[Dixielandjazz] Mixed Race Recording/Jamming

[dhs2 at peoplepc.com]

Dear Listers:

My reading of jazz literature indicates that many jazz musicians were pretty laid-back and tolerant folks.  It wasn't too hard for black and white musicians to mix in a recording studio or after-hours party.  It was an entirely different story for white bandleaders trying to book major gigs with black sidemen.  Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw were definitely bucking the established trend

In the early 1950s Red Norvo had a terrific trio with Tal Farlow on guitar and Charles Mingus on bass.  Their recordings are classics, but Norvo couldn'r get the group on TV and was having trouble lining up tours, so he went in a different direction and the trio broke up.

Regards,
Dave Stoddard