[Dixielandjazz] What would Eddie Condon Say?

[Jerry Brown]

Hi,

Having followed this discussion I have come to some
confusions based on the utterances of Mr Barbone.

1) Duke Ellington did not play jazz 'cos he said so in
1930. However in a response to Bob Ringwald SB stated
the following, "They were the ones who originally
clued me in to the fact that both Henderson and
Ellington had started out as Dance bands, and later
morphed into jazz bands. Henderson's band later failed
for various reasons, but
Ellington kept his intact through composing a huge
volume of music, 
some of which is jazz and some not." Therefore
presumably Duke Ellington DID play jazz unless he
composed some jazz but played something else! Help!

2) According to SB Eddie Condon stated that Paul
Whiteman did not play jazz and for the most part I
would agree with that opinion. He did after all record
not 'cartoon' music but a piece lasting over 15
minutes to go with Fritz Lang's "Metropolis' in 1927.
However he said he did play jazz and styled himself
"King Of Jazz" and in fact Duke Ellington said in his
biography "Paul Whiteman was known as the King of
Jazz, and no one as yet has come near carrying that
title with more certainty and dignity." 

This is all getting very silly particularly as
practically all the music played by Ellington and
Whiteman (both unfortunately given to
over-pretentiousness on occasions) is very enjoyable.

Cheers,

Jerry
Norwich,
U.K.