[Dixielandjazz] Pee Wee Russell

[Steven Holzer]

Stephen G Barbone wrote:
> Too bad those alive today who don't like Pee Wee Russell never said 
> that to Kenny Davern when they had the chance..
>
> Davern credited Russell with being a huge influence on how he (Davern) 
> communicated with his horn.,  I heard Davern, close up more than once, 
> lambaste detractors of Russell, quite harshly.
>
> Also interesting to read Dick Sudhalter's take on  Pee Wee.
>
> I guess it is a personal thing, but I loved listening to Pee Wee live 
> in performance as well as on what few records I have left with him on 
> clarinet. Moreso than listening to Goodman.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
> www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband
>
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I think you have to leave it at you either love Pee Wee or you hate him. 
There is rarely any middle ground. And when all is said and done, that 
is a matter of personal taste.

I personally believe that Pee Wee knew what he was doing and that he did 
things the way he wanted to. That he did not choose to sound like Benny 
Goodman should not be considered a fault, any more than it is that Artie 
Shaw did not so choose, or Buddy DeFranco, to name a few.

It is food for thought that Bobby Hackett told Whitney Balliett in a 
famous New Yorker profile that Pee Wee taught him how to play. I think 
there is a lot of truth in that, even though Bobby and Pee Wee sound 
nothing alike. I always thought Bobby's conception was remarkably 
reed-like when compared to other horn players. Moreover, Pee Wee is the 
only direct link between Bix and Bobby, who generally denied any 
conscious effort to emulate Bix and probably did not have much exposure, 
if any, to Bix himself. That Pee Wee could take a raw talent such as 
Bobby was at the time and send him out into the world  in relatively 
short order as the acknowledged contender for Bix's prematurely vacated 
spot in jazz belies the idea that he was any kind of clownish buffoon.

Steve Holzer