[78-L] Blindfold Test

[Don Cox]

On 19/03/2011, Bill McClung wrote:

> Yesterday in Richmond, VA I bought a copy of Leonard Feather's *New
> Yearbook of Jazz* in a British edition published in 1959. One section
> is "The Jazzman as Critic: the Best of the Blindfold Test, 1951-1958."
> 
> This book contained about twenty pages of the Test and it was great
> fun. I've always enjoyed reading these whenever I've come across them.
> 
> Ten examples. One star is poor and five stars is outstanding: Pearl
> Baily on Annie Ross's *Farmer's Market*/0 stars "What in the world is
> *that*?"
> Kai Winding on Turk Murphy's *Tom Cat Blues*/0 "It's pretty corny."
> Coleman Hawkins on Jelly Roll Morton's *Grandpa's Spells*/2 "I suppose
> those fellows did the best they could." Les Paul/Mary Ford on Django
> Reinhardt's *Impromptu*/2 "His technique wasn't very clean."
> Miles Davis on Duke Ellington's *Stormy Weather* on Capitol/25 (he
> really liked it) "I think all the musicians should get together on one
> certain day and get down on their knees and thank Duke." Benny Goodman
> on Dave Brubeck's *Rondo*/0 "I don't think it should be put out on a
> commercial record." Buddy Rich on Art Blakey's *Mayreh*/0 "It doesn't
> swing at all." 


> Leonard Bernstein on Duke Ellington's *Satin Doll* on
> Capitol/0 "...dull--methodical and extremely slick...but dull." 

That applies to most of the studio recordings from Duke's Capitol
period. I'm sure there are better performances from later.

> Dinah
> Washington on Jane Russell's *Do Lord*/0 "They should all be punched
> in the face."
> Nat Cole on Nat Cole's *Return Trip*/2 "That shows you how far I've
> gotten away from playing like myself."
> 
> Were these Blindfold Tests ever collected in book form or are they
> only available in copies of Down Beat?
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Regards
-- 
Don Cox
doncox at enterprise.net