[Dixielandjazz] Worthless Ellington

Bert Brandsma mister_bertje at hotmail.com
Thu Jul 14 00:03:44 PDT 2011


Well, I know from firstline experience that having the ability of perfect pitch does not mean that someone then also automaticly plays in tune. That's why I added the question.Kind regards,Bert Brandsma

Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:10:02 +1200
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Worthless Ellington
From: joe.carbery at gmail.com
To: mister_bertje at hotmail.com
CC: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com

Bert,
 
I agree with you about Hodges' tone. He had the most beautiful tone on alto. On tenor, I prefer Lester Young of the 1930s or Eddie Miller of any era.
However, I take it that Teagarden was referring to the band as a whole.
My reference to perfect pitch was to underline how good his ear was.
 
To quote Marek: De gustibus non disputandum. 
 
Regards,
 
Joe Carbery.
On Thu, Jul 14, 2011 at 8:57 AM, Bert Brandsma <mister_bertje at hotmail.com> wrote:



Teagarden was right about intonation in Ellington's band. 
In the 1940 band is was not too bad, but in other periods it could be a bit tricky. Possible the use of all those mutes was a part of this and the unusual voicings could be another.
Paul Whiteman's band, just to mention a large organisation where Teagarden worked, was much better in this field.


Still, Ellington is to my ears the greatest composer in jazz, maybe even the greatest in the 20th century.


I don't agree with Teagarden's view about bad tone or bad blend. To my ears Hodges tone is the most beautifull saxophone sound ever. Just to give an example.


My wife also has perfect pitch. So, what is the big deal about that? 


Kind regards,


Bert Brandsma








> Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:24:14 +1200
> From: joe.carbery at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Worthless Ellington
> CC: Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com

> To: mister_bertje at hotmail.com 



> 
> Jack Teagarden said in a Leonard Feather Blindfold test:
> “I never did like anything Ellington ever did. He never had a band all in
> tune, always has a bad tone and a bad blend. I’d just as soon listen to a

> hillbilly on a jukebox.”
> 
> Does that make JT a fool?
> 
> Incidentally, Jack had perfect pitch.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Joe Carbery.
> 
> On Thu, Jul 14, 2011 at 7:55 AM, Marek Boym <marekboym at gmail.com> wrote:

> 
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >> Bill Haesler <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au> wrote
> > >
> > >> Marek Boym, in answer to Steve Barbone, wrote [in part]:

> > >>>
> > >>> .........Of course, the "mouldy figs" consider anything after the
> > >>> Washingtonians worseless.
> > >>
> > >> Dear Marek,

> > >> Not this little mouldy old fig.
> > >> *>)
> > >
> > > Amen Bill. IMO anyone who would consider Ellington "worthless" is a damn
> > > fool.

> > I agree.
> > Nevertheless, this was often the case. Rudi Blesh went even farther
> > and said: "as for jazz, the Duke has never played it." (p. 281 of the
> > "fourth edition, enlarged, February 1958, printed in England by

> > Cassell & Company Limited).
> > BTW, sorry for the typo.
> > Cheers,
> >
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