[Dixielandjazz] Leonard Feather

[Burt Wilson]

Many years ago--about 6-7, I guess--The Los Angeles Times ran Leonard
Feather's list of the top three musicians on every instrument. For trumpet he
listed Louis, Bix (I believe) and Bubber Miley. I wrote a scathing letter to
the times about leaving off Wild Bill Davison AND Wynton Marsalis. Never
printed.

But the thing is, articles such as this caused controversy, viz. my writing a
letter, and that's what the media wants all the time.

If I may expand on this theme, it's why Jack Webb's "Pete Kelley's Blues"
never really went anywhere because for a movie you have to have CONFLICT,
which is what drives the plot and in PKB's, the conflict was not between the
musicians or the music, but a sub-plot involving gangsters.

Compare this to Bing Crosby's "The Birth of the Blues" which has MUSICAL
conflict all the way through it.

Conflict sells--and if you want to get paid for the dramas or the news
articles you write, you have to know that.

Burt Wilson
Silver Dollar Jazz Band