[Dixielandjazz] Jacquet

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

As I recall he said Jack-ette  ---  but somewhere I have a tape of him saying that  before sustaining a sumptuous tone for longer than I've been able to find on an issued record -- I was at the concert and recorded the subsequent broadcast. He talked a lot on a gig, and presumably having lived as Jack-ette for several decades he also in the course of some patter pronounced his name with an impeccable French accent Jean Baptiste Illin-wah Jackay  (pardon the transcription).  I think he  would have had to put up with that pronunciation anyway.
He announced himself as from Louisiana, "hate that place"!  
I must dig out the cassette.  He was a hard taskmaster, British musicians went pale seeing him drill his big band before a concert. I spoke to Ray Bryant some months after that gig and when I mentioned "Robbins' Nest" Ray winced in remembering the specific tempo Jacquet set on that number  -- even though he had the help of Milt Hinton and Gus Johnson. It wasn't presto, and it wasn't easy for even Ray Bryant even in that company. 

       
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