[Dixielandjazz] Leonard Feather, ersatz hipster

[Burt Wilson]

I am reminded of a story told about Sam Smith, the diminutive (and quite
belligerent)trombonist with the Scottish and Jan Sutherland jazz bands.
When Jan was playing in Victoria, BC, a young man came up to the band and
complained that this was american jazz, so how come there were no black
people in the band." Sam drew up to his full four-feet height and bellowed
at him, "F--- off!" The young man went away.

Burt Wilson
Silver Dollar Jazz Band


> [Original Message]
> From: Butch Thompson <butcht at sihope.com>
> To: djml <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Date: 7/17/03 12:46:03 PM
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Leonard Feather, ersatz hipster
>
> On 7/17/03 2:00 PM, "dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com"
> <dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com> wrote:
> 
> Bill Gunter wrote this:
> 
> > I recalled saying something to Feather about the small amount of black
bands
> > available. I indicated that most black bands were not playing dixieland
(and
> > we were the "Sacramento DIXIELAND Jubilee"). Feather recalled that
comment
> > in his column and said that "it didn't wash" and he cited a New Orleans
band
> > called "The Dirty Dozen."  We were, of course, familiar with the Dirty
> > Dozen. We considered them but they demanded waaayyyy to much money and
that,
> > added to the fact they really didn't play dixieland, kept us from
booking
> > them.
> 
> No surprise.  There seems to be a kind of deliberate obtuseness adopted by
> many writers and, unfortunately, musicians who claim to appreciate all
> styles of jazz.  I suspect that Feather deliberately mentioned the Dirty
> Dozen to show that he was hip to their music, but that the hicks in
> Sacramento just couldn't latch on.  Pretty sneaky, because I'm sure he
knew
> that the Dirty Dozen was an inappropriate suggestion. This kind of
> oneupmanship is a persistent and tiresome  feature of much jazz writing. 
I
> don't think LF invented this kind of criticism, but certainly his ruthless
> use of it is unique among jazz critics.
> 
> Butch Thompson  
> 
> 
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--- Burt Wilson
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