» ‘_..___ _ P.O. BOX 24-O Ojai, Calif. ilrgilletter 93024--024-0 October 1997 Vol. I6 N0. I0 Other Voices was refused. Getz walked out. Ronnie Scott — a noted wit — blamed his slipped disc on his attempts to lean over backwards to please Stan Getz. My thanks for the three years of enjoyment you’ve given me. Brian Perren, Herts, England Enclosed is a money order for the coming year’s subscription. I’ve included something extra as a gesture of gratitude and help. I don’t I probably shouldn’t get myself exercised when you decide to know how many subscriptions you give away to those who find use your most eloquent writing skills, not to share some fascinating themselves in (hopefully temporary) difficulty. I feel it is not out piece of jau lore or to introduce your readers to something new of place for those of us who can help, even a little, to do so. and wonderful, but to take off on something which you dislike but — Alan Popow, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada I happen to like. This doesn’t happen too often — and since your pieces are quite often critical rather than laudatory, I guess that Alan is one ofa number ofpersons who included extra money means most of the time when you’re being critical, I tend to agree for gift subscriptions to be given at my discretion. One ofthem is with you. going to the writer of the following letter: When we part company is when you get so carried away with your distaste with a subject that you insult many of your readers I just finished your book Meet Me at Jim and Andys and I by the unmistakable implication that anyone who likes or respects wanted to tell you how much I loved it. l am seventeen years old the object of your scorn obviously has no taste whatever. I and have been involved with music since I was four, playing the The latest example is your diatribe on Andrew Lloyd Webber. violin, and more recently, the oboe. Now, I almost play guitar and It is no surprise that you were to find ample support for your view. am fascinated with absorbing anything I hear (or read) about jazz. One would have to be deprived of all contact with the outside The reason I say “almost” is because even though I have put an world not to be aware of the contumely which has" been heaped amazing amount of time into it already, I have been playing guitar upon him over the years, especially by his own countrymen and for only six months. women. ' - The book has so much information on the people who made The sadness — not surprise, because you do it quite oflen — and played it that I am going to read it again before I retum it to is that you elect to take up Jazzletter space with these dialribes the library. You made the people come alive through your stories, against sitting targets, instead of doing what you do even better, and even though I am a musician and would understand the terms namely making all of us even happier in our enjoyment of the jazz better than the average public, you took no assumptions about we know, and making us aware of things we might otherwise have things or people. You talked about everyone like you knew them, missed. and it’s magical. I appreciate that it is a major challenge to produce such word- Karen Pogorelski, North Tonawanda, New York packed Jazzletters, especially when your other work pressures make it necessary for you to write half a dozen at one go but surely there Hopefully, you’ll be backing off with the “inside” writing as are many other subjects worth your attention. with Getz and Glenn Miller. Reads like tabloid to me. We all On a personal note, you know that you and I share common know personal items in regards to musicians and band leaders, but (and good) tastes in a vast majority of the jazz spectrum. I would we wouldn’t pass them on if we were in the position you’re in. hate to think that the fact that I also enjoy much of the music of ’Nuff said. Andrew Lloyd Webber would put me beyond the pale. Enjoyed the George I-Iandy piece. Unlike some ofyour readers, I would not let something like this — Randy Taylor, Fort Myers, Florida make me even think of canceling my subscription. I just hope that this revelation of my apparent bad taste does not prompt you to I didni tell the Glenn Miller story Die Bild in Germany the cancel it for me. Times of London, the New York Daily News, and other newspa- — Pip Wedge, Toronto, Canada pers plastered the story around the world. I refuted it. 'Nuflsaid. Retired now as head of the Canadian television network CTX Pip Wedge began his career in England, where he wrote aboutjazz In the late l970s Stan Getz was booked to play for two weeks and producedjazz programs for TV at Ronnie Scott’s club in London. A crowd of us booked seats to see him. When we arrived Getz had walked out ofthe engagement, Congratulations on Dishonored Honors. A great piece! following a row with Ronnie Scott and Pete King, the club’s , — Sam Levene, Toronto, Canada manager. Two days into the engagement Getz demanded the same fee for performing that the Buddy Rich band was receiving. This Sam Levene retired recently as a television music producerfor F I 1-‘ the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Every piano man will love Harold Danko’s list (even though I like More) and I would add my all-time least favorite tune when Your article Dishonored Honors was fantastic. It needed to be a chick singer sits in: Summertime. I usually ask them if they know said. the whole show, why they don’t do I Loves You, Porgy, or My Ralph Enriques, Las Vegas, Nevada Mans Gone Now, and they ask, “What show?” I am sending one of my favorite Ring Lardner stories, about a Sir Wynton and His Majesty Andrew L. Webber! As always song writer who steals from Italian opera and admits it, and then you clearly evaluate the situation. because a pompous critic “discovers” him, tries to write sympho- -— Leon Breeden, Denton, Texas nies and starts mixing with the upper-class crowd (the equivalent of Marsalis sycophants, I should imagine). The story could be a Leon Breeden succeeded Dr: Eugene Hall as head ofthefamous metaphor for Lloyd Webber as well. I don’t agree that all his songs North Texas State University jazz program. One of the most are crap, but don’t tell me he’s any better than Fred Coots or, more significant figures in the history of jazz education, he is now recently, Jim Webb, or any of the Disney ttmesmiths who keep retired and playing his clarinet again. grinding out Oscar-nominated tunes year after year. — Frank Frost, Santa Barbara, California The Jazzletter \tbl I6 No. 8 about Wynton Marsalis etc. was one of the best things I’ve read in a long time. I was wondering if Frank is a workingpianist. Until his retirement recently he was you’d consent to my publishing it on our web page. I think it a professor of Greek classics at the University of Califomia at deserves to be read by as many persons as possible. Santa Barbara. —Kieran Stafford, Sidney, Australia The Ring Lardner story is called Rhythm, which I strongly recommend, ifyou can find it. Lardner wrote about song-writing Kieran Staflord is a record distributor: and song-writers with keen insight. Indeed, he is the author ofone ofthe mostfamous quips about lyrics. OfOscar Hammerstein us I wondered when you were going to train guns on the sub- Softly, as in a Moming Sunrise, Lardner said, “Is that as opposed terrestrials: copyist, Andrew Lloyd Webber; egoist, Wynton to an evening sunrise? Marsalis; genius, Stanley Crouch, and the whole warped Lincoln Center ethos. It’s time to reload: their kind are not killed easily. I am certainly not a prime candidate to defend Wynton Marsalis Even if you cut off their heads, they won’t die until sundown. (not that he needs it). Afier all, his ascent and all it has meant in —— Allen Hall, South Haven, Minnesota the jazz business has certainly affected myself and many of my peers negatively and dramatically as far as so-called career You are my hero. In Dishonored Honors, you and John Heard development is concemed. (Happily, no effect on the musical part.) articulated what everyone in New York is saying privately. And he has made some insulting, arrogant, and ridiculous state- — Jim Czak, New York City ments over the years, probably some with a clear head and others out of immaturity. Yet I have read some insightful comments he Jim is the chief recording engineer and one of the owners of has made about music in several interviews and have to admit that Nola, one ofthe important recording studios in New York As such he is serious about the art form. he experiences a dailyflow of musicians of all kinds. In spite of all the ruckus Wynton seems to cause consistently, I have to give him due on one large account and that is his Please tell John Heard that I agree with every word of his piece educational activity. Taking into consideration the video series on on Blood on the Fields and on the unholy trinity of Wynton Sony, appearances on Sesame Street, and from what I can gather Marsalis, Stanley Crouch, and Albert Murray.