[Dixielandjazz] Criticism and quotes - was Leonard Feather

[Marek Boym]

> Dear Marek:
> Miles said on numerous occasions and on a Feather Blindfold Test that except
> for Stan Getz and Al Cohn,  that: "White saxophonists sound alike."
> No doubt partially a put on about an oft quoted white view that "all blacks
> look alike."


I must have already recounted this story on the list, but here it's
toopical.  Soprano Summit played the 1977 Grande Parade du Jazz in
Nice.  In addition, bot Bob Wilber and Kenny Davern played with a
pleiad of other groups.  Wilber is short and has light hair.  At that
time, he sported long hair and a beard.  Davern was tall, had dark
hair, was partially bald and had a big black moustache.  At one of the
stages where Davern was playing, the French MC announced: "On clarinet
- Mr. Bob Wilber!"  When teased about that by a very congenial British
jsazzwriter, Davern quipped: "All white men look alike."


> Point being that when critics take snippets and quote them out of context to
> reinforce a point, they may reflect an accurate representation of how
> someone really felt. eg. If Miles really thought all white saxophonists
> sounded alike except for Cohn and Getz, why did he hire Liebman (and go to
> great lengths to keep him) instead of someone else, white or black, at
> lesser cost and lesser ability?

For one thing, that was a few years later, and things might have
changed.  Likewise, he might not have heard Liebman before (he came a
wee bit after the other two, didn't he?).

Cheers