The record changer (Feb-Dec 1943)

white ties and tails and lots of Texas beauties with revealing evening dresses. We had travelled over 400 miles that day and I'm afraid we were showing every mile of it. We felt extremely conspicuous, in our modest travelling suits. But we bravely made our way into the dancing room and timidly sat at a little table by the door. And. than we heard Peck Kelley and his band. ■First, the band. Although we were too disgusted, after a few minutes, to examine the band carefully, I think it had three reeds, one trumpet, one accordion, one violin, plus the rhythm section with Mr. Kelley at the piano and the usual horrible vocalist. Being especially tolerant that night we were ready to forgive Mr. Kelley for his band. After all, we thought, he had to play commercial nausea in order to keep his job in such a hotel. Anyway, we had not come to hear the band. We just wanted to dig the man about whom Pee Wee and Teagarden had been raving for years. And we heard him. The more we heard him, the more our astonishment grew. How can I describe his style? To say Teddy Wilson would The closest I could Duchin. There was the whole evening, that he plays like be to flatter him. come to was Eddie at no time, during the minutest indi favorable to the But a great jazz where he plays, brief intervals, cation that Peck Kelley had any feeling for jazz. His solos were totally uninspired, empty, crassly commercial. Of course, the surroundings were not creation of good jazz, musician, no matter can show, if only at that he has a certain undeniable talent. It is my sincere opinion that Peck Kelley not only does not play jazz any more, but that he never did play it. Anyone who has heard him will realize with painful certainty that he never could have played any Jazz. For instance, a few years ago in New York I used to hear a trumpet player called Dick Donahue who was well-known in Chicago in the late twenties and early thirties. Donahue's breath was gone, his lips were bad, his tone was so weak you could hardly hear him, and yet you knew he had played jazz once. Peck Kelley, although .in the best of health, was playing undescribably awful music. During an intermission we introduced ourselves to Kelley and explained to him that we had come a long way to hear him, that he had a great reputation all over the country, that several musicians had 3poken to us about him,would he. please play a little Jazz for us? Kelley is an extremely nice' man, simple and polite, and as modest as he is untalented. He said he could not play much jazz in such a place, but: "I'll play a rea] boogie for you, boys." We asked him why he never came to New York, as he was so well-known there. He said he was married, had a family to look after, was very happy in Texas, and felt no urge to go anywhere. I am sure he meant all that. But I also believe that he realizes a mysterious hoax has made him an unknown great of jazz, and he has no interest to deflate that myth. Which would inevitably happen if he ever went to New York. We had decided to leave at the intermission but stayed on after his promise to play something for us. Just before beginning to play, he looked at us with an expression meaning: "This is going to be i/t, boys". And then it came. A smoothly arranged version of "Beat Me, Daddy". Kelley sounded like someone who was trying to imitate Freddie Slack and was succeeding only partially. It was that bad. Before the number was over, we left, finding our way through the sumptous corridors of the Bice Hotel, compared to which the Ritz in Paris or the Savoy in London are like cheap rooming houses. Enough talk has been wasted on Peck Kelley all these years. From now on let's hear more about piano players who are rarely if ever mentioned and who have something to say, — like Floyd Bean or Art Hodes or George Zack. And then, New Orleans! For a whole day, we walked up and down the historic streets. To us, it was like an open-air museum. For information about who was playing where, we had been advised to contact Monk Hazel. After some unforgettable food we went to Pete Herman's Club where Monk was playing. We found him to be one of the most intelligent, kind and friendly musicians we had ever met. The band at Pete Herman's was under the nominal leadership of Lloyd Dantlin (guitar), but T'onk seemed to be taking charge of things. Roy Zimmerman on piano was pretty good Subscription Rate $1 .00 par year UP! 7a it fax, l/ityinic . 3