[Dixielandjazz] Harry James

[Marek Boym]

I remember that quote very well.  Did you publish it in Jazz Journal
International, Steve?   I in particular remember that part about James'
being irked by the very question about commercial vs. jazz tunes.  Sort of
"I Play as I Please" (?).
Cheers

On Mon, 11 May 2020 at 01:09, Bill Haesler <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au> wrote:

> Dear Listmates (and Steve Voce),
> The things you find on your bookshelf.
>
> From Peter J Levinson's 1999 book 'Trumpet Blues. The Life of Harry James,
> (page 251).
>
>   While in London [1972], Harry James did an interview with the English
> jazz critic Steve Voce.When Voce asked him if the biggest audience was for
> the commercial numbers he had recorded he visibly bristled. James answered,
> "That would depend on for whom you are playing. If you're playing for a
> jazz audience, I'm pretty sure that some of the jazz things we do would be
> a lot more popular than 'Sleepy Lagoon,' and if we're playing at a country
> club or playing Vegas, in which we have many, many types of people, then
> I'm sure that 'Sleepy Lagoon' would be more popular at that particular
> time. But I really get bugged about these people talking about commercial
> tunes, because to me, if you're gonna be commercial, you're gonna stand on
> your head and make funny noises and do idiotic things. I don't think we've
> ever recorded or played one tune that I didn't particularly love to play.
> Otherwise, I wouldn't play it.
> (From Levinson's interview with Roland Smith, 1996.)
>
> What was the original source Steve?
> Cheers,
> Bill.
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