. These ganized or pre-determined form. To quote again from brass figures are an expansion of the riff figures played the Francis Newton article, Ellington produced a music earlier on the chimes (incidentally, by Charlie Barnet). which was "both created by the players and fully shaped Perhaps the best record of this period (1928 to mid- by the composer." 1931), outside of Mood Indigo, is Old Man Blues, es• Listening to the solos on Old Man Blues, it becomes clear pecially in its first version (Victor), recorded on the same that the musicians did not feel restricted by such seem• session as Ring Dem Bells. This date took place in Holly• ingly conflicting demands. As a matter of fact, they were wood, where the band had gone to make a movie called probably unaware of the large form, and therefore not in• Check and Double Check (from which came Double Check hibited by it. To them it was just another chorus, which Stomp). Listening to the results of that session, one gets would be good, bad or indifferent. As it turned out, the the impression that the visit to movieland had an invigo• solos are of a high caliber, with Bigard—relying too rating effect on the band. Certainly Old Man Blues was much on his Tiger Rag routines—perhaps the least in• played with a verve and excitement that many of the pre• spired. Certainly Carney and Nanton are at their very vious sides had lacked. Musically, the record is most im• best: Carney in a rare rambunctious mood and Nanton portant because it crystallized for Ellington, to an un• in three separate, contrasting solo spots. Old Man Blues precedented degree, the effectiveness with which a com• is also blessed with moments of fortuitous recording bal• position—be it head arrangement or an actually written- ance, as, for example, in the bridge of the first chorus out piece—could form a framework, a point of departure, where Nanton's trombone somehow blends with Bigard's for the talents of his particular group of soloists. low-register clarinet embellishments in such a way as to Earlier pieces, like Black and Tan Fantasy, bore the stamp make the two instruments jell perfectly into one sound— of one particular musician—Miley, in that case—and we almost as if both parts were played by one man. Elling• have seen how Bubber's personal solo talents were to ton's excellent background piano behind Carney, and some extent at odds with the prearranged musical frame• Braud's walking four-to-the-bar bass, are also worthy of mention. Harmonically, too Old Man Blues has its touch work fashioned by Ellington. One senses the lack of a of originality. In a four-bar break before the final chorus, uniform concept. Through the dominance of one soloist, three trumpets and one trombone play a chord (Ex. 21), the collective equilibrium that was such an integral part repeated in syncopation, which is similar to the chord at of jazz was temporarily disturbed; and with this dis• the end of Hot Feet, and once more placed on the lower• crepancy, the seams of the structure began to show. ed sixth step of the scale(!).38 But here, in Old Man Blues, the collective excitement and the feeling that the performance was truly the sum total of all its parts were re-established, and the perfect bal• ance between composition and improvisation was achieved. And this achievement is, of course, above and beyond everything else, Ellington's greatest contribution to the development of jazz. As Francis Newton summar• ized it so brilliantly in a recent issue of the New States• man," Ellington "solved the unbelievably difficult prob• lem of turning a living, shifting and improvised folk-music Example 21 into composition without losing its spontaneity." I have mentioned earlier a fifth category, namely that of Introductory B (march) more or less pure, abstract "musical composition." It vamp was during the period of intensive experiment under dis• 8 16 + 8 + 6 (4 + 8 + 8) cussion that Ellington began to create, with some con• (Nanton, with (rhythm-saxes-tpt's) sistency, pieces that were not strictly functional—pieces Bigard obbligato) that, although perhaps originally geared to some specific function (as background music for a Cotton Club tab• Ai A- A3 leau), had a life of their own, independent of that func• (16 + 8 + 8) 32 (16 + 14) (tpt's-Nanton-tpt's) (Carney, with (Hodges-Jenkins) tional purpose. The great 1927 masterpieces, like Black piano obbligato) and Tan Fantasy and some of Morton's better creations, had already shown that jazz was capable of this. From

B break A1 1928 to 1931 a number of these compositions make 6 4 (16 + 8 + 8) their appearance. They were not merely arrangements (saxes) (brass) (brass-Nanton-full ensemble with or arbitrarily thrown-together chains of choruses, but Bigard obbligato) disciplined musical creations which could be judged by standards of musical appreciation and analysis establish• Example 20 ed for centuries in classical music, and which by their character as much as by their quality distinguished them• The form of Old Man Blues (see outline in Ex. 20), though selves from the other jazz Gebrauchsmusik. hardly revolutionary, was a perfect example of its kind, As a matter of fact, often it is only the character of a representing the high point of a long line of pieces at• piece which establishes it in this compositional category. tempting to solve the relationship between form and For numbers like Take It Easy, Dicty Glide, Drop Me Off musical content. That is to say, a way was found to pre• in Harlem and even Creole Rhapsody are at times of ques-

tionable quality. On the other hand, high quality and proves too much for Ellington; and despite (or more likely purely compositional characteristics do go hand in hand because of) some subtle "borrowing" from Gershwin's in Old Man Blues, Rocky Mountain Blues and the incom• Rhapsody in Blue, the last minute or so does not hang parable Mood Indigo, for instance. together too well. Despite this error in judgment, the At any rate, as Ellington's control over his unique medium greater part of the Victor performance (now available on sharpened, he was able to create more and more works Ip) must be considered an improvement, and it is certain that assumed an independence aside from their original that in his quiet, noncommittal way Ellington benefited impetus. And it is this quality which has made them live from the experience of Creole Rhapsody. beyond their time. As Ellington matured, his growing With this innovational experiment out of the way, Elling• concern for the compositional element led him to write ton returned to more conventional areas. After Creole the later masterpieces, Concerto for Cootie, Ko-Ko and Rhapsody, the Ellington orchestra recorded only four Sepia Panorama; and, still later, the orchestral suites other sides in 1931, in striking contrast to the fifty-odd and stage works, Beggar's Holiday and Jump for Joy. sides per year in the preceding period. These were Lime- Having perfected form on the level of the three-minute, house Blues, Echoes of the Jungle, It's Glory and The ten-inch record in Old Man Blues and Mood Indigo, El• Mystery Song. All four not only rank among the finest lington's restless and by now fully stimulated musical of recorded Ellingtonia, but represent the full fruition of mind next tackled the problem of a larger form. By the aforementioned "workshop" period, and at the same January, 1931, he had created Creole Rhapsody. This was time the starting point for a long period of consolidation recorded in two versions, half a year apart. Comparison and refinement. In these four 1931 sides the basic sound is again very revealing as regards Ellington's methods, and approach of the great Ellington of 1940-42 is no and I find it difficult to agree with the prevailing opinion longer embryonic. His style had achieved full individual• that the second (expanded) version is inferior to the ity, needing only the further maturing with which youth first. I have already said that the piece in general repre• mellows into full maturity. sents a step forward formally. In it Ellington also experi• The 1931 sides under discussion also belong to the mented with, among other things, asymmetrical phrase "compositional" category. Perhaps the most limited of lengths"' and a trombone duet (perhaps the first in the four is It's Glory. The dated dance rhythm and slap jazz). But it must be stated that most of the playing on bass detract from its value as pure composition. But the original Creole Rhapsody i$ second-rate. Unlike Old this is counteracted by the quality of the writing for the Man Blues, the form was rather haphazardly strung to• brass and reeds—rich eight-part blended sounds that gether. This, plus the fact that Creole Rhapsody was more almost make us forget that we are listening to what is of an Ellington composition than a collectively created basically another arranged chorus. Moreover, the record head arrangement, made the players uncomfortably rigid. contains two inspired moments. The first occurs in the And Ellington's own dated piano interludes (happily bridge of the second chorus. Ellington has scored this for changed and cut to a minimum in the second version) Nanton in the lead part—with a subtle touch of wah- disjoint the piece even more. Furthermore, the disparate wah—accompanied by a trio of two low-register clarinets compositional material of the original really was not suit• and muted valve trombone,4" creating a "blue" sound ed to being played at the same tempo throughout. In the which must have amazed musicians in 1931. It is a sound half year that elapsed between the two versions, Elling• which is not only pure Ellington, but still completely fresh ton must have realized this. For in the Victor perform• and fascinating twenty-eight years later. The other fine ance each section is played in different tempos. This is moment comes in the next chorus, where Ellington once not to say that the composition is thereby improved, but more employs the soft "rolling" sax figures behind Cootie the performance of it certainly is. As a matter of fact, it Williams' solo. is obvious that the band had, in the meantime, learned Ellington's compositional talent had matured so fully by to play the piece. The ensemble work is immeasurably 1931 that he could even transform someone else's com• improved, and the tempo changes—then as well as now position—a hackneyed standard at that—into a purely a rarity in jazz—come off surprisingly well. The solos, Ellingtonian opus. This was the case in the second of too, are better, though not yet remarkable. these four sides, Limehouse Blues. Again we hear sounds Furthermore, almost the whole second side of the first that could never be confused with those of any other version has been scrapped in the second and replaced band of the time. The brass shine with a rich yellow, and by added material in the dreamy, lyrical vein of Mood the blue combination we just encountered in It's Glory Indigo, incidentally making this the first ternary-form is offered once more as contrast. Ellington wisely refrain• piece by Ellington. This new section is treated in loosely ed from any obvious Orientalisms (tinkly pentatonic pat• variational form, and Arthur Whetsol first states it in his terns of the piano, which all other bands used on this inimitable fashion. It then returns in an incredibly creamy tune and which the Duke himself had succumbed to blend of saxophones and muted valve trombone (Tizol), earlier in Japanese Dream). Again only the dated, verti• and lastly in a free-tempo version by Bigard and Duke. cal two-beat rhythm limits the experience of this record, It is startling to realize that the three saxophones ac• but I feel this is more than counterbalanced by the flow• companying Whetsol, in terms of both tone quality and ing horizontal of the ensemble passages. voice leading, achieve a sound that Ellington may have Echoes of the Jungle, credited to Cootie Williams, un• equalled again but never surpassed—not even in the doubtedly came into being as a production number for 1940 color masterpieces, Warm Valley, Moon Mist and the Cotton Club, designed to give the customers their Dusk. glimpse of darkest Africa. But as the English writer, It is also true that, unfortunately, in the second version Charles Fox,41 has pointed out. it is "paradoxically an the expansion of what was already an extended form extremely sophisticated" piece of music. In its haunting originality, aided by a superb performance, it is the least re-attaining his earlier creativity. Committed to a life of dated of these sides. It is, indeed, as fresh and timeless one-nighters—partially because it is now in his blood, today as it was in 1931. Again we marvel at the incred• and partially out of loyalty to his men—the tragedy of ibly rich blend of the brass, this time muted and embel• Ellington's life is that the American public has never ac• lished by Hodges' full-toned alto. Cootie solos twice— corded him and his musicians the recognition that they, first open, with a sensuous urgency; then with the plunger as the collective creators of a distinctly American form mute, in what is still one of his most imaginative im• of art music, deserve. But then, jazz itself—except in its provisations. And once more we hear the chromatic, roll• more pallid derivatives—has been largely ignored by the ing sax figures behind him—an instrumental combina• American public. tion Ellington seemingly never tired of. The succeeding But perhaps the greatest disappointment to Ellington has connecting passage, featuring Bigard in low register, an• been the fact that his insatiable desire to write the swered by Fred Guy's rustling banjo glissandos, is like American musical or opera has gone unsatisfied all these the ominous lull before a storm. And in the final three years. The dilemma in this case has been that, on the measures Ellington creates a big-band sound and har• one hand, the American public has not been able to ac• mony which predict certain passages in Ko-Ko! cept jazz—one of its few wholly indigenous artistic ex• Without having been present at the Cotton Club in June, pressions—in its native musical theater (again, except 1931, it is difficult to visualize what tableau or act in• in strongly diluted forms), while on the other hand Elling• spired the sheer magic of the opening of The Mystery ton's own band of sophisticated jazz has antagonized Song. A perfectly conventional piano introduction sudden• that segment of the jazz public that thinks of jazz as ly gives way to one of the most inspired sounds not only something rather more naive and rough-hewn. In a sense in Ellington, but surely in all music. It is one of those these ambitious attempts on the part of Ellington have moments, resulting from a flash of inspiration, that is so unique that it can in no way be duplicated or imitated been caught between two fires, being neither the expected without remaining pure imitation. The mixture of sus• fish nor fowl. I would not think it unreasonable to assume, tained harmonies; the distant, muted tone color; and however, that Ellington's music—be it for the night club, Guy's restless, subtly urgent banjo conjure up a sound for concert or for the stage—has indicated tne possibili• that must be heard to be believed. Unfortunately Elling• ties for future developments in these directions, at least ton was unable to sustain this level of inspiration beyond as basic concepts which, perhaps soon, another genius the exposition. (This may have had functional reasons re• may develop successfully into the kind of vision Elling• lated to the particular dance routine.) At any rate, every• ton has dreamed of all these years. thing that follows this glorious opening is anticlimatic and routine. It is a pity that Ellington never returned to this bit of inspiration to give it the framework it deserved. 14 Undaunted, the Victor labels continued to read "Hot As we have seen, in basic concept as well as in many de• Dance Orchestra"! tails, the five 1931 records I have discussed predict :,r' Hearing this record, one also tends to suspect that Juan quite comprehensively the development of the succeed• Tizol was already a member (or perhaps just a guest that ing ten years and its peak in the earliest 1940's. In rec• day) of the trombone section. I find it fairly hard to other• ord after record, Ellington polished and refined his tech• wise explain the low B-flat trombone trill (!) just before nique. Through the many "blue" pieces of 1932-34, Freddy Jenkins' famous chorus. through programmatic works like Daybreak Express; bal• "As I've indicated, a musical idea such as this was subject• lads like Sophisticated Lady; large forms like Reminiscin' ed to repeated experimentation. First used in Stevedore in Tempo and Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue; solo Stomp in early 1929, it was heard again in Duke Steps Out, and in 1931 in It's Glory and Echoes of the Jungle. pieces like Echoes of Harlem (Cootie), Clarinet Lament 17 October 11, 1958, p. 488. (Bigard) and Trumpet in Spades (Rex Stewart); Ellington "This chord, a commonplace today, was still daring in jazz purified but never changed the basic concept he had at the time of the recording. The other early instance of its evolved by 1931. In those succeeding years the orches• use, to my knowledge, occurs in the final chorus of Alphonse tra's scope was to be widened by important additions to Trent's 1930 I Found A New Baby. Incidentally, the advanced the personnel: first the incomparable Lawrence Brown, writing and highly skillful playing of this great Southwestern then the singer Ivie Anderson, later Rex Stewart, and band raises the intriguing question of whether Trent's and finally the two crucial additions of Ben Webster and Ellington's paths ever crossed, and whether any influencing Jimmy Blanton. The last two, especially, expanded the occurred. This would seem to be a fascinating subject for range and scope of the orchestra, and Ellington's unique research. harmonic, coloristic and formal gifts were elevated to an• See an article by this writer on "The Future of Form in other level by the swinging rhythmic impulse generated Jazz," originally printed in The Saturday Review Of Litera• ture, and reprinted in The Saturday Review Treasury, p. 561, by these two men.42 Simon and Schuster, 1957. "' Ellington had tried this instrumental combination previ• From the high point attained in the early forties, the ously in Lazy Duke and Creole Rhapsody—further evidence creative level of Ellington and his marvelous "instru• that Ellington tested his ideas many times in different con• ment" almost had to drop. It certainly could not be sur• texts, until his curiosity as to their potential was completely passed. And, as fate would have it, the personal, social satisfied. and musical revolutions that beset jazz during the war 4' In Duke Ellington, edited by Peter Gammond, p. 83. 42 It is significant, I think, that neither Webster nor Blanton years took their toll on the Ellington band. The long, as• were Eastern jazz musicians. Webster ws long a mainstay of cending line of development, which I have tried to trace a dozen Southwestern and Kansas City-based bands, while in part, was broken off. With an entirely different "in• Blanton was St. Louis-born and learned to play on the river- strument" at his command, Ellington had difficulties in boats, notably with Fate Marable. He has a touch that is firm, but never found one, but in doing so, and in produces a hard sound. But his earning more money than their idols, RECORD organ playing in I Didn't Know About has been guilty of a kind of prostitution You is lamentable. my sidewalk friends think. "You don't Adams has mobility and good time but don't call what he's playing jazz, do nearly all his ideas are commonplace you?" they ask. REVIEWS and his tone is brusque. For a few Complexity is not the omega of music. moments in I Didn't Know About You Nor is a magic puzzle of improvisation he blows less hard than usual and on the chords the heart of jazz. gets a better tone. He articulates the Improvisation is a part of it, not the PEPPER ADAMS-JIMMY KNEPPER: All Too Soon theme well but his whole. The kind of freedom Duke "The Pepper-Knepper Quintet". sound almost completely destroys its Ellington insists upon as peculiar to Metrojazz E 100. beauty. The combination of baritone jazz involves far more than that. It Jimmy Knepper, trombone; Pepper Adams, and organ in I Didn't Know About You ought not to be necessary to return baritone; Wynton Kelly piano; Doug Watkins, is not easy to forget, I'm afraid. to Jelly Roll Morton to learn that a bass; Elvin Jones, drums. I wish more could be heard of Elvin jazz musician can transmute many Minor Catastrophe; All Too Soon; Beaubien; Jones here; he does fine things in kinds of music into jazz, by means of Adams in the Apple; Riverside Drive; I Didn't the exchanges with the horns in phrasing and sound, without losing Know about You; Primrose path. Minor Catastrophe and Beaubien but the melody. You may have developed Knepper must be about the first is insufficiently audible in the a keen taste for the intricate, for trombonist of the past fifteen years ensembles. Few drummers listen so puzzles, but when Johnny Hodges, or who does not lean heavily on J. J. intently to the horns as Jones and Coleman Hawkins, or Louis Armstrong Johnson. He has naturally profited this is the more remarkable in view plays the melody in the first chorus from the way Johnson has made the of the complexity of what he is doing. and subsequently improvises, jazz instrument more flexible, but his style Incidentally, two items have unusual doesn't begin at the second chorus. is original and quite definitely his own. construction: Adams in the Apple is Their kind of feeling for line, rhythm One could say that while Johnson's 12/8/12/8/8, and Primrose Path is and attack, is much more rare and method derives almost entirely from 12/12/16/12. It is surprising valuable than is generally admitted, the purely musical considerations of unconventional constructions of this and because it gives their melodic melody, harmony and rhythm—almost kind are not attempted more often. statements an air of ease and an abstract rather than instrumental What's so good about 8/8/8/8? simplicity, it is insufficiently style—Knepper's music draws certain Max Harrison appreciated. qualities from the trombone itself. For many years, Shorty Baker belonged In this respect, while his approach to Duke's republic of aristocrats, in is essentially modern, he is simply HAROLD "SHORTY" BAKER: "The which every man had rights and an returning to the path of Wells, Broadway Beat". King 608. individual role. For the four trumpets Higginbotham, Teagarden and the rest Shorty Baker, trumpet; Jimmy Jones, piano; there were variously dramatic, of Johnson's predecessors. Perhaps Kenny Burrell, guitar; Carl Pruitt, bass; glamorous, pyrotechnical and lyrical Johnson's "abstract" approach to the Ed Thigpen, drums. roles, and to Shorty fell the last, trombone will remain an isolated one. Them There Eyes; In a Little Spanish Town; the least spectacular. But when Jonah But the way Knepper handles his 'S Wonderful; If I Had You; Rosetta; After created a new fashion for solo instrument is incidental; his originality You've Gone; Marie; Close Your Eyes; The trumpet with rhythm, someone at is in musical ideas and, while these World Is Waiting For the Sunrise; Love Me King—an ex-trumpeter probably— cannot be described in words without Or Leave Me; Cherry. remembered Shorty and produced this risking the marshy dangers of During many sidewalk conversations admirable record. impressionistic writing, it is enough in New York last summer, I was Shorty's tone has long been recognized to hear a few of his solos to believe surprised to discover that the success by trumpet players as something his could become an important voice. of Jonah Jones was far from being to emulate. Whitney Balliett has While admitting Knepper's originality a source of pleasure to the cognoscenti, described it as "serene" and it is unlikely that his style is fully some of whom, I suspect, would not "cowlike". (The first adjective is very mature because of its occasional have cared greatly if Jonah had left appropriate, but the second shows inconsistencies. Beaubien illustrates the music business, as he nearly did. Whitney has lived too long in the how dull ideas will sometimes occur Jonah was not at one time called city.) It is a warm, expressive tone along with good ones. His melodic "Louis Armstrong the Second" for which complements his clean construction—the way he presents his nothing. He had—and has—a articulation and obligingly rounds out ideas—is not yet as disciplined as it remarkable mastery of the trumpet, his style. Its smooth beauty recalls will probably become. This reappears tremendous drive, and a spirited range the sound of Joe Smith and the on Minor Catastrophe and in some of directly communicative expression. later Frank Newton, but it has a more over-elaborate moments in I Didn't His jazz was swinging, spontaneous, positive quality, which probably derives Know About You. Sometimes, too, his and hot. That was the trouble. In from a lead's sense of definition. phrases have an odd heaviness, as a period when the disdainfully cool Only occasionally, as on After You've on Adams in the Apple and Beaubien. was fashionable, his great qualities Gone, is it plaintive. The style is an Another aspect of Knepper's originality were not. So he made it back, still essentially singing one and this brings is the character of his exceptionally swinging, on a simpler melodic level, up an interesting point of background. full tone in all but the most rapid the flame somewhat subdued. Shorty is from St. Louis and has passages. When playing exceptionally After all these years of gripes about been professionally active for about fast his articulation understandably rock V roll, it should be gratifying thirty years. (It takes a long time gets blurred. One of the few instances that a large part of the public has to acquire his kind of mastery of the of this is in Primrose Path. His most taken to Jonah's muted jazz. I am not horn.) He remembers playing with successful solo here is Riverside Drive. arguing in favor of commercialism, Charlie Creath, whom Don Redman Kelly is at his best on the ballads. and I do not dispute that Jonah is cites as one of the greatest blues His All Too Soon solo has real lyrical capable of greater music than we hear trumpets and a probable influence feeling and continuity of line. On on the Capitol albums, but the on Tommy Ladnier in his formative Beaubien, Riverside Drive and Primrose musician who is ignored by audience period. It was in St. Louis, too, that Path his contributions are enjoyable and critics has a right to live, even Joe Smith served his apprenticeship, but not so distinctive melodically. to find a new audience. Jonah has only Joe, with whom one inevitably compares Shorty, was playing in century romanticism, a use of jazz ff New York with Fletcher Henderson cliches—are now his entire battery . exuberant, when Shorty was eight years old. If of effects, rather than the occasional jazz is ever to attain a measure of lapses of taste they once seemed to mature stability, this is just the way be. Paul Desmond, on the other hand, its heritage should be maintained, is the trickster, juggler, magician impassioned, sometimes jumping years and phases par excellence: he can play on his to kindred temperaments who use it horn anything that anyone else can, to create anew. and many things noone else could thundering"* Although largely confined to melodic attempt, but all, apparently, with his statements and variations a la Jonah, mind on something else. He is all Shorty shows that there is more to delicacy and subtlety, playing his style than records have previously endlessly fascinating and amazingly revealed. Since his early days with intricate figures with a curious and JOHN Duke, he has grown in flexibility. He almost complete lack of involvement. still loves the flowing phrase and Brubeck is apparently a musician of normally uses little vibrato, but for almost painful honesty, determined COLTRANE accentuation he incorporates a buzz, to go his own way no matter how a growl or a half-valved effect as wrong-headed it may seem. His way indigenously as a singer's inflections. seems to be an attempt to make jazz All the music on this album was out of several non-jazz devices which recorded at one long session — quite he has never succeeded in assimilating a trial of strength for any trumpet in the way that, for instance, John player. There is, however, no let-down, Lewis has. When he does use jazz, it nothing haphazard. The numbers, in is often the dullest jazz cliche, view of the obvious objective, were reminiscent of his teacher, Milhaud's, very well chosen, and so were the conception of jazz in La Creation du tempos. (May I suggest that dance Monde. His honesty will make him tempos are as close to the heart of work through an idea (it is usually jazz as improvisation?) A little shuffle a melodic variation), until he gets lost rhythm was obligatory, and it is by no in it and has to get back through means offensive on 'S Wonderful the use of a jazz banality. It would and Rosetta, where the inspiring seem that jazz is not his natural attributes of the tune launch Shorty form of expression, but he is into joyful flight. determined to play jazz, as if a man who knew five hundred words of Perhaps it was the years with Duke French were to attempt a novel in it which taught him to regard a song that language. not merely as a number but as a GIANT STEPS subject for which you should visualize Brubeck continually exposes his a whole enhancing treatment. This is weaknesses as if he were picking open apparent in his moving version of sores, in front of everyone. Most Atlantic LP 1311 Monaural $4.98 Close Your Eyes. It results, too, in a notably he lacks a feel for melody. Stereo $5.98 performance that can seem definitive, His compositions, with a few so that when you hear the song exceptions (In Your Own Sweet Way John Coltrane was recently described by Nat again from others you instantly recall is one) are superficial and overly Hentoff as one of the two most influential and it. Cherry, I think, is an example of romantic. (I do not feel that The controversial tenor saxophonists in modern Shorty's ability in this direction. But Duke shows an unusual understanding jazz. perhaps the real measure of his of Ellington.) But he continually GIANT STEPS, his first Atlantic LP, will artistry lies in paradox: one is almost attempts to be a melodist, with often greatly heighten both the Coltrane influence equally conscious of his constant disastrous results. and the controversy. concern for quality and of the Desmond, on the other hand, can Adventurous, imaginative, daringly experi• wonderful feeling of relaxation in his create an exquisite melody without mental throughout, GIANT STEPS is the music. trying, and he does almost every kind of album that involves ears, mind and The rhythm section is not particularly time, carrying long, logical lines of heart. It is a pace-setter and certain to be one impressive. It neither "ticks like a almost Grecian perfection past the of the most talked-about LPs of 1960. clock" nor provides any notable lift, point where other musicians would Coltrane's playing has more than hard but Jimmy Jones is his usual skilful, falter. On Stardust on Fantasy 3-20 drive. It has the power to pull listeners right musical self at the piano. ("Jazz Interwoven"), he creates a out of their seats. "Exuberant, furious, impassioned, thundering"* is the way Stanley Dance melody of high, delicate, flute-like beauty, that I think no other altoist French critic Gerard Bremond, in Jazz-Hot, could achieve, only Rima the Bird tried to express the emotional impact of Girl. His facility and musical knowledge Coltrane's work. DAVE BRUBECK: Fantasy 3-8, 3-11, — particularly of how one song is Powerfully moving, this is a masterwork, a 3-13, 3-20 Columbia CL 590. related to another — are nothing modern classic . . . GIANT STEPS, indeed. Dave Brubeck, piano; Paul Desmond, alto; short of amazing. He seems, at times, Bob Bates, Ron Crotty, or Wyatt Ruther, bass; to be playing duets with himself, and John Coltrane records exclusively Joe Dodge or Lloyd Davis, drums. has another rare quality — musical if for Atlantic Records. Watch for + With each successive recording certain humor. Perhaps he is merely getting forthcoming Coltrane LPs on Atlantic! things become more apparent about by on that astounding facility, but pianist Brubeck and his featured perhaps his curious detatchment, the Write for complete LP catalogue altoist Paul Desmond. opposite of Brubeck's complete and stereo disc listing. Elements of Brubeck's style that once involvement, is the result of occurred infrequently — interminable, something else. He is a perfect TLANTIC bombastic chord sequences, a musical example of a remark of method of ballad playing that relies Truman Capote's: "My own theory is on the worst features of nineteenth 157 West 57th St., New York 19, N. Y. that the writer should have considered a theme that has never been stated. All five compositions are by Dameron his wit and dried his tears long, long But Brubeck is a rarity in more ways and of them Fontainebleau (described before setting out to invoke similar than this. Since his career started he in the liner notes as "where the reactions in a reader. In other words, has played only with his own group, Bourbons used to cavort"!) is the I believe the greatest intensity in art and since his listening, for all most ambitious. It has remained one in all its shapes is achieved with practical purposes, was done a long of the more successful extended a deliberate, hard, and cool head." time ago, he has remained remote modern jazz pieces although there In a sense, the two men complement from all influences, growing more and has been little recognition of the each other perfectly Brubeck is more inbred, and eventually, for lack fact during the four years since it essentially an involved romantic of of nourishment, may cancel himself was recorded. The formal organization the bombastic German school (those out. In his early days, he produced is relatively simple although, according are his favorite implied harmonies), some excellent albums, by far the best to Dameron, it is cast in three with little delicacy of touch and an of which is "Jazz at Oberlin" (Fantasy sections. Part one, Le Foret, opens essentially ponderous approach. 3-11), closely followed by "Jazz at with a brooding introductory theme Desmond, on the other hand, is the Storyville" (Fantasy 3-8) and one that is heard first on the bass, then jazz version of the French composers sterling track (All the Things You Are) on bass and baritone, then on the who wrote marvellous cameos. on the "Jazz at College of Pacific" Ip other horns. This leads to the main Brubeck is rhythmic and harmonic, (Fantasy 3-13). This last, based on the theme of the section — and of the Desmond is melodic. circle of fifths progression that lies whole work — stated by Dorham. One way at looking at the two men at the heart of much of the classical It is a flowing, lyrical melody is to see what tunes they quote. music Brubeck was trained on, was unsuitable, perhaps, for large-scale Both of them interpolate more than almost a perfect vehicle for him. He development but entirely appropriate almost any other musicians, but in has, to be sure, played the song to its limited use here. This is different ways. Brubeck's quotes may badly at other times, but this time extended in a written alto solo played be there because of the lyrics of the he came up with a marvellously most expressively by Shihab, and by song quoted or its title, and his point ordered, flowing, logical solo that the ensemble. A transitional piano even seems to depend on a verbal could stand as one of the few solo leads to Les Cygnes. This opens knowledge of the material. (On one examples of an honest wedding of with a brief ensemble that manages record, for instance, destined to be classic and jazz techniques. Those to suggest the main Foret theme their first big success, he quotes days, apparently, have gone. without direct statement. Following We're In the Money!) Desmond will These last remarks are true of this a baritone ostinato leads to the quote songs whose musical structure Desmond, but to a lesser extent. He Cygnes theme, the other principle are similar to the pieces being played. is closer to jazz than Brubeck, has, idea of the work. It is announced by They both quote extensively from indeed, made record dates with other baritone and trombone accompanied Goodman sextet riff tunes and groups, and, I understand, has by another ostinato on alto and tenor. Stravinsky, and delight in neo-Bach started to widen that practice. When As this is developed trumpet and counterpoint with each other, but at the quartet first began, it was said alto interpolate motives derived from that point the resemblance stops. that Desmond should have his own the main Foret theme. The transition Brubeck is found of inserting Chopin group. Unlike Milt Jackson and the from Les Cygnes to L'Adieu is ill- and nursery rhymes, while Desmond is MJQ, for instance, of whom the defined and the third section partial to obscure pop tunes and same thing was once said, Desmond introduces no new material. It old English Christmas carols. might find his best answer in just commences with another ensemble Ever since the group's career began, that. In many ways he is, and in the suggesting the main Foret theme, Brubeck and Desmond have been right context can be even more, one followed by the baritone ostinato that outside anything that could be of our most important jazzmen. earlier appeared at the beginning of remotely termed the mainstream of Les Cygnes. Over this a modification Joe Goldberg jazz (except that much of Brubeck of the Cygnes theme is given by depends on a misunderstanding of alto and tenor. It resolves, still over Waller, and much of Desmond on an the baritone ostinato, to the affinity with Lester Young on clarinet), TADD DAMERON: "Fontainebleau". introductory Foret theme on alto, and they have resolutely refused to Prestige 7097. then on alto and tenor. This, too, is enter it. Brubeck at times tries to Kinny Dor ham, trumpet; Harry Coker, trombone; in modified form: almost jaunty sound "funky", to little avail, and Sahib Shihab, alto; Joe Alexander, tenor; compared with its sombre initial Desmond has given up trying to sound Cecil Payne, baritone; Tadd Dameron, piano; appearance. Restatements of this what he calls "hostile enough to be John Simmons, bass; Shadow Wilson, drums. motive, by trumpet then by alto and currently acceptable." Brubeck has his Fontainebleau; Delirium; Clean is the Scene; tenor, alternate with two further own reasons for entering jazz; I quote Flossie Lou; Bulla-Babe. ensembles the last of which brings from the liner notes to his Dameron should have become one of the work to a close. "Storyville: 1954" album (Columbia the most prominent post-war The thematic cross-references from CL590.): "The point is that I am composers and arrangers, for he is one section to another helps to getting more and more from jazz what certainly one of the most gifted. He produce a satisfyingly tight structure, I had hoped to get out of formal may lack the technical glibness of and the interest is sustained by a composition. One of our tapes that men like Johnny Richards, Manny ready melodic invention. Orchestration has not been released yet has an Albam or Ernie Wilkins but everything is effective but variety is mainly On the Alamo that says as much for he has written is marked by an achieved by diversified themes — and me, in ten minutes of my best individual approach. Dameron's the melodic constructions arising from improvisation so far on records, as melodic writing is the most distinctive them — not by instrumental textures. any symphony I ever hoped to write aspect of his work, but his Dameron produces a notable effect when I didn't have as much command orchestration, especially for small by introducing two of his themes — of the jazz idiom as I have now." or medium-sized groups, is always the Foret introduction and the Cygnes To my mind, this performance.(the instantly recognizable. While he does — first in low register and then tape is, of course, the one on the not seek any really unusual textures, transposed into high on their album) is a compendium of Brubeck's his voicings are unobtrusively original reappearances. Analogously the faults, amounting to a heavy-handed so that the ensembles have a baritone ostinato is succeded by an symphonic development passage of freshness that is not, in this Ip at alto and tenor one in Les Cygnes. least, matched by all solos. These changes, allied to the slowly release for some excellent solos by quickening tempo, produce an effect both Charlie and Dizzy on the first of increasing brightness as the work side, but it is bad enough that they moves from its brooding opening to must listen to them through the an affirmative conclusion. terribly poor recording without having The weaknesses, as noted, are the to pay the price of a whole Ip for vague demarcation between Les only one side of it. And Joe Carroll Cygnes and L'Adieu, and the fact the fans interested in the other side will latter, because it introduces no new hardly find the Parker concert to thematic material, does not constitute their taste. a really independent third section. I am perfectly aware that business Fontainebleau is in two, not three, is business, but I regret that this parts. document of Charlie's playing (which This Ip is chiefly of interest because we are lucky to have in any of Fontainebleau and is worth buying condition) should fall into the hands for that alone. The other items are of the likes of Mr. Reig. It is less rewarding, though all have infuriating to read the hokey-pokey excellent themes attractively that masquerades here as liner orchestrated. Flossie Lou is wasted notes. The flags of Art, Genius, as a solo vehicle for Coker. His History, State Department, American opening gambit is a quotation from Way of Life, Jazz Tradition and THE HORACE SILVER The Continental and for the rest, his Freedom are so vigorously (and QUINTET & TRIO ideas are neatly phrased—except for ungrammatically) waved that it Blowin' The Blues Away. No better some insecure double-timing — but almost seems the duty of a good example of Horace's creative talents and pedestrian. His tone is not really citizen to draw out his savings to his range as a composer and pianist than expressive. Alexander similarly fails this new album, just released. One of buy this record. How did they miss the new tunes "Sister Sadie" is the latest to take advantage of his opportunities pasting Old Glory on the cover? Silver hit. With Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook, on Delirium. Fortunately his two Since the liner notes are worthless Gene Taylor, Louis Hayes. solos are relieved by an extremely as a source of information about BLUE NOTES 4017 fine offering by Dorham. Dameron the music or the musicians, here is Stereo 84017 himself is featured in Clean is the a brief account of what goes on. RECENT RELEASES: Scene. Although he accompanies well, Side A: A group consisting, accordinr ART BLAKEY Dameron's solo .playing, while to reliable sources, of Charlie Parker, Holiday for Skins. With Philly Joe exhibiting real melodic invention, Dizzy Gillespie, Al McKibbon, John Jones, Art Taylor, Donald Byrd, Sabu, etc. lacks the individuality of his writing. Lewis and Joe Harris. I don't know BLUE NOTE 4004, 4005 It is unfortunate he chose to feature the date or location of the concert DIZZY REECE Coker, Alexander and himself instead where the recording was made, but Star Bright. With Hank Mobley, Wyn- of Dorham and Shihab — the real I hear it was Carnegie Hall, 1947. lon Kelly, Paul Chambers, Art Taylor. soloists on the session. Happily It was evidently recorded with only one BLUE NOTE 4023 everyone has a chance in Bulla-Babe, small mike; Charlie and Dizzy are re JIMMY SMITH a blues. Once more the theme is a produced clearly, but the piano is The Sermon. With Lee Morgan, Lou good one well orchestrated, with nearly inaudible, the bass is muddy, Donaldson, Tina Brooks, George Coleman, Dameron interpolating tellingly and the drums are a horrible Kenny Burrell, Art Blakey, Donald Bailey, between the horns' block chords. distortion of cymbal whine, bass etc. Shihab's is the most distinguished drum and rim-shot shudder. On the BLUE NOTES 4011 solo here, and his improvisation piano solos the volume has been DONALD BYRD has long, contrasting, well-shaped turned up, so the piano becomes a Byrd in Hand. With Chanie Rouse, lines and real continuity from one little more audible and the drums Pepper Adams, Walter Davis Jr., Sam chorus to another. He always sounds completely unbearable. Jones, Art Taylor. far better on alto than on baritone Charlie plays brilliantly on Tunisia. BLUE NOTE 4019 and his tone here is precisely right, A measure of the end of his second THE THREE SOUNDS for this kind of blues playing. chorus is lost because of the board Good Deal. Gene Harris, Andrew Simp- fade that was made on the original Max Harrison kins, Bill Dowdy. editing to fit two sides of a 78. Fade BLUE NOTE 4020 in again to a very good chorus and HANK MOBLEY-LEE MORGAN DIZZY GILLESPIE and CHARLIE a half by Dizzy, a lost piano bridge Peckin' Time. With Wynton Kelly, Paul PARKER: "Diz 'N' Bird In Concert" and out. Dizzy Atmosphere features Chambers, Charlie Persip. Roost LP 2234. spectacular high-speed improvising BLUE NOTE 1574 Night In Tunisia; Dizzy Atmosphere; Groovin' by both horns, and panic in the ART BLAKEY rhythm section. Groovin' High has High; Confirmation; Swing Low Sweet Cadillac; AND THE JAZZ MESSENGERS three marvelous choruses by Bird, one Tin Tin Deo; Ooh Shoobee Doobee; School Al "The Jazz Corner of the World" Days. by Dizzy, and one whole chorus of With Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, Bobby What a careless way to reissue loud bass drum with faint piano solo. On Confirmation Charlie plays some Timmons, Jymie Merritt. records! Teddy Reig evidently had BLUE NOTE 4015 these Parker-Gillespie sides, originally of his best choruses of the concert, on "Black Ace" 78s, and as there and the final fade-out is made during LOU DONALDSON were only enough of them to make the first bar of Dizzy's solo. WITH THE THREE SOUNDS up half an Ip, poked through his Side B presents the small group BLUE NOTE 4012 files until he found four tunes that that Dizzy led in 1952 with Bill SONNY ROLLINS Dizzy made a few years later with Graham on baritone sax, Wynton Kelly Newk's Time. With Wynton Kelly, Doug his own band. (It was a band that I at the piano, Al Jones on drums, a Watkins, Philly Joe Jones. doubt Bird would have cared to work bass player I don't remember, and BLUE NOTE 4001 with since it was mainly a shucking Joe Carroll doing the vocals. It was 12" LP, list $4.98 and jiving group with little care for recorded at an unknown concert with Stereo List $5.98 musical quality.) pretty good balance. There is a small Complete Catalog on Request Collectors will be interested in this BLUE NOTE RECORDS INC. 47 West 63rd St.. New York 23 portion of good Gillespie trumpet, a time. as asymmetrical, and have a personal great deal of loud, tastless drumming, Thad's solo is inventive but lacks lilt that often cuts effectively across and equal portions of Joe Carroll's his usual conviction, though, a lot the basic movement to implement ultra-hip, salivary singing, Dizzy's of trumpet men would be happy to its strength. conga drumming and novelty vocals, play as well. His solo on No Refill is On the earliest album, A Foggy Day and general good-natured horsing not as well constructed as many has McLean using a tone that around with the audience. Records others I have heard by him. Chambers' overshadows Byrd's in expressiveness, of Dizzy the entertainer shouldn't be accompaniment is also a and a sense of melody that fits in packaged and sold as records of countermelody. Billy Mitchell again very well with his rhythmic conception. Dizzy the jazz artist; this side of the cops honors with his warm lines. And Lights Out, a slow, poignant blues, album will only interest collectors of Elvin's playing is really choice. He he blows with great confidence; rubbish. understands his brother very well. Byrd, plays well too, with cleaner Bill Crow Thad needs a drumer who begins execution than at rapid tempo. Elmo quietly and gets louder as Thad gets Hope contributes some engaging more intense. Elvin seems to have solos. calmed down considerably since he Jackie's Pal, made not long after THAD JONES: "Motor City Scene". hit New York if his playing here is Hardman's appearance with the Mingus United Artists UAL 4025. representative. Not a compliment or unit at Newport, has the same Thad Jones, cornet, fluegelhorn; Billy Mitchell, condemnation; merely an observation. instrumentation, but more tightly knit tenor; Al Grey, trombone; Tommy Flanagan, I think with this album and some music. But there is the character piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Elvin Jones, other dates he has made recently of Hardman's work: technically drums. (the Monk on Riverside), Thad will uncertain — there are vagaries of Let's Play One, Minor On Top, Like Old begin to get some of the attention pitch in It Could Happen to You — Times, No Refill. he deserves. I would like to hear him and immature in the profusion of Everybody here blows up to his usual again with an experimental group notes he plays, he nonetheless plays standard except Thad who is like Mingus' because I believe it with a restless, stabbing energy somewhat inconsistent. This is a would provide him with a little more that complements McLean better than pick up date, but these men have challenging setting than this kind of Byrd's overt lyricism. The rhythm played together before and everyone session does. section produces a more supple beat complements everyone else Harvey Pekar than the section on the Lights Out Ip. beautifully. The four tunes written I should say that the change of by Thad are functional. drummers was mainly responsible for On Let's Play One (reminiscent of this. Art Taylor is gifted at highlighting Rollins' Doxy), and Minor Flanagan JACKIE McLEAN: "Lights Out". the melodic line and pushing the plays a little more percussively than Prestige LP 7035. soloist with a hard-driving beat. Philly usual, and it's a refreshing change. Jackie McLean, alto; Donald Byrd, trumpet; Joe Jones shares these qualities, but Everything he does sounds right Elmo Hope, piano; Doug Watkins, bass; incorporates them in a rhythmic anyway. Thad is relaxed and Art Taylor, drums. movement of greater flexibility. One thoughtful on this track, as is Mitchell. A Foggy Day; Kerplunk; Up; Lorraine; is reminded of the difference between Minor On Top is a twelve-bar blues. Inding; Lights Out. Buddy Rich and Jo Jones. In Sublues, Thad leads off on fluegelhorn with JACKIE McLEAN: "Jackie's Pal". a twelve-bar blues by Hardman with a solo that is alternately witty and Prestige LP 7068. a theme extended over two choruses, powerful. His sound here is Jackie McLean, alto; Bill Hardman, trumpet; and Steeplechase, with its exciting surprisingly like Clark Terry's. Mai Waldron, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; final chase between the two horns, Chambers is a gas in solo, and in Philly Joe Jones, drums. the group is at its most eloquent: section, throughout the album. He It Could Happen To You; Sublues; Jones' open cymbal work is a joy to just got in a groove and stayed there. Steeplechase. the ear, Waldron solos and chords Somebody will have to show me THE JAZZ MESSENGERS: "Hard Bop". with assurance, and McLean plays who plays with more authority. Grey Columbia CL 1040. with increased mobility and inventive contributes his best solo in this Bill Hardman, trumpet; Jackie McLean, alto; range. track; I don't think he is quite up to Sam Dockery, piano; Spanky De Brest, bass; the exceptional standard of the other Shortly after this record, the two Art Blakey, drums. hornmen joined the Jazz Messengers musicians on this album, but he has Cranky Spanky; Stella by Starlight; Little a frankly humorous approach that is and "Hard Bop" shows the effect upon Melonie; My Heart Stood Still; Stanley's them of three months in that band. fun to hear. He phrases something Stiff Chickens. like a trumpet. Blakey's assertive variety of thunderous All these records made during 1956, rhythm built around the Like Old Times sounds something like emphasized the rapid development characteristically incisive hi-hat a Bird composition. Mitchell really of Jackie McLean as a soloist. While heightens the appeal of both comes on in this track. I thought I he leads only on the first two albums, Hardman's and McLean's playing. It detected a little Lucky Thompson the Blakey Ip features him enough gives the trumpeter the foundation influence in his playing in previous to give a comprehensive picture of necessary to his multi-noted phrasing; albums and it becomes very apparent his capabilities at the close of that and, as Stella by Starlight proves, here. His tone is much softer than year. Influenced by Dexter Gordon, complemented his furious energy that before but he loses none of his Lester Young and, of course, Bird, his sometimes could transcend his limited force. I would guess he was playing approach represents a consolidation melodic capabilities. On McLean its like a Hawk man in the forties and of one particular aspect of Parker's effect was altogether different: where then went like Rollins before he style: the freedom of the phrase in Hardman, and Dockery too, would softened again. One of the reasons relation to the entire construction of seize upon Blakey's polyrhythmic Mitchell, Lucky Thompson, and Don the solo. Perhaps because of the suggestions, the altoist often cut Byas (Thompson's major influence) guidance he received in the late across them, setting up a curious are so effective at up tempos is that 'forties from Bud Powell, McLean's tension in the music. His solo on their phrases are shorter than those rhythmic conception adheres somewhat Stanley's Stiff Chickens draws much of most tenor men. The force of their more closely than Parker's to the of its force from this unusual tension. attack plus the relative gentleness mechanics of the beat; he is never Seemingly oblivious to the accents, of their tone gives an impression of so rhythmically adventurous within rolls and double-tempo rhythms, restraint and strength at the same the phrase. Yet his melodies are just McLean strides purposefully ahead, usual style and plays like Connie New his phrases set square upon the basic Kay. meter, the brooding fierceness of his I find it difficult to judge Monk tone adding to his overall sense of Montgomery as a soloist on the basis determination. It would be no of this recording, and I haven't heard exaggeration to say that on these enough of his work elsewhere. ARGO Jazz tracks he features a leaner version However, his solo on These Foolish still of what had a leaner version Things is trite at best. stil of what had always been an H. A. Woodfin Al* GREY austere melodic style. The dynamic level is as uniform as ever. The phrases are aired out with longer CHARLIE MINGUS: "A Modern Jazz rests. Double-time has become Symposium of Music and Poetry." relatively rare, and is never used for Bethlehem BCP 6026. its own sake or to screen momentary Charlie Mingus, bass; Dannie Richmond, inventive weaknesses, but only to drums; Jimmy Knepper, trombone; Shafi Hadi, throw into relief the gaunt shape tenor and alto: Clarence Shaw, trumpet; of the solo as a whole_ In this except Bill Hardman on tracks; Bob Hammer, respect McLean's style makes piano; except Horace Parian on tracks 2, 4, 5, interesting comparison with Dexter and left hand on final solo of 3; Melvin Gordon's recent work on Daddy Blows Stewart, narration. the Horn. It was fortunate, I feel, Scenes in the City; Nourog; New York that he s.hould have been associated Sketch Back; Duke's Choke; Slippers. with Blakey at what seems in A man of searching and often AL GREY LP 653 retrospect a crucial period of his unpredictable talents, Charlie Mingus, In which Count Basie's trombone star is career. bass player and jazz composer, has surrounded by such company as Joe Newman, been a time coming of age. Billy Mitchell, Benny Powell, and Sonny McLean's early playing contains many Payne. Arrangements by Thad Jones and passages of durable worth. Formal With Ips like this and the Brandeis Frank Foster. precision has never been his strong collection, he is making it. Avoid suit, but all three of these records being steered-off by the cumbersome prove that in the right company his title; It's a significant jazz package. patent quest for self-expression more In format the Ip is an arrangement often than not results in music whose of thematic material set around a unity is as real as its power. central piece, Scenes in the City, and Michael James this in turn is a blend of voiced narration and instrumental sounds. Nothing new there. Mass "THE MASTERSOUNDS in Concert". entertainment media have attempted World Pacific WP-1-269. this many times without any Buddy Montgomery, vibes; Monk Montgomery, important result, mainly because of electric bass; Richie Crabtrae, piano; Benny the limitations inherent in the Barth, drums. Schillinger system of composing Stomping at the Savoy; Medley. In a music. Sentimental Mood, Our Very Own, These Mingus' success derives in part from Foolish Things; Love for Sale; Star Eyes; his own varied and catholic LOU McGARITY LP 654 Two Different Worlds; Somebody Loves Me. professional background. Associations One of the all-time trombone greats and his In spite of C. H. Garrigues' liner with band leaders as varied as Kid octet roam joyously through a dozen stand• notes, I find it impossible to listen to Ory, Lionel Hampton, and Bud Powell ards. The glistening trumpet of Doc Sever- this group without the MJQ coming are mentioned in Nat Hentoff's .insen and the clarinet and tenor of Bob Wil- immediately to mind. But this is a excellent liner notes. Mingus' success ber contribute generously to the proceedings. group without the lively interplay and also derives from his creative instinct, 1 fteisrtfiiZ' sense of structure which make an high seriousness, good taste, tor uniquely integrated unit of the MJQ. imagination, and capacity for taking SMOKEY STOVER The Mastersounds have developed a pains. He has achieved a subtle sonority very similar to the MJQ's, blend of free improvisation and linear but seems to have captured only the writing which adds dimension to the most superficial qualities of the MJQ. voice track and brings forth an Buddy Montgomery's vibes dominate exciting experience. the group and Montgomery's style The script for Scenes in the City was is founded directly on Milt Jackson's, conceived and written by actor Lonnie but Montgomery is not yet capable Elders in collaboration with Langston of the extended melodic development Hughes and is narrated by Melvin of Jackson at his best, and his solos Stewart. It is a rambling, introspective usually become a series of well monologue of a young man of the articulated sounds. But Montgomery city, any city, whose thoughts and seems to have the best solo potential dreams have been influenced by jazz, SMOKEY STOVER LP 652 of the group; Star Eyes indicates that and it is a skillful amalgam of he may well be able to construct more Harlem vernacular, Tin Pan Alley Brimming-over-the-barrel Dixieland from a group of guys who know what it's all about. significant solos. references, and believable bits of Sfar-on-the-rise Stover, with a trumpet tone Crabtree is a pianist of adequate everyday speech. that would bore through a brick wall, sets a talent but few ideas who plays with The scoring is all by Mingus. It driving, pace. considerable but superficial swing. should be required listening for the 1 found Barth annoying throughout music hacks of Hollywood who in ARGO RECORDS the recording. He has a choppy style their many years of labor have for free catalog write of accentuation, barren of subtlety. learned nothing about the spirit or CHESS PRODUCING CORP. On Our Very Own he eschews his sound of jazz. This writing is 2120 S. Michigan-Are., Chicago 16, III. supple and polyrhythmic. On most of the records Charlie Mingus get shorter and shorter until in the There is variety and balance between has made these past five years, each last few choruses we have a tight the human voice and the sound of the performance is very much of a piece informal counterpoint; the rhythm jazz instruments. There is even and demands to be treated as such. section functions magnificently. The logical use of that crutch of the It is usually pointless to single out resonance of Mingus' bass sound is hack recording engineer, the echo this or that section for praise or a joy in itself, while Richmond's sense chamber. blame. of dynamics is exemplary. As his accents become more and more The sidemen on the date are not of Mingus has shown great perception profuse, the basic rhythm stays as star caliber, but there is ample in picking the members of his bands, forceful as ever; this is vital with opportunity to hear out Shafi Hadi's and seems able to inspire them all Mingus who takes greater liberties voluptuous alto saxophone on Nourog, with the same constant fervor he with the beat than most bassists. Clarence Shaw's trumpet on Duke's never fails to project in his own Choice, and Jimmy Knepper's Wyands' choding is suitably spare. playing. Booker Ervin and John Handy, The strong pulse of all these insinuating trombone on Slippers, both of whom had apparently not performances is the chief element New York Sketchbook is written for recorded before, show facility and no that lends them unity in the face ol the instrumental ensemble alone. little emotional depth. John Coltrane's all the textural changes. Even the Again the writing is melodic and influence is clear, and Handy, who chase passage on Nostalgia in Times polyphonic, without any of the deadly until recently was working in the San Square between Mingus and Richmond vertical cliches of the would-be Francisco area, has apparently listened has this quality, implicit as it is. jazz composer. Mingus manages to to Ornette Coleman as well. Do not After experimenting with various skirt classical music by his imagine, though, that these men have techniques for several years Mingus abandonment of constant meter, the no more to offer than a conglomeration has found his own way at last, a 32-bar form, and the use of a piano of other people's mannerisms; for personal manner rooted in the jazz style (Bob Hammer) which is their solos are well-formed and full tradition of extemporization and a classically oriented. of attractive melodic turns, especially swinging beat. These two fundamentals Further credit is due the engineer. Handy's. Ervin's allegiance to the are as evident in his solos as in the The Ip is truly high fidelity and with tunes is stronger than one would performances of the bands he has led. both depth of dimension and a warm expect in a musician of his generation, In both there is the same vivid overall sound. Nat Hentoff's notes and while this makes him a less expressionism, in both the same are first-rate and afford many interesting soloist than Handy it by devotion to the task at hand. This interesting (and overdue) biographical no means invalidates his work; rather record is a more than worthy details on the many-sided Charlie it lends his versions of Coltrane's successor to the Ips "Pithencanthropus Mingus. figures a passionate directness that Erectus," "East Coasting" and The success of this production points seems as good a springboard as any "The Clown." for the development of a truly personal to certain contemporary trends. We Michael James are in a period where the ability to style. produce jazz of good quality on Without imposing on either of these traditional instruments, plus a few saxophonists or, as far as I can judge, previously unexplored, is widespread. cramping them in any way, Mingus Conversely, large creative talents, and has used their talents to create four "SONNY ROLLINS and the Contem• especially leadership, is lacking — unusually cohesive pieces. Nostalgia porary Leaders." Contemporary M 3564. perhaps outside of the hard core of in Times Square, with its striding, Sonny Rollins, tenor,- Barney Kessel, guitar; the eastern bop school with its handful moody melody, features the Hampton Hawes, piano; Leroy Vinnegar, bass; Shelly Manne, drums. of old pros, there are none. Certainly comparatively simple device of there is no grand figure, no Prez, no accenting the first three beats in the I've Told Every Little Star; Rockabye Your Bird, to break the trail which all bar to advantage and the recurrence Baby with a Dixie Melody; How High the Moon; I've found a New Baby; Alone Together; others must follow — only imitations, of such passages gives great unity. In a Chapel in the Moonlight; The Song is You. assimilations, extensions, and The repartee between bassist and Victor Feldman, vibes. imitations of imitations. It is just drummer before the final theme You. possible that the course of romantic, statement has a desperate humor This record could be called "Way Out individual improvisation has run full that fits the overall atmosphere very West, part two" if it weren't so weak circle and talents of another nature well, illustrating once again the in comparison with that first Contem• will prevail. Certainly lack of the leader's emphasis on content as porary date (C3530) by Rollins. At this leadership, not to mention the against more formal design. I Can't summit meeting with the west, it turned organizational genius, that produced Get Started contains some excellent out about like the other better known such classics as the Hot Fives dates, work from Handy and a stunning bass one. Nothing much got accomplished. Smith-Jones, Parker Quintet, or even solo; the way Mingus makes some of The most striking thing about the the Benny Goodman small groups his high notes sing is reminiscent of date is Sonny's unwillingness to be has been painfully wanting in the Django Reinhardt. Alice's Wonderland, "serious" on even one of the tracks. avalanche of Ip's issued during the which, like Nostalgia in Times Square, Even though Sonny's music is set up past ten years. The Mingus Ip, like was written with a specific situation around certain unique and biting turns "Birth of the Cool," would seem to in mind, is a fascinating blend of the of musical phrases, which become be a manifestation of an entirely sour and the romantic. The initial vrey humourous at times, still, they are different kind of creative activity. theme ends with a strident wailing seriously applied musical techniques. effect. This section is repeated at the Ross Russell I mean that when Rollins squawks close. After a short piano interlude, and draws his tone out lazily, and a the central melody follows, slow, little off key in the middle of some of almost serene, leading to a remarkable his best solos, he has that innate CHARLIE MINGUS: "Jazz Portraits". alto solo in the course of which "serious concern" that makes these United Artists UAL 4036. Handy's fierce lyricism is unrestrained flippancies musically admirable. Nostalgia in Times Square; I Can't Get either in range or conventional On this date, however, he seems either, Started; No Private Income Blues; Alice's phrasing. The extended trills he plays (a) not very much concerned with the Wonderland. at one point are thoroughly integrated results, or, (b) so certain of his musical John Handy, alto; Booker En/in, tenor (except with their context. No private Income domination over the rest of the group on track 2); Richard Wyands, piano; Blues builds up to a sequence of that to play at his best would be sort of Dannie Richmond, drums; Charlie Mingus, bass. exchanges between the horns that wasted effort. In either case, except for I Found A New Baby—which is the the stuttering repeated-note motive best thing on the album, and very Sonny is partial to. But I suspect swinging, intelligent performance—the that the fault is not in the music is shallow and superfluous. accompaniment per se, but in the LeRoi Jones way Sonny reacts to it, and the way he chooses to play in its context. Grand Street has the advantage of THE EAR an attractive tune. Far Out East, a "SONNY ROLLINS and the Big Brass". Wilkins original of the Jeepers Creepers THAT HAS Metrojazz E1002. family, is humdrum and poorly HEARD Sonny Rollins, tenor; Nat Adderley, Clark performed: the trumpet figures are Terry, Reunald Jones, Ernie Royal, trumpets; sloppily executed and the rhythm EVERYTHING, Billy Byers, Jimmy Cleveland, Frank Rehak, never establishes a firm pulse. trombones; Dick Katz, piano; Rene Thomas, Midway through his chorus, Sonny HAS HEARD guitar; Henry Grimes, bass, Don Butterfield, plays a phrase from the Irish tuba; Roy Haines, drums; Ernie Wilkins, Washerwoman, as if to dissociate NOTHING arranger. himself from the proceedings. UNTIL Grand Street; Far Out East; Who Cares; Love Unfortunately the interpolation also N: ,Y ' is a Simple Thing. detracts from the coherence of his IT HEARS Rollins; Grimes; Charles Wright, drums. solo. In a proper context it might What's My Name; If You Were the Only Girl be musical humor (although that is in the World; Manhattan; Body and Soul. usually pretty dreary), but Sonny is THE ART OF TONY SCOTT Gunther Schuller contends that Sonny neither musical wit nor buffoon, and Winner for three years in a row of the: Rollins has added a new dimension to his quotations, and belches, come Metronome Poll, Downbeat Popularity Poll and jazz improvisation chiefly by using across with fatal earnestness as a Downbeat International Jazz Critics Award. techniques of thematic variation. kind of self-destructive irony. Called by the eminent critic, Nat Hentoff "...our finest contemporary jazz clarinetist." Schuller does not denigrate other Who Cares? juxtaposes guitar, bass, approaches: "... we have seen that and piano interludes which sound like it is possible to create pure excerpts from three different tunes, HI-FIDELITY I THE MODERN improvisations which are meaningful and something seems to have gone ART OF JAZZ realizations of a well-sustained wrong with the recording balance too. TOUT scon over-all feeling. Indeed the majority But there are corruscating phrases of players are perhaps not from Rollins towards the end that STEREOPHONIC temperamentally or intellectually suited redeem this band. RECORDS I to do more than that." I am not Love Is a Simple Thing opens with -CELP 425 CELP 428 convinced that we can ask more of tenor and tuba couple, a neat bit of 'Also available in Stereo music than that in the long run. orchestration also used effectively on Of course, the point is not just that Grand Street. In his solo, Sonny takes SEECO RECORDS, 39 W. 60 ST., N.Y.C. Rollins analyzes a tune in his playing, one tack after another and develops none. Rene Thomas, the voice of reuses, extends, develops, varies the DANCE ORCHESTRATIONS tune or figures in it, but that in so reason on this entire side, shows how doing he gives to a piece a superior a solo can be constructed within the COMBO ORKS . Musical Supplies coherence of his own, and not just confines of one chorus of a standard the result of repetitive chord tune. For Free Catalog Write to: structures. Three tunes on the B side are Sonny The unified structure thus achieved with bass and drums and one is TERMINAL would, presumably, make Sonny wholly unaccompanied — although

Rollins' work aesthetically pleasing at one of the trio performances, with MUSICAL SUPPLY6 Inc. least from an analytical point of sparse accompaniment, is virtually view. But need musical coherence a capella. What's My Name? begins Dept. J R 113 W. 48 St., New York 36, N.Y. follow if it were not a "meaningful with a facet of Rollins' talent which realization of feeling."? I much appreciate: his ability to state Now available as I assume that a musical style is a melody with absolute directness significant more for its power to and simplicity, but at the same time a correspondence course capture the imagination, than for the to introduce just enough variation in specific techniques it uses. pitch and rhythm to give the Though analysis reveals Rollins' right line a high degree of internal tension. GEORGE RUSSELL'S to be regarded as a serious artist, Structurally, the arrangement is it ignores (or glosses over or attempts curious; the same eight-bar passage LYDIAN CHROMATIC to explain away) many disparate is used for prelude and postlude. elements in his musical thinking. While it works in terms of doing CONCEPT FOR JAZZ For I believe Rollins really a something (anything) in order to get romantic who has a sense of the started, it has no obvious relationship IMPROVISATION "glory of the imperfect." to anything else in the tune. And Many of these disparate elements since it isn't a significant chunk of "The first important theoretical inno• may be heard on this Ip. In the music in itself, its use as a coda vation to come from jazz."—John Lewis, intra of Grand Street Ernie Wilkins struck me as highly arbitrary and musical director of the Modern Jazz caught the spirit of Sonny's formalistic. This device is also use Quartet. unconventional phrasing, but in other on the unaccompanied Body and Soul "Important for every serious jazz mu• respects the accompaniments are and works no better. Calling any sician."—Art Farmer. unsympathetic. Particularly if one formal structural procedure arbitrary has listened to the trio side first, the is, of course, no condemnation. The Taught at the School of Jazz, Lenox, piano seems quite gratuitous. This trouble here, I think, is that, an Mass. is especially evident in two instances introduction using material strikingly For information write to: on this tune and Far Out East, where different from that heard in the tune Dick Katz almost mechanically echoes arouses some expectation of hearing it Concept Publishing Company 121 Bank Street, N. Y. 14, N. Y. 33 again, but what follows after is so where he wants to be. Here he is free its own context, as it were, rather long that the edge of expectation to swing or not, extend the chord or than annihilates it. is dulled — it no longer matters not. Body & Soul is an obvious choice Larry Gushee whether we hear the intro again. as Leonard Feather points out in the (Imagine, for instance, if Joe Oliver liner notes: the listener would be had used the intro to Dippermouth aware of the structure of Sonny's CAL TJADER: Fantasy 3283 "A Night at the end of the record as well. On improvisation in terms of chorus, At The Blackhawk". the other hand, the intro to Salt bridge, etc. But, equally obviously, it Cal Tjader, vibes; Vince Guaraldi, piano; Silva, Peanuts works as a postlude, because can be seen as a challenge to Hawk tenor; Al McKibbon, bass; Willie Bobo, it is part and parcel of the principal and the kind of jazz he represents. drums and timbales; Mongo Santamaria, theme.) The effort to enlarge the horizons of conga drum. jazz will, I think, eventually do away The absence of any competing voice Bill B., Stompin' At The Savoy; I Love Pirii; with jazz as such. There are too on this side lends relief to Rollins' I Hadn't Anyone Till You; Blue And many cultured and sophisticated procedure in improvisation. He reuses Sentimental; Night In Tunisia. musicians with great gifts for phrases of the original theme all The group on this record is really improvising for jazz to remain right, but with a great deal of two in one: a Latin-American sextet something you can tap your foot to. figuration between them, in such a and a jazz quintet. It is difficult to It will be a good thing for our way that individual phrases of the consider them together, for when the musical culture in general to regain original no longer have the position conga drummer joins in to play some of the vitality and unity of in the chord structure of the tune mambos, everyone in the quintet the past when improvisation and they originally had. Rollins is, so to completely changes his musical composition went hand in hand. And speak, out of phase with the chord attitude. A strong idea that would it will be good for jazz to be faced progression and, since the chord bring the group into focus is missing, with the necessity of dealing with progression in jazz is so much a part and the Latin bit apparently fails to problems of form and content. of the metrical pattern, with the stimulate anyone's creativity. But that is in the future. Meanwhile, rhythmic structure of the tune as On the American tunes Silva Sonny Rollins is suffering from the well. indicates that he has listened to Ben growing pains as are others — to While it is true that Rollins plays Webster, Al Cohn, Stan Getz, Zoot name only two, Charlie Mingus and "off the chord", it is not that he Sims, etc. He has good ears and has Gil Evans. Although there are many doesn't know any better. Rather he heard more than just their mannerisms, passages in his playing where he is trying to remove himself from the but he hasn't developed his own blows freely and with vigor, Rollins environment of the tune, as usually musical viewpoint. What he has leaves the impression that he is conceived, just as, in choosing tunes learned about form, phrasing and dissatisfied: with his horn, with the like If You Were the Only Girl in the taste goes out the window on the limitations of jazz tunes, with the World, he tries to remove himself from mambos. He overblows, plays with playing of other musicians. In the jazz repertory. less inventiveness, and resorts to wanting to be himself he gives us Rollins' phase-shift is not the almost some sales techniques perfected at too much, and too much that is automatic procedure employed by Jazz At The Philarmonic concerts and obscure from an emotional and a many jazzmen of the past, by Louis taken over by rock 'n' roll. The musical point of view. Armstrong for one. It works both trouble may partly be the difficulty he Preoccupation with form and formal ways, since phrases are also must have in hearing himself through procedure is no guarantee of compressed and seem to come too the clatter being set up by his coherence, as I think the history of soon. Certain jazz improvisations associates, galloping in pursuit of 19th century music demonstrates. At suffer by being too consistent in ritmo caliente. the same time, such a preoccupation texture, too insistent on the same Playing tunes like I Love Paris and kind of rhythmic motion. Rollins often overshadow's other drives, which perhaps go deeper or are perhaps Savoy as mambos is in exactly the exaggerates in the other direction, same category as playing Tea For and his solos are a mosaic of figures, opposed to it. The majority of 19th century composers found their artistic Two as a cha-cha. If the only motive sharply differentiated. Some are of the musicians is "look, this tune reminiscences of the tune, some salvation in the external stimulus provided by a musical text or that we all know also works as a vulgar noises, explosive low tones, mambo", then we have a gimmick choked clucking, false-fingerings, and program. Whether this provides a specific lesson for jazz, I don't know; instead of a good musical idea. some are filligrees borrowed from Rhythm should be a cause, not an Charlie Parker. Among the most but I think Sonny would do well to force his lyric gifts to the limits, effect. The musician's response to the striking tiles in the mosaic are the pulse of the music determines his awkward, perhaps deliberately naive even at the expense of other considerations. conception of form, phrasing, (some say "corny") rhythmic motives dynamics, and to some extent, What Rollins gives us, on this Ip as that seem arcana from some locked melodic structure. If Latin rhythms elsewhere, is a running record of his book to which only Rollins has the are not stimulating to the soloist unformed and vigorous artistic urge. key. there is little point in using them There is too much there for us to It must be hard to play for a man as accompaniment. On this album regard it merely as skillful, charming, like this. Henry Grimes has a great they do not even appear particularly clever improvising. Still, it is not as deal of trouble presenting a coherent stimulating to the drummers. though Sonny had succeeded in bass line. Manhattan is particularly An illustration of Latin drumming with abstracting himself from the context disturbing in this respect. Grimes a strong musical idea can be found of jazz, not as though there were no plays so many non-chord tones on in the work of Chano Pozo and large element of tradition, of powerful accented beats that no sensation of Jimmie La Vaca. Charlie Parker's solo and ingenuous blowing that steadies effective chord change is possible. on Mango Mangue demonstrates that the vessel in the roughest waters. Perhaps this is the way Sonny wants Latin rhythms can be stimulating But I think more confidence in the it, for, presumably, he thereby has to a jazz soloist who approaches them effectiveness of his own playing and more room to move around. In that with honesty and imagination. In a less aggressive approach to the case, the whole function of the bass Tjader's group thero is meagre (perhaps illusory) problem of needs to be reconsidered, especially understanding of the strength and communication would leave him free to its metrical role. richness of rhythmic form of any develop a personal style on whatever On the last band Sonny and his horn kind. Stylization is being utilized for ground he wishes; but one that creates stand alone, and I think that is effect, but there is no evidence of any Now available as a correspondence passionate involvement with the artistic potential of this change is music. fulfilled, but elsewhere tenor and course Despite the tendency of the timbalist clarinet solos are dimly delineated, to accelerate tempos, this is acceptable fuzzy rather than poised. GEORGE RUSSELL'S music for dancing, partying, It is vital to distinguish this lack of watching, or ignoring. The fact that precision in producing notes from the Guaraldi and McKibbon can play jazz freedom of line which was Young's LYDIAN CHROMATIC well makes them flexible and valuable greatest gift to jazz and which helps sidemen, and Silva's tenor is make "Blue Lester" so important and CONCEPT FOR JAZZ agreeable when he's not trying to beautiful an album. Young was able to sell those mambos. But ignore conventional phrase patterns IMPROVISATION please, don't talk about Tjader precisely because he was so deeply building a successful career "without aware of the beat. Usually little is "The first important theoretical inno• sacrificing any of his musical standards made of this aspect of his work, but vation to come from jazz."—John Lewis, to commercialism" (liner notes). performances like Indiana and Blue musical director of the Modern Jazz From the indifferent way he ruminates Lester show that he could phrase in Quartet. through his jazz choruses and the a very direct way when he wished, "Important for every serious jazz mu• energetic way he attacks his Latin although his timing remained elegantly sician."—Art Farmer. gimmicks, I can only deduce that his retarded. Untypical as they are musical standards and commercialism rhythmically, they fully reveal the Taught at the School of Jazz, Lenox, are synonymous — he makes his charm of his tone and his unique Mass. music that way because it sells, appreciation of light and shade. For information write to: punto final. The other 1944 session is not so Concept Publishing Company Bill Crow successful. The tight incisive beat of Cole's drumming makes a poor 121 Bank Street, N. Y. 14, N. Y. backdrop to the tenorman's shrewd LESTER YOUNG: "Blue Lester". indolence of style, and Guarnieri's Savoy MG-12068. ecclectic style often misses. With the Billy Butterfield, trumpet; Hank d'Amico, 1949 Ding Dong date it is a different clarinet; Lester Young, tenor sax; Johnny story, for the tenor lines ride freely Guarnieri, piano; Dexter Hall, guitar; Billy on the flowing tide of Haynes' Taylor, bass; Cozy Cole, drums. cymbals. Young sets his phrases off These Foolish Things; Exercise in Swing; cleverly against the ensemble riffs, Salute to Fats; Basie English. sometimes interweaving his line with Lester Young ,tenor sax; Count Basie, piano; theirs, sometimes answering their Freddie Greene, guitar; Rodney Richardson, insistence with gay, upward-curling bass; Shadow Wilson, drums. melodies, a master of every situation I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance; Indiana he creates. Rarely can such rhythmic Blue Lester; Jump Lester Jump. licence have fostered so sure a sense Jesse Drakes, trumpet; Jerry Elliott, trombone; of design. Lester Young, tenor sax; Junior Mance, What of the other soloists on these piano; Leroy Jackson, bass; Roy Haynes, drums. two records? Basie is his terse, Crazy Over Jazz; Ding Dong; Blues V Bells; effective self. Hank d'Amico and The famous French review June Bug. Butterfield are adequate but generally 1 year (11 issues) : $5.00 LESTER YOUNG: "Laughin' to Keep uninspired. Elliott is competent but From Cryin' ". Verve MG V-8316. dull, Drakes furiously uninventive; Write to: Jazz Review, Box 128 Harry Edison, Roy Eldridge, trumpets; Lester Junior Mance plays well, punctuating Village Station, New York 14, N. Y. Young, clarinet, tenor sax; unidentified his bounding phrases with strongly rhythm section. defined chords. The other musicians recent back issues available now Salute to Benny; They Can't Take That Away on the Verve Ip have more to offer, From Me; Romping; Gypsy in My Soul; for. though neither pianist nor Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone. guitarist really has much personality, The claim Lester Young made just both trumpeters contribute shapely before he died, that he was still and forceful solos. Eldridge does renewing his style, is borne out by the nothing that equals his performance JAZZ PHOTOGRAPHS Verve Ip, which dates from 1958 and on This Year's Kisses, recorded two Send stamp for free detailed list is therefore amongst his last years earlier with Dickenson and Young of hundreds of photos of jazzmen, recordings. His phrases are more on that "Jazz Giants" Ip, a classic consistently spare, their austerity of its kind, but not once is his bands old and new, obscure blues tempered by a softer tone than we playing disfigured by the screeches artists, sweet bands and vocalists. knew in the past. Unfortunately the that have spoiled many of his concert Traditional and modern musicians effect is spoiled by his failure to appearances. The climate of his work handle either instrument with any is correspondingly subdued, without, represented. Photos of bands add kind of confidence. The clarinet solos however, weakening its impetus; and to the enjoyment of your record• are worse in this respect; Young his biting tone lends point to the ings. falters badly in the theme statement riffs the trumpeters fashion behind Examples: Oliver, Morton, Bechet, of They Can't Take That Away From Lester Young. Edison, unadventurous Me. Although his understanding of melodically, does wonders with the Lester Young, Basie, Moten, E. phrase displacement is often as acute small vocabulary he does employ. Lang, Bix w. Whitman, Waller, Earl as ever, the lassitude of his playing What better example could one find Hines 1943, Benny Goodman, invades his ideas too, so that Gypsy than the first trumpet solo in in My Soul contains about the most Romping, where the majestic tone Dizzy with Bird, Bunny Berigan, lamentable solo he ever put on record. and fine sense of time combine in early St. Louis and K. C. bands. The plastic feel of his previous work the simple phrases to yield a solo New price schedule now in effect. gives way to a weird aerated quality. of extraordinary power? Duncan P. Schiedt On Romping, easily the best track, the Michael James 2534 E. 68th St., Indianapolis, Ind. 35 material of jazz improvisation only. correct grammatically, to spell it that There will presumably be less rigidity way—D flat, F flat, A flat and C flat— BOOK in the second volume in which the au• rather than alter all the letter names. thor will deal with style. More accidentals would be needed but A start is made with sevenths. Mehegan the student would be able to think of shows how these are built on every de• it more clearly as a simple flatting of REVIEWS gree of the major scale, explains all the initial chord rather than a new com• normal chromatic alterations and pro• bination built on a different bass. Nor duces a vocabulary of sixty chords can I agree that the student should be upon which the lessons are based. The encouraged to think of Oscar Peterson student must memorize these before as the "outstanding jazz pianist today." proceeding further, and throughout the However, such observations are minor course they have to be practiced in a points in face of the body of material variety of ways. In describing these the author has placed before his read• chords Mehegan has, wisely I think, ers. Mr. Mehegan's second volume is adopted the figured bass method. In awaited with greatest interest. lessons eight to twenty a series of Max Harrison standard songs in all major keys, with amplified harmonizations by the au• thor, illustrates the use of these THESE JAZZMEN OF OUR TIME chords. One has to be studied in all by Raymond Horricks with Charles Fox, Benny twelve major keys. The student has to Green, Max Harrison, Nat Hentoff, Ed Michel, transfer these to his paper in conjunc• Alun Morgan, and Martin Williams. Victor Gol- tion with the original melodies. lancz Ltd. (London) 1959. Inversions of the sixty chords are des• Of the fifteen essays included in this cribed and listed, both in notation and volume, those on Thelonious Monk, figured bass numerals. These, with the J. J. Johnson, Bud Powell, Milt Jack• son, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Dave addition of diminished chords, bring Brubeck. Gigi Gryce, and Quincy Jones, the vocabulary up to two hundred and were written by Raymond Horricks. I four chords. Mehegan describes this as think that they are, at best, naive col• "the complete harmonic system of lections of anecdotes and, at worst, jazz." The student will find this mis• fan magazine nonsense and gush. leading when he hears creative impro- The piece on Monk is a fair example visors—Monk or Cecil Taylor for two— of Horricks' method. The first part using things not mentioned in this consists of Horricks' impressions of book. Again, reharmonisations of stand• Monk in Paris in 1954; impressions ards illustrate the use of these inver• which are of the gee-but-he's-eccentric sions. variety. The rest regales us with other It is unnecessary to list all the ma• people's opinions on Monk's musical terial covered here for the above gives and personal eccentricities and a superficial survey of some of Monk's an idea of the system adopted. Once recordings. None of this is useful cri• arpeggio extensions of chords have Jazz Improvisation by John Mehegan. ticism. The biographical material used Watson-Guptill Publications, 1959. been dealt with the student is able to by Horricks is not of the slightest value This volume is a very different proposi• do an increasing amount of original in understanding Monk as an artist, tion from Mehegan's Jazz Style Piano work—either improvised or written— rather it consists of bits of hip infor• Folio reviewed here in February, 1959. using a widening range of resources. mation. I am not arguing against the It is hardly concerned with executive The appearance of a book of this kind use of details about an artist's life and problems but is a thorough survey of is encouraging but it is unfortunate its milieu, but all of Horricks' pieces here what might be called the tonal me• price is as high as fifteen dollars. The fail precisely in the vital task of bring• chanics of jazz improvisation, with con• ring binding is necessary to let the ing us closer to an artist's work. siderable attention given to rhythmic pages of a book of this size (8V2" x Alun Morgan follows Horricks' ap• matters as well. Everything is presented 11") lie flat on the piano desk, but the proach with a valueless survey of Miles in relation to the piano, but the book layout is unduly spacious. Davis. He considers Davis an extremely should prove of much value to students It is impossible to express a conclusive important figure; perhaps, thinks Mor• of all instruments. opinion on Mehegan's project until the gan, the most influencial musician Mehegan has organized his material all-important second volume, on style, since Bird, but his article gives no particularly good reasons why Davis in a systematically rigorous but logical is to hand. If in it the author can, as should be so highly esteemed. way. It may be questioned whether so it were, 'humanise' the system laid out With Max Harrison on Gerry Mulligan here he will have produced a unique thorough a codification is desirable we move, finally, into jazz criticism. work. The present book provides an for a creative activity like improvisa• Harrison gives a useful summary of tion, and if, indeed, improvisation is enormous amount of work—sometimes Mulligan's career and develops a most susceptible to teaching at all. In the one sentence involves considerable ap• interesting evaluation of Mulligan's last analysis it is not possible to teach plication: "Play the scale-tone chords curious role in recent jazz. It is not an improvisation to those with no talent in open position, axis the third, in evaluation with which I am inclined to for it but, as Mehegan rightly says in twelve keys; all five qualities and their agree since I believe he overestimates his introduction, talent without know• inversions on twelve tones" (page Mulligan both as a composer and as ledge is nothing. If a large body of 177). If all the tasks it sets are per• a performer. For example, he con• material is to be presented to students formed conscientiously the student will cludes: a system is essential if they are to have the basis of a thorough under• assimilate it in the most beneficial way standing of jazz improvisation. In addition to the personal expres• with each fact correctly related to the There are a few minor eccentricities. sion of his solos what Mulligan has rest. If much of this book embodies For example, in figure one on page given jazz is a fresh ensemble style. a somewhat mechanical approach it is twenty-three if the final chord is based Whereas men like Armstrong and because it is concerned with the basic on D flat it would surely be better, and Parker, in forging a new mode of solo utterance, give us primarily themselves, Mulligan, like Gil Evans, has given his fellow musicians a new way of thinking about playing to• gether, a new approach to the jazz ensemble. This may be questioned in view of the limitations of his com• positions, the somewhat narrow range of their emotional content, and his lack of interest in such matters as tone-colour, yet the dis• tinctive sound of all his groups, from the Quartet to the Tentet, is at once apparent. His improvising and writ• ing can now be considered as ex• tensions of each other and it is his achievement that, while seeking to realize all facets of his own poten• tial, he has created an ensemble style in which much of the spirit of the authentic modern movement is reconciled with the apparently in• herent limitations (the emotional withdrawness and so on) of the white musician. Thus Mulligan has shown himself to the most remark• able white jazz musician of the Louis ARMSTRONG, currently touring Europe, takes two NORELCO 'Continental' decade. recorders wherever he goes. Says Louis, "I tape phono records and airshots all the There is much that is debatable here. time and if I'm in the room talking with friends, my NORELCO'S keep right on However, even when disagreeing with copying with the volume turned down." Louis also fiyids the choice of three speeds 7 Harrison, one cannot be deny that he convenient, using the slowest, l /s ips for interviews and speech recording, the SVt is one of the best men about; he speed for some music, and the 7'A speed for live recording. He says, "I've tried lots seriously and critically comes to grips of tape machines since I got my first one in 191,8, but NORELCO is the one for me." with his subject. Recently he picked up two NORELCO 'Continentals' in Copenhagen. Set to run on Charles Fox deals quite adequately the European power frequency of 50 cycles, they will be reset for 60 cycles when he with Gil Evans without, however, really returns to the United States. Like all NORELCO recorders they can be set in a few considering the musical difficulties minutes for any power voltage requirement anywhere in the world; from 110 to 250 which I believe Evans has yet to handle volts. The NORELCO 'Continental' is a product of North American Philips Co., Inc., satisfactorily, those hinted at in this High Fidelity Products Division, Dept. 1EE2, 230 Duffy Ave., Hicksville, L. I., N. Y. magazine last July. Benny Green presents an indictment of John Lewis which is a serious one and which must be seriously discussed. Briefly, Green accuses Lewis of emas• SUBSCRIBE TO culating jazz in an attempt to achieve respectability. I think this is to miss the significance of Lewis' efforts and achievements. At the time of the for• THE mation of the MJQ, jazz was in sty• listic difficulties. The question Lewis must have asked was about the pos• JAZZ sibilities of introducing a new vitality in jazz by adapting European contra• puntal forms. Lewis has, it seems to REVIEW me, produced new form for jazz. And this form is now a jazz form. The most notable contribution to the book is Martin William's essay on 12 MONTHS FOR $5.00 Sonny Rollins. Although ostensibly a Just fill out the coupon and send it with your check or consideration of Rollins, Williams con• tributes insights on Bird and Coltrane, money order to: THE JAZZ REVIEW 124 White Street, and his survey of the problem of form in modern jazz merits serious con• N. Y. 13, N. Y. Please add $1.00 for foreign postage. sideration. Nat Hentoff's essay on Charlie Mingus Please send me the Jazz Review for 1 year. is a valuable and sensitive study of the man. However, it suffers from being a loosely connected compilation of three NAME liner note essays. One wishes that Hentoff had reworked this material into a longer and more connected piece. ADDRESS Ed Michel contributes an admiring study of Jimmy Giuffre which records CITY . ZONE STATE Giuffre's career with more admiration than critical acumen. H. A. Woodfin This is the first article of a projected (7) C, D flat, E flat, E, F#, G, A, B Now it follows that if you were blowing series called FIVE MOTHERS by John flat and Auxiliary Dim. Blues scale. in an uncomplicated, free and easy, Benson Brooks dealing with the formal (8) C, D, E, F, G, A, B, the traditional horizontal, Mid-Western manner (like contributions of Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll major scale and Pres) you'd make fewer changes of Morton, Duke Ellington, Thelonious (9) C, D, E flat, E, F, F#, G, A, B flat scale than if you were in a vertical Monk and George Russell. the blues scale. storm (like Hawk) and changing scale Note: every four bars every chord, or every (1) Becomes the Lydian Chromatic beat if the tempo allowed. GEORGE RUSSELL Scale. (12 Tonics) Random and condensed quoting from (2) was the bopper's scale (Schilling- Russell's Lydian Concept of Tonal Or• John Benson Brooks er's two tonics). ganization (Russ-Hix Pub.): Mothers? They assimilate culture, are (3) includes Schillinger's four tonics. "(1) He (the improviser) can super• always acutely aware of low standards (4) his three tonics. impose a sequence of scales (their modes or modal chords) upon a single on the scene, and are hell-bent on re• (5) his six tonics and was Debussy's chord or upon a horizontal sequence producing and bringing it up better. favorite. of chords. The jazz scene was in a dither in the (6) was the Arabian Zer Ef Kend (6th (2) When a single Lydian Chromatic 'forties for a number of reasons which, Century A.D. String of Pearls) 2 Scale is imposed upon a sequence of like instrumental sounds have since plus 1 all the way up. cooled. Attention has settled around chords it (rather than each single chord (7) is it's inversion, 2 plus 1 all the of the sequence) becomes the center the tonal problem, and those players way down. who are working out something along and conveyor of tonal gravity. (8) and (9) are included in the family this line (Coltrane, Bill Evans, Farmer, (3) Given a scale, any melody re• of scales because of their applica• Miles and Cannonball, to name a few) solves inward to tones contained in or tion in horizontal tonal situations especially engage our interest at the outward to tonics not contained in and because of their historical and moment. that scale structure. An 'outgoing' social significance. The boppers of the 'forties inherited melody of the Prevailing Lydian Chro• How do these scales make the chro• the jazz scale—natural major with tra• matic Scale may assume the form of matic scale any more negotiable than ditional options on the flat 3rd, flat one of the scales belonging to a dif• the family of major and minor scales 7th and flat 9th (or flat 2nd) and put ferent Lydian Chromatic Scale. While derived from Europe and taken for the blue note, freedom squawk, or fly still retaining its identity with the pre• granted for so long? in the ointment (a feature absolutely vailing LCS." Well, for one thing, it happens that essential to jazz's life) on the so-called The implications from paragraph (3) the Lydian scale has also been known flatted fifth, or F# in the scale of C. run from nonchromatic unimodality in• as the Pythagorean scale and one of Notice that the last two options in the to chromatic polymodality or panton- its peculiarities is that when it is laid history of the scale are enharmonically ality. Note George's contrapunal build• out in its third expansion it exhibits tonic and fifth of the F# scale. up and dissolution; these harmonic an arc of perfect fifths C, G, D, A, E, Inevitably this soon had everybody lines (mono or homophonic) have be• B, F#; and similarly in the flat direc• playing around with polytonaljty, and come subject to control since Stravin• tion C, F, B flat, E flat, A flat, D flat, if you were blowing in a C gravity sky laid down the Petrushka chord G flat. Hence a scale (or order) of while the bass was in F# then, crazy, (C-F#) in 1911. Take your choice; the "close to distant relationship" (dic• And why worry, since the circle of per• interval between any two axis notes is tated by the Lydian cycle of fifths) is fect fifths was an equilibrium with a consonant to less consonant from established among the tones of the magic gravity that would carry you thirds to tritone and Schillinger has a chromatic scale itself and the "Lydian through? And some knew (from Schil- four-fold harmonic correlation which Chromatic Scale" with it's family of linger) that similar freedom was avail• specifies the scales on any two axis fractional scales and its built-in gravity able by symmetrizing the chromatic notes as unitonal (or polytonal) and becomes a natural fact. Lydian Chro• scale into 3 tonics (C, E and A flat), unimodal (or polymodal). (U-U, UP, matic Scales maintain a close to dis• 4 tonics (C, E flat, G flat, and A), 6 P-U, P-P). Schonberg's use of the P5th tant relationship to one another based tonics (C, D, E,- F#, G#, B flat). Tunes down for his Shape Transpositions also upon the same cycle of fifths order. which had chord circles with several reacts on this situation. So; the tonal gravities of complex patterns of chro• tonic stations (like How High, All The The scale of close to distant relation• Things, etc.) were the thing and every• matic modalization follow the laws of ship of tones within a single Lydian body was trying to work out a chro• counterpoint, (Interdependent vertical chromatic scale or of Lydian chromatic matic mobility (12 tonics) that would and horizontal tonal spheres in moti- scales themselves: make melodic sense. vic and rhythmic integration) and the It is to George Russell's everlasting IV# II VI III VII IV I V II VI III VII IV# permutations here may take as much credit that he did it. as a century to work out. It required a new wig-scene which I'll (The perfect fifth being the strongest Of course, the players have it coming attempt to summarize roughly: harmonic interval after the octave) but listen to Art Farmer and Bill Evans in the context ("Jazz Workshop" al• (1) C, D flat, D, E flat, E, F, F#, G, Another idea that's been around (and bum and on All About Rosie)—and the G#, A, B flat, B is the chromatic Schillinger had a concept of it) is that high level performance, enthusiasm scale. none of our Western music is in any and inspiration of all the players of all (2) C, D, E, F#, G, A, B, is not the one 'key' really, but is mostly just the players involved. Another fact natural major scale with an F# scales and their modes in motion: The looms as significant for the future: the but a Lydian scale since F, G, A, tone in any melody, or stretch of con• use of the chromatic scale in this B, C, D, E is the Lydian Mode tinuity, that has the most duration manner is not necessarily limited to (222122) and the former is 222- (adding up all the times it appears) is jazz. It is, to my knowledge the first 122 also. the real key-center and therefore the theoretical contribution to music-in- (3) C, D, E flat, F#, G, A, B then is primary axis of the tune whether the general emanating from the jazz-world, logically the Lydian Dim. Scale. key signature indicates this or not. In but the longhair (particularly the (4) C, D, E, F#, G#, A, B the Lydian cases of several competing tones their younger ones) may pick it up too, and Aug. scale. position formally (starting, closing or it may become a part of the conserva• (5) Retain C, D, E, F#, G#, B flat the special symmetrical prominence) would tory scene. wholetone or Aug. scale. help you figure which one. Of course, (6) C, D, E flat, F, F#, G#, A, B is an today's continuities frequently exhibit In which case this makes George Rus• Auxiliary Diminished scale. several primary axes to a stretch. sell one of those Mothers.

Lonnie Johnson, Cannon's JAZZ IN PRINT Jug Stompers, Peg Leg Howell, Blind Willie McTell, Memphis Jug Band, Blind Willie Johnson, Le- roy Carr, Sleepy John Estes, Big Bill, Bukka White, Tommy McClennan, Robert Johnson, Washboard Sam. Unfortunately the excel• lent British bi-monthly, Record Folk Music, edited by A. L. Lloyd, has been forced to go out of busi• ness. The last issue, No• by NAT HENTOFF vember-December, 1959, has articles on calypso and gypsy music. Writes Lloyd in his farewell: "There is a crisis in folk song, a crisis reaching to almost every corner of the world where traditional music is Exposed: Dorohy Kilgallen critics had failed their to be found alive. The in the New York Journal- first piano lesson." animal is changing its American: "Leonard Bern• As I've long suspected, shape ; its behavior is no stein took his family Win See and Dom Cerulli (a longer easily predictable ; to the Five Spot to catch Korean?) are probably the watching folklorist Ornette Coleman, who seems pseudonyms for John Mehe• at least in our part of the musician most likely gan. the world, is filled with to affect the history of Tony Gieske quotes Max dubiety, perplexity, dis• jazz this season, although Roach in the Washington may. Even in regions where many of his fellow players Post: "I haven't heard folk music seemed to have (especially The Jazz Re• anything else [new] since remained unchanged for view crowd) maintain that Sid Catlett died and Kenny centuries, suddenly inno• his offbeat style won't Clarke left the country." vation seems to have more have a lasting effect. About Philly Joe Jones: prestige than tradition. More objective aficiona• "He used to come to my The once 'classical' bal• dos think he's fabulous." house for lessons every ladry of the Appalachains Bob Sylvester in the New week in Philadelphia. I is transformed by hill• York Daily_ News: "There still don't hear any• billy and the rock. In the is now a little magazine thing." About Shelly Manne Balkans, the great spring named Jazz Review which is and "melodic" drumming: ritual dances become a published by a Chinese "The drum is an instrument stage-show rehearsed after named Win See. This fig• of indefinite pitch. If factory hours and accom• ures, as native-born jazz you want to play melody, panied by a works band in• critics are always sus• play a horn." cluding saxophones and pect. Anyway, in some In connection with Sam all. The African cattle- silly quiz an arty type Charters' valuable The herder adapts the guitar named Dom Cerulli has to Country Blues (Rinehart), breaks of Jimmy Rodgers to take a poke at us jazz a Charters album of blues his native lyre, while his confrere on the Mongolian buffs here on THE NEWS. recordings mentioned in plains makes up space- In the little world of Dom the book is available at travel songs whose melo• Cerulli, nobody is old $4.95 including postage dies ring with echoes of enough to remember that from Record Book & Film Soviet march-tunes. It's on this paper the late Sales, Inc., 121 West 47th all very exciting for the Burns Mantle was writing Street, New York. Title is folk, all very baffling nice things about jazz and The Country Blues and for the scholars." jazzmen before most of the interpreters include Good summary of "The these know-it-all new Blind Lemon Jefferson, 'Race' Labels" of the sist on using the guitar• by Valerie Wilmer in Jazz \/ twenties by Bob Koester in ist, okay, but it would News (London): ". . . if the December Jazz Report, have to be a Negro guitar• John brings in an idea we published monthly by Ko• ist instead of a white don't like, we don't play ester at 439 South Wabash, one." Granz continued: "I it. This quartet, is a co• Chicago 5, Illinois. It's asked Wood why that was operative and there's no a dollar for twelve issues necessary and he said that real leader. Whatever the . . . Dr. Edmond Souchon the sponsor, the Bell four of us agree on, hap• writes from New Orleans Telephone Company, never pens." John Lewis, in an interview in the same bi• that the D.H. Holmes De• allows a mixed group to be weekly paper: ". . . if I partment Store there is on its show. I can't for am- composing a piece I offering a headquarters to the life of me, even as really depend on the per• the New Orleans Jazz Club a practical matter, under• sonality and equipment of rent free for the next ten stand why the Bell Tele• phone Company doesn't want the people who play it. years. Part of the build• a mixed group ... to ap• I find it very difficult— ing will be used as a jazz pear on its television almost imposible—to write museum. Harry Souchon, show, because I'm positive for blank faces. I really Edmond's brother was re• no person in the south is have to know these people sponsible for the gift and sufficiently prejudiced and know what they are "appeared before the City to take his telephone out going to do and, even Council with a plea for because he saw a non- then, I have to alter and an appropriation of segregated group on a TV adjust the music to suit $10,000 ($5,000 to do the show under the sponsorship the particular soloists." interior of the museum as of Bell." After Granz's Steve Allen turned out we want and $5,000 for a threat to pull Ella off to be the "late, legend• Curator who would live on the show if the white ary" Buck Hammer on Han the place and take good guitarist were not used, over. Ralph Gleason was care of it.)" Wood agreed, but the the first reviewer to pull Norman Granz took a full mixed group was not on off the shroud, and Time^ page in the December 30 camera at any time. Granz commenting on the hoax, Variety to tell about Ella ended his page by pointing noted that, according to Fitzgerald on The Bell out to Robert Sarnoff, Down Beat, "Hammer plays Telephone Hour. Granz and Chairman of the Board of with both hands and has Ella agreed to appear with NBC, and Robert Kintner, the elements of a vital the Teddy Wilson trio. At President of NBC that blues attack in either of a meeting with producer "they must, concern them them" while the New York Barry Wood, wrote Granz, selves with sponsors' pol• World-Telegram reviewer, "I was told . . . about icies which foster racial Charles Schreiber, felt the difficulties he had prejudice—the worst kind that Hammer's "recent with integrating Negro of prejudice in America. death was a tragic loss." and white artists on this It isn't even a question, Mike Lipskin writes on show, and I expressed at as it's so often put, of ragtime pianist. Donald that time my extreme the eyes of the world upon Lambert, a fixture at bitterness about this us; it's simply one of Wallace's in Orange, New policy, but I privately self-respect and respect, Jersey, in the November/ felt that perhaps this for our fellow men. I December Record Research question could be met if think this is a responsi• . . . Boosey and Hawkes is. it arose again. I felt bility that NBC must con• assembling a book on drums rather than pulling Ella sider, and I submit that with chapters to be writ• off the show, which would Messrs. Sarnoff and Kint• ten by experts on sym• accomplish nothing, it ner ought to do something phonic and jazz drumming. might be better to have about it immediately be• One of the latter to be Ella on the show and cause this is as important included is teacher Stan• fight the problem if and as any fixed quiz show or ley Spector of Boston. when it came up again." paid off disc jockey." A reader from Columbus, Granz asked that Ella's Bell Telephone later de• Ohio, whose name we have regular guitarist also ac• nied the charge. No com• lost, answers Ernest Borneman's question about company her. Wood called ment from NBC. what musically untrained him and said: "If you in• Connie Kay, interviewed people can get from modern most of the postwar musi• cal piece to everyone. j azz: cians. Expansions and con• Lack of training does not "... it seems to me densations of the theme or prevent the understanding that the same problem parts of it can be heard, of music, but it keeps it arises with every kind of and the more elementary within certain limita• music that has evolved be• transformations cf it can tions. But they are not as yond simple song-type be traced. For example, narrow as Mr. Borneman structural complexity. the mirror image of a seems to think. Most certainly it applies theme, the theme spelled "It is true that this me• to the greater part of backwards. thod of musical appreci• 'classical music' and even "A simple method of fol• ation becomes increasingly more so the advanced music lowing the sequence of difficult with the pro• of our century . . . Every chords, used by many peo• gression of jazz. Musi• interested person will ple I know, is to sing cians like Coltrane have realize that appreciation loudly or silently the un- left but a few doorways to of music must involve re• transformed theme along their music for us unfor• cognition of its formal with the improvisations. tunate people. One will construction. This is, I In this manner, I think I still recognize the beauty believe, possible for get a fair amount of of their melodic lines everyone with a reasonably understanding of how far even if for the most part sensitive ear, at least to an improvisation can go as they cannot be related to a certain extent. Depend• when I follow Charlie each other or to an under• ing solely on the ear, it Parker's choruses in Koko lying harmonic sequence. can of course only be with the original version But I have had it happen achieved with music that of Cherokee in mind. An quite often that even in has its content, and archi• untrained person can be quite hopeless cases, con• tecture related to scales, quite aware of different tinued listening effort e.g. up to Bartok, most interpretations of a revealed little by little of Stravinsky, Milhaud and melodic line or motif in some of their structure. others. I don't know how terms of rhythm (for ex• And, after all, I don't the human sense of listen• ample, in Monk's impro• think it is the intention ing can be conditioned visation on Bags Groove on of people like Coltrane towards dodecaphonic and Prestige) or the unortho• to create a crossword other more advanced sys• dox allocation of a theme puzzle for musicologists tems of composition. Mod• to an odd number of meas• but to achieve a more ern jazz has, to my know• ures in many bop numbers fragrant or a more harsh ledge, not yet evolved or later derivatives of kind of beauty in their beond the complexity of this music. music. I do notice that the above-mentioned this effect is produced by "An 'illiterate' listener 'classical' modernists, following melodic or har• can recognize the employ• at least as far as har• monic sequences that have ing of different keys by mony goes. a certain quality of inner different lines of the tension by employing two

"A musically 'illiterate' melody (as played> for ex• or more conflicting types listener can by some ample, by the trumpet and of musical logic. If these listening effort, follow tuba in some of Miles relations and contradic• a certain chordal pat• Davis' orchestral pieces). tions could not be felt, tern. Evidence for this These features . . . are music would be reduced to is the fact that experi• meant by the jazz musi• a form of mathematics enced but completely un• cians for a listening ear ... An untrained listen• trained people will recog• and not for a transcrip• er will undoubtedly not nize a well known melody tion, but it may be diffi• reach the depths of a in the improvised varia• cult for people without trained person's under• tions of this melody, even knowledge of the correct standing, but since satis• if there are no melodic terminology to express faction does not rely so lines that resemble the their experiences to some• much on the extent of original version. He will one else. It would, of success but on the effort notice the tonic, dominant course, be unreasonable to spent, the advantage of and subdominant parts of claim that intense listen• an educated listener will the development, and this ing must reveal the com• almost be cancelled out." distinction can be made in plete structure of a musi• f. It

The Jazz Knob at the center of the dial in Los Angeles ^^^^^^^ ^T/^iU^

FM 98 if KNO THELONIOUS MONK: Alone in San Francisco A new Monk album is always an event, and this one is an especially warm treat, with Thelonious playing solo piano on new blues, Monk classics, and standards. (RLP 12-312; Stereo 1158) JIMMYI HEATH SEXTET NAT ADQERIEY CURTIS FULLER WYNTON KELLY

PHILLY JOE JONES: JIMMY HEATH: Showcase The Thumper A real swinger, with today's Here's big news: a brilliant most exciting drummer on first album by an exciting, disp'ay as a quintuple-threat deep-down tenor sax man man: leader, composer, ar• (and jazz composer) of truly ranger, on drums of course, major importance. Don't and on piano, too! miss it. (RLP 12-313; Stereo 1159) (RLP 12-314; Stereo 1160) THE WES MONTGOMERY TRIO h DYNAMIC NEW SOUND. GUITAR ORCft.V DRUMS I

WES MONTGOMERY Trio Ralph Gleason minces no words: "Montgomery is the very best guitarist to arrive on the scene in a decade. He has the electric quality, that special gift that marks the true artist." (RLP 12-310; Stereo 1156)