[78-L] Lost Chords vs. Ken Burns

[soundthink at aol.com]

This book counteracts the Marsalis/Crouch/Murray triumvirate of jazz revisionists by presenting an alternative point of view to the damaging Ken Burns "documentary," "Jazz." It shows that not only did whites not universally copy blacks, but that there was an equal interchange of influences. Such white musicians as Leon Rappollo, Nick LaRocca, Bix Beiderbecke, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Bud Freeman, Django Reinhardt, and others developoed their own styles independently, and from European and American Anglo sources. What Marsalis et. al., in their vehemently racist attitudes don't understand (or don't want to understand) is that jazz musicians were decidedly color blind when it came to playing their music. Knowing that promoters, club owners, and audiences would not stand for seeing whites and blacks playing together, musicians did it behind closed doors. 

I like to tell this story about Burns' "Jazz" documentary, which typifies the preset thinking about the show's direction?even before it was edited. One glaring omission from the documentary was probably the most prominent and important black musician still alive when it was produced: Benny Carter. Carter wasn't featured among the interviewees in the show, and one evening, at a testimonial dinner for Snooky Young, I got to meet Benny briefly and chat with him. He was in his early 90s by then, somewhat frail, but still sharp-minded and gentlemanly. I asked him if Ken Burns had interviewed him for the show and he said that, yes, indeed he was. When I asked him why none of his comments were used in the show, Carter, ever the diplomat, said, "I guess I didn't tell him what he wanted to hear."

Cary Ginell


-----Original Message-----
From: Doug Pomeroy <pomeroyaudio at att.net>
To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
Sent: Sun, 12 Apr 2009 10:24 am
Subject: Re: [78-L] Book Review (Lost Sounds")



Like the two jazz books by Gunther Schuller, Sudhalter's
"Lost Chords" is one of the great jazz books. And, like
Schuller's books, it will have you returning to your record
collection to re-discover many delights.

The very idea that jazz produced by whites should be
studied as a separate subject appears "racist" to some.
Anticipating this, Sudhalter discusses the matter in his
Introduction.

Doug Pomeroy

> From: "Bud Black" <banjobud at cfl.rr.com>
> To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2009 9:06 PM
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Book review request
>
> How the hell could he claim it was "racist" if he never read it?
>
> Bud
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