[Dixielandjazz] Worthless Ellington

[Marek Boym]

Steve,
I'm afraid you are a few years too late.  Anyway, by the time I bought
the book I already had some 20 Ellington records (in the meantime, the
number has grown), as well as tons of BG, not exactly Blesh's
favourite.
Besides, in the Postscript to the 1958 edition, Blesh describes Dizzy
Gillespie as "hot."   Moreover, although "in 1947 (I) rejected bop as
a whoe...Parker and Gillespie... moved me deeply" (p. 362).  Also, he
praises Lester Young and Buck Clayton, and the Count Basie band in
general ("The swing of the Count Basie's fifteen-peace group was
showing us how  the big band could exist in jazz", p. 356).
In a later book, he extolled the virtues of other musicians, such as
Ray Charles and Milt Jackson.  I bought the Charles/Jackson LPs on his
recommendation, and have not been sorry.  I listened to one of them a
few days ago.  How lovely!  And non-vocal.
Cheers

On 13 July 2011 22:58, Steve Voce <stevevoce at virginmedia.com> wrote:
> Please don't read Rudi Blesh.
>
> It makes you go blind.
>
> Steve Voce
>