[Dixielandjazz] Let's Get This Dixieland Business Straight - Condon

[Marek Boym]

On 25/06/2009, Stephen G Barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net> wrote:
> With thanks to list mate John McClernan who forwarded the article to me.
>
> Excerpted from a Bill Gottlieb  Down Beat interview with Eddie Condon,
> October 7, 1946. Eddie is quoted as saying:
>
> "And lets get this Dixieland business straight", . . . "I've never had a
> Dixieland band, or a Chicago band, or a New Orleans band, or any other style
> band. All I'm aware of is, good jazz and bad jazz. Good jazz is improvised
> music, with each man playing his own particular way, maintaining, of course,
> a certain amount of cooperation with the others. That's what we've always
> played. I never dictate any style or say anything to my guys except to name
> a tune and state the key. They have no restrictions other than to be
> themselves. They not only play the way they like, they can wear red
> suspenders, drink on the stand and show up in paper hats, I don't make them
> wear uniforms."

That's how he could use players like Buck Clayton, who is on some of
the best Condon recordings.
BTW, he was not vindicative, either.  According to Leonard Feather,
Clayton, together with others, rsigned fro the Esquire Jazz Board
becaus Condon's manager (or another Condon sidekick - I've lent the
book to a friend and cannot check) influenced the selection of Esquire
all Stars.


Cheers