The record changer (Jan-Feb 1945)

"WELL, THEY JUST DON'T KNOW MUSIC THE WAY A MUSICIAN DOES," said Maxie. "Bv that I mean that a musician finds that there's a lot more to music than playing what you want to play. These nonmusicians who appreciate the best in jazz, why THEY HAVEN'T BEEN THROUGH IT THE WAY I HAVE PLAYING TN BIG BANDS AND SMALL BANDS, GETTING STRANDED ON .ONE NIGHTERS PLAYTNG STOCKS TN CORNY HOTEL BANDS, WORKING JEWISH WEDDINGS, LEARNING TO READ AND PHRASE WITH A SECTION AND KEEP UP YOUR LIP. THEY CAN'T REACT TO MUSIC THE WAY A MUSICIAN CAN, BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. They're lucky, —THEY LISTEN TO ALL THE OLD TIME STUFF BECAUSE THEY LIKE TO HAVE THEIR OWN PRIVATE PLEASURE OUT OF THINGS. I wish I could do the same without having had to go through the mill, putting up with so many disappointments and dull jobs." "I see," said the assistant editor of Metronome as he cautiously took sporadic notes. "YOU THINK THEY WANT SOMETHING THEY THINK NOBODY ELSE CAN APPRECIATE?" "I mean they like the kind of jazz that is deep INSTEAD OF SOMETHING THEY'RE SHARING WITH THE WHOLE PUBLIC— the music business as I've seen it has been catering to. absolutely everybody. The people who like real jazz don't have to put up with what I've had to, — they can pick their own music all the time. How lucky they are ! Their appreciation is for musicians who play with spirit and drive and straight from here," — Maxie tapped his chest, — "and not just dazzling technicians who can play thirty kinds of music. THAT'S WHY THEY DON'T APPRECIATE PEOPLE LIKE BENNY GOODMAN AND PREFER TO LISTEN TO BUNK." "DO YOU THINK THAT EXPLAINS THEIR DISLIKE OF MODERN MUSICIANS LIKE ROY ELGDRIDGE AND TATUM?" asked the assistant editor of Metronome, who sometimes slips into a record date he has cooked up as pianist so as to pick up the union scale of $60 a session. "SURE IT DOES," said Maxie. "Eldridge, — there's only one 'G' in his name, you know, — and Tatum are great artists but' they don't play strictly Jazz " "Not to change the subject," said the assistant editor of Metronome, changing the subject, "don't you think there are lots of collectors who don't know the difference between Eldridge and Bix Beiderbecke?" "Of course," said Maxie. "I know some Hal Kemp and Ray Noble collectors—WHY, IF YOU PUT SOME OF THEM IN A ROOM, SAT THEM DOWN AND PLAYED THEM ROY'S RECORD OF ROCKIN' CHAIR THEY'D THINK IT WAS BIX." "What do you think of Eldridge speaking as a trumpet player?" "ROY IS A WONDERFUL TRUMPET PLAYER. He can do a lot mon things on a trumpet than I can, for instance, or almost any trumpet player whc doesn't go out of his way to play a lo' of fast notes way high up. I don't lite to play that way myself, you know, but if Roy wants to, why that's his business and I'll listen all a-wonder at how Ik does it so much." "As a musician, what do you thin! of Art Tatum?" "TATUM? YOU CAN'T BE A MUSICIAN AND NOT KNOW THAT THAT MAN IS A GREAT GENIUS. I've never heard anybody gc up and down a keyboard so fast, or twis harmonies so fantastically, or think ui so many other tunes to interpolate intc whatever he's playing. I heard a n record of his the other day— FLY I. HOME, it was, — in which he us Rhapsody in Blue, Martha, Rockin' Rhythm and 01' Man River. He's genius in his field like the Flying Co: cellos are geniuses among trapez artists." "How about Coleman Hawkins?' asked the assistant editor of Metronome1 who came to America shortly after Eng land went to war and has preserved the fine old British tradition of Phaintint Phil Scott. "Some of the people say he's stil good, AND SOME OF THEM ARI KNOCKING HIM TOO, BUT HAW KINS IS PLAYING AS MUCH TO DAY AS HE EVER DID. He stil works from 10 to 4, six nights a week He's making good dough and taking can of it, too, — isn't lending it out* indis criminately. NOBODY CAN TOUCP HIM." "There was a rumor running aroun< that Dizzy Gillespie was dangerously ill Everybody says " "I DON'T CARE WHAT THE^ SAY ABOUT DIZZY GILLESPIE HE'S FINE," said Maxie. "I saw hin just today, walking down the street healthy as you." He hesitated. "Or I." "In your opinion," said the assistan editor of Metronome, who seemed to b