[Dixielandjazz] Rock and Roll is Jazz - Duke Ellington

[Steve Barbone]

"Robert S. Ringwald" <robert at ringwald.com>
 
> Steve Barbone wrote:
> 
> (snip)
>> Duke Ellington said more than once in the 1960s that rock & roll
>> was the most updated form of jazz.
> ()snip)
> 
> Steve,
> 
> Where did he say that?  In what context?
> 
> I am sure he could have made a misstatement . . . . Or could you call it a
> mistake???
> 
> I made a mistake once and now I have a wife and 3 kids...

No mistake on Ellington's part or mine, Bob.

The source is a 2 page article that Duke Ellington wrote, in "Music Journal"
March 1962 on pages 31 and 96. He was asked the question, "Where Is Jazz
Going." which is the title of the article.

The relevant part of that article says: (quoting Duke below)

"Recently I was asked whether I felt jazz had moved a great distance away
from its folk origins. With the present state of Rock 'n' Roll music I don't
know how anyone can even consider asking such a question! Rock 'n' Roll is
the most raucous form of jazz, beyond a doubt; it maintains a link with the
folk origins, and I believe that no other form of jazz has ever been
accepted so enthusiastically by so many."

"This is probably an easy medium of musical semantics for the people to
assimilate. I'm not trying to imply by this that Rock 'n' Roll shows any
single trend, or indicates the only direction in which things are moving. it
is simply one aspect of many."

"I have written a number of Rock 'n' Roll things myself, but am saving them
for possible use in a show." Etc., etc., etc.

The article, while a bit rambling is certainly interesting and recommended
reading. I believe it was also published in "The Duke Ellington Reader",
Oxford University Press but have not checked to verify it. Too late in the
evening.

Of special interest to me were his closing statements: "If it sounds good it
is successful; if it doesn't it has failed" . . . "And let's not worry about
whether the result is jazz or this or that type of performance. Let's just
say that what we're all trying to create, in one way or another, is music."

That is my point in a nutshell. Jazz, ill defined as it may be, is in the
ears of the individual listener.  "Jazz" does not reside exclusively in the
brain of some academician or "knowledgeable fan" who thinks he/she knows,
and can therefore tell others what jazz is, or is not, who plays it and who
does not, what instruments should be used, etc.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. Those who were around in 1962 will remember that all sorts of "jazz"
segments were happening. Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk,
Eric Dolphy etc., etc., etc. Ellington never mentions them in his article,
just Rock 'n' Roll. Interesting that he related R & R to folk jazz roots.