[Dixielandjazz] Pee Wee Russell

[Charles Kercher]

Hey Steve,  I appreciate all the great comments about Pee Wee.  chuck
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steven Holzer" <slholzer at iquest.net>
To: <ekercher at tampabay.rr.com>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 6:06 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Pee Wee Russell


> 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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>> Internal Virus Database is out of date.
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>> 270.4.3/1528 - Release Date: 7/1/2008 7:26 AM
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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
>
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