Top 50 JAzz Blog

Thursday, June 24, 2010

There's Two Kinds of Jazz People...

-Those who care that Dolphy plays in/out of tune and those who don't. -Those who think a player from a given city has a "sound" from that city and... -Those who skip the Mal Waldron solos and... -Those who admire Wynton's playing and hate what he says and... -Those who think the piano is a percussion instrument and... -Those who lack the moral scruples to create a post like this after creating this post and... -Those who think that bastards can't play beautiful music and... -Those who just collect 78's and those who also play them. -Those who lost Trane in '58, or in '60, or in '63, or in '66; those who lost him in the reverse order, and those who never lost him. Like most people, depending on the day, I am both/all kinds. Addenda welcome.

13 comments:

rob chalfen said...

those who think jazz began with Bird...

those who think Teschemacher was a conscious microtonalist...

those who think JR Morton invented jazz, and those who think he only holds the patent on it...

those who scoff at the existence of the Bolden cylinder and those who accept it on faith...

Steve Provizer said...

People who think jazz ended with Bird...

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this sweet post, Steve. It made me chuckle. When I'm playing my 78's, I change the needle, and the weight. Err, and the pitch of course.

Now, what have I?

"Rockin' Chair" by Little Jazz with Gene, an OKEY pressing in quite good shape.

I have an entire album with Rafael Mendez which is really beautiful. Now, I can explain all my students why even a CD is still called an "album" today. -- Next is an original Louis Jordan & His Tympani Five with "Pinetop's Boogie" & "Saxa-Woogie"; Harry James, doing his "Trumpet Concerto" & "Trumpet Blues"; Stan Kenton's "Chorale" & "Capitol Punishment"; Billy May's "When My Sugar..." & "I Guess I'll Have...";

three items with Joseph Schmidt, one of Germany's most famous operatic tenor; and of this one I'm very proud of: Hans Koller with Jutta Hipp, doing two standards: "Moonlight In Vermont" & "Stompin' At The Savoy".

The last one is pure fun: Spike Jones & His City Slickers with "Chloe" & "Cocktails For Two" ...

As for your other "two kinds of people"-sentences, I'm with you too ... ;)

Rob: This cylinder with Buddy Bolden's famous "Fading In Blue" from 1899 actually exists ... Hehehe! (Now you got at least a title.)

There is also one kind of obstinate guys who belong to ...

...those who think they serve bread with butter & jam at a jam session.

...those who still believe that Jack Teagarden was a Native American.

...those who think Bud's "Un Poco Loco" is referring to a small locomotive.

...those who still whine about the appearance of the waltz on the jazz scene; not to speak of jazz in 5-quarter time, and related meters.

...those who think Duke Ellington was the very first who played (and was the composer of) "Creole Love Call" aka King Oliver's "Camp Meeting Blues" or whoever has actually composed it.

...those who hate Stan Kenton for what silly reason ever.

rob chalfen said...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creole_Love_Call

Steve Provizer said...

Brew-Excellent contributions. Love the Little Jazz. 3 words: After You've Gone. Still think we need to Skype a session across the seas.

Anonymous said...

Rob -- Thanks for this link to that really informative entry at Wikipedia. I never googled the title. Found the information on some CD liners.

I think there are more hundreds of stories like that, not to mention Irving Mills who is credited at numerous Ellington titles although (to my knowledge) he couldn't even read music, or could he?

Yep, Steve, the skype session has to happen some day.

Gene Krupa's "After You've Gone" contains one of the most impressive early solos by Little Jazz. I particularly love the introduction when the other three trumpets are coming in one after another.

Awesome!

Anonymous said...

P.S. -- Please make that "OKEH" ;) Because what I wrote is *not* okay!

ASK said...

how about ...... those who do not really understand jazz, but who become fascinated with and somewhat infatuated with those who do.

GREAT blog!

love,
amy

rob chalfen said...

Mills was Ellington's business manager and getting a cut of publishing action was part of the deal. Also arranged recording contracts, had the connections.

rob chalfen said...

hi Bruno, we're talkin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zctXjgd_LeQ

not:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD7idtlSu7I

cheerz/rc

Steve Provizer said...

This is an early form of payola, of course; very widespread.

rob chalfen said...

the final straw may have been when Mills insisted on singing on Ellington's 'Sin You Sinners' for Hit of the Week records, 1930. He kinda fades after that...

Anonymous said...

Yeah, of course, Rob! But I love both versions. By the way, in case you love blasting brass, here we go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FHa_-7Y4C0

What a wonderful sound!

Regarding Irving Mills: Couldn't it be that the man's obvious delusions of grandeur increased exponentially after seeing his name listed next to Ellington's at so many titles?

... those who think Irving Mills was a great composer & vocalist ... ;)