[Dixielandjazz] Charlie Ventura

[Marek Boym]

Charlie Ventura had to endure a lot of badmouthing from both the more
traditionally minded section of critics (and public?) - "What?  Bebop?
 Phooey!" and the more modern section "What?  For the masses? Phooey!"
I have read many an anti-Ventura tirade over the years.  And what
about the music?  Now THAT is a different story!  I first heard
Ventura ages ago, when he was the victim of derision on both sides,
and could not understand.  Besides, the idea of "for the masses" (of
which I am a part) appealed to me.  I later acquired some Ventura, and
have not been disappointed.  But the other day I listened to the Gene
Krupa Quartet with Ventura (incidentally, my first exposure to his
playing came when a friend played that record for me in mid-1960's),
and thought: "what a wonderully swinging player he was!"
Unfortunately, on one number he tried to show that the "bebop" part
was also there, but could not quite make that torrent of sound come
through the way Parker or Sonny Stitt did; however, after a short
overly-boppish phrase, he was swinging his ass off again!  And what
sound!  Wow!
Cheers