[Dixielandjazz] Miles & Louis

[Steve barbone]

"Hal Vickery" <hvickery at svs.com> wrote:
 
> I think Miles was once quoted as saying that Louis Armstrong had played
> "everything, including modern."  I remember seeing the quote in Down Beat
> right after Louis died.

Yes, Miles ended up admiring Louis very much although he did not always do
so. Like Dizzy Gillespie, Miles originally thought Louis was a bit of an
uncle Tom. There were some nasty remarks made about that.

But then, the bravely pro active racial stance Louis took in 1958 surprised
a lot of folks like Miles and Diz. They were shocked, and advised Pops to
keep his mouth shut or risk losing work. They were frightened, he was not.
And Louis persevered.

After that both Diz and Miles came to realize that Louis had paved the way
for them all along, racially as well as musically. They visited him often at
his home in Corona NY to "get their batteries charged" as Diz put it.

I think the Miles quote to which you refer included something like:

"You can't play jazz today without playing something that Louis Armstrong
has already played."

I think it it was in downbeat around that time, and Miles was fond of
repeating it. Even once to me and jazz pianist Walter Bishop Jr. outside
Birdland one night long ago.

Cheers,
Steve