[Dixielandjazz] Ban on Musicians

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

The ban was indeed an idiocy of the Musicians' Union,  so the 'yanks' wouldn't take 'our' jobs.  George Shearing has reminisced about listening to Coleman Hawkins and Fats Waller in a London club, but they were jamming, guests, and their visits to UK were as "variety artistes"  according to the same arrangement that let Ray Nance and a pianist called Ellington (yes, him) appear as a single on a variety programme.   The musical damage this did can only be guessed at, comparing Britain with continental countries. Of course in the 1930s Benny Carter did have a contract as an arranger, but it included the precise stipulation that he should not actually PLAY for paying customers. 
One of theirs for one of ours was the arrangement, which is how Humph's band came to be touring with Monk, and Chris Barber also touring the US.  The sheerly financial basis of this crap is clear, union bureaucrats being as bad as any. I can't recall details of the prosecution which followed a public appearance by Bechet, but all was well when swaps became possible with English Rock performers following the Beatles across the Atlantic.  
The story of this farce should be a permanent part of jazz-lore,  along with the US recording bans.    
Any one musician is as good as any other?  Lower the quality, kill the stimulation.  
  
       
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