[Dixielandjazz] Creole Love Call

[Bert Brandsma]

The story of Creole Love Call / Camp Meeting Blues is true, simply listen to the record of Oliver, it is only a secondary theme though, In Ellington it is suddenly the main thing.
This matter about composer things can be taken much further, Mozart used the melody of a common known children song as basis for one of his works. (Ah! vous dirai-je, maman) KV. 300eThe same with Bruckner, he took the melody of children song : Frère Jacques then set it in minor (pretty depressing) and made one of his more famous works out of it.
Ellington borrowed a lot of melodies from others, esp. his own musicians, The point is, he put all together in a unique way and made magic out of melodies that on their own might be less strong.

An example is that haunting beauty of Arthur Whetsol's theme in the second version of Creole Rhapsody. It is nice on it's own, but the harmonies underneath it are very likely Ellington's, not Whetsol.
Also the voicings for the saxes add a lot to the whole effect. So, here Ellington has been definitly at work. 
Same with the Mooche, the Clarinet chromatic line in itself might be not highly original, it's the voicing that makes it unique. It's really magic, esp in combination with Bubber Miley's muted fills.Still it is Ellington that put all those elements together in the right way.
One problem here is of course the system of composers rights. There is no usefull thinkable system about crediting rights on harmonic scemes or voicings or intrumentation, they only go for melodies.But if Mozart was allowed to do so and Bruckner, why shouldn't Ellington have done the same? It doesn't make his art less valuable.
Kind regards,
Bert Brandsma


> Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:26:45 +0300
> From: marekboym at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Creole Love Call
> CC: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> To: mister_bertje at hotmail.com
> 
> Dear Steve,
> I don't know whether Ellington composed Creole Love Call or not.  Nor
> find it of great importance.
> In the early period, which includes the 1930's, the Duke recorded lots
> of tunes composed by others, and made them sound different than any
> other renditions.  Should tose not be included among Ellington
> classics?  Ellington's rendition of the Tiger Rag certainly stands
> out!
> Cheers
> 
> On 14 July 2011 05:56, Stephen G Barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net> wrote:
> > Did Ellington write Creole Love Call? Apparently not.
> >
> > He recorded it in 1927 gaining a copyright it in  1928. But here's the rest
> > of the story:
> >
> > King Oliver sued him shortly after Ellington recorded it since the melody
> > was virtually the same as King Oliver's "Camp Meeting Blues", which Oliver
> > recorded in 1923. Oliver demanded composer credit plus royalties.
> > But the lawsuit failed because of shoddy paperwork resulting in an invalid
> > copyright on Oliver's part..
> >
> > One of Ellington's reed players, Rudi Jackson, had given Ellington the
> > melody and said he had written it. And, as common practice dictated back
> > then, Ellington arranged it and took composer credit.
> >
> > Naturally Ellington was pissed at Jackson and fired him. The replacement
> > reedman? Barney Bigard.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Steve Barbone
> > www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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