[78-L] Lost Chords vs. Ken Burns

[Jeff Sultanof]

Cary,

One of my dearest friends is Ed Berger, who managed Benny in his last years.
Benny gave a far more graphic answer to those nearest and dearest to him
about Ken Burns and a few other 'experts," but refused to be quoted. Ed
brought this up when Benny died.

Benny was a really class act, a gentleman to the last. I also met him,
albeit to discuss the problem of some of his copyrights. I was tremendously
flattered that he knew my work as a baritone saxophonist and
arranger/conductor. I am still working with Ed to get more of his music out
for sale.

Re "Lost Chords," despite the fact that Richard expected this sort of racist
nonsense before the book was published (he and I discussed this at length),
I think he was still deeply hurt at the extent of it, and particularly the
ugly nature of the comments. The New York Times wasn't even going to review
the book, and when they did, they found someone with an agenda who wrote
nothing but negative things about it. He was happy when this huge book went
through two hardcover printings. I am not aware that it is in print anymore,
even in paperback.

Jeff Sultanof

On Sun, Apr 12, 2009 at 11:59 AM, <soundthink at aol.com> wrote:

> 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
>
>
>