[78-L] celebrity jazz fans?

[Rodger J Holtin]

April being "Jazz Appreciation Month" seems to me I should feature some
celebrity jazz fans and the jazz they liked on my radio show next weekend.
Got two hours to fill.

 

Here are a few:

 

The Prince of Wales in the Roaring Twenties reportedly sat in with various
Yank dance bands at home or abroad.

 

There's a Perry Mason episode where Perry says "I like jazz from Jelly Roll
Morton to." [I can't remember that part.  Anybody?]

 

There's an album of Jackson Pollack's collection, again from Morton to
Billie Holiday.

 

Jack Webb is said to have learned about Bix and his gang while serving in
WWII, and the Pete Kelly's Blues movie and albums were his ideas.

 

Bing Crosby reveals in his autobio his love for Bix et al. as well as
brother Bob's band, and also referenced the "immortal Goodman Victor band."

 

Eddy Arnold grew up in my town and his family told me last summer that he
was a big fan of Louis Armstrong.

 

Any other country stars with hot jazz in their closet?

 

Lawrence Welk's son gave an interview on PBS a number of years ago and
launched a surprise telling people that when he'd visit dad in his office
the record changer was piled with the likes of Bix and the Five Pennies.
Myron Floren once introduced a Dixieland scene by saying it was the boss's
favorite.

 

I read somewhere that the great Caruso was an ardent fan of the ODJB.  Also
vaguely recall a review of one of his records where the writer noted that he
delayed an entrance and warped a few notes, and said that was the influence
of the early jazz which he liked.  Sure wish I took notes of that stuff when
it drifted passed my eyes decades ago.

 

Any other opera singers with hot jazz in their closet?

 

It's been said that Jolson was responsible for getting Reisenwebber to book
the ODJB in the first place.  Reckon that qualifies him as a fan.

 

Woody Allen played gut bucket clarinet with his own trad band. 

 

Arturo Toscanini told trombonists to listen to Tommy Dorsey and he
commissioned music from Duke Ellington, so he seemed to be something of a
fan, anyway.

 

Judith Durham, lead singer of Australia's Seekers started out singing with a
trad band while in high school.  There's proof on youtube where she nails
Cake Walkin' Babies.

 

That's a lot of trad/ODJB/Bix-era stuff, so I'd like to expand the field.
Anybody got any more details about any of these?

 

More suggestions, anybody?

 

 

Rodger Holtin

78-L Member Since MCMXCVIII

 

For Best Results Use Victor Needles

 



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