John Henry Hammond II Interview –Leonard Feather’s Phone Call– Rob McConnell Blindfold Test [transcript]

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:10:06 Leonard Feather: My third 1983.

00:00:10:09 - 00:00:12:11 Leonard Feather: It’s a cool little song. I think it’s,

00:00:12:14 - 00:00:14:13 John Henry Hammond II: Oh, I just really like that. Well.

00:00:14:19 - 00:00:22:14 Leonard Feather: It’s on. Yeah. Well, the first question is, what prompted you after all these years in the business? The. Given the terrible.

00:00:22:14 - 00:00:23:27 Leonard Feather: Conditions in the recruiting business.

00:00:23:29 - 00:00:26:04 Leonard Feather: To start your own company.

00:00:26:06 - 00:00:56:05 John Henry Hammond II: Well, I was talked into it the last, by someone I was. My deal with CBS had expired, see, because I was getting, you know, a, certain failure. And then they decided they didn’t want to pay it. I needed to make some money. The symbol of the, the, the smooth talking guy said that was going to be a then that was going to be a public offering, and we have a couple million dollars.

00:00:56:07 - 00:01:21:00 John Henry Hammond II: And of course, this was at a time when the stock market was at a very low. And I don’t play any public offerings with me. in those two years. And I suspect that almost every decision that was made was not exactly the right decision, because I wanted to put and obviously put, and, find some new order to make it.

00:01:21:03 - 00:01:44:10 John Henry Hammond II: But, they had very fancy ideas of, the promotion people and all of us. We did get a marvelous distribution deal from CBS, at a very good price, a much better price. But we kept secret was and it was I had a lot of friends over there. So this was so this was all. This was all good.

00:01:44:12 - 00:02:24:03 John Henry Hammond II: But at the same time, at the same time, there was never enough money, to do what we wanted to do, but as I recall it, Adam Goldberg, I, yeah, would’ve gotten probably 20 masters, you know, ready to go. We hadn’t had the the dough to put out. And so finally, how we’ve gotten anything is by getting people, by either getting people, to put up their own money for records or better yet, to, to, sell shares, of new records.

00:02:24:05 - 00:02:29:02 John Henry Hammond II: to, to, to,

00:02:29:05 - 00:02:46:24 John Henry Hammond II: to people who think they can make some money. And that’s been very successful. This is how we got the Michael Franks record for us. It’s a very good. And, and, but on the whole, I would not say we have set the world on fire, but by but by a long shot.

00:02:46:26 - 00:02:49:13 Leonard Feather: Have you only had how many, Joe? Three records.

00:02:49:15 - 00:02:56:10 John Henry Hammond II: we have Marian Williams. Yeah. we have, Michael Franks. we have Allen Ginsberg.

00:02:56:13 - 00:02:57:16 Leonard Feather: I don’t have a,

00:02:57:18 - 00:03:20:21 John Henry Hammond II: Well, without having, and, although I like it because it’s, I mean, here’s a guy who learned about homosexual, and so says why he is, and is very funny about it because we had Bob Dylan and various other people on the web, so that so that at least a historical document that could stay in the catalog a long time.

00:03:20:23 - 00:03:43:25 John Henry Hammond II: And it’s so well, we have the Red Parrot Orchestra, on the three of joking that we got that. Oh, that’s a that’s a big selling record. Oh, yeah. And then we have a little young man. This little Zoo York thing is a this is a, sort of a rock and roll, record. And I’m afraid my thought is in the end.

00:03:44:26 - 00:03:47:24 Leonard Feather: But have you made some things to put out on CBS or otherwise?

00:03:47:26 - 00:04:16:21 John Henry Hammond II: Oh, yes. Yes, sure. I’m just finished a little Stevie Ray Vaughan. It was a very long epic. Oh, he’s a he’s a he is the big, you know, Texas blues white rock star was the Stevie Ray Vaughan. yeah. and like Sarah and, he’s a lot of guitar player. He’s got a little bit of double trouble.

00:04:16:24 - 00:04:40:23 John Henry Hammond II: And he was, David Bowie’s lead guitar player, and he, the big picture guy, David Bowie. that let let it dance or what? What? Whatever the hell that album is on EMI America. And he was supposed to be the opening act. for David Bowie’s new tour. And suddenly he found.

00:04:40:26 - 00:04:48:09 Leonard Feather: Another Civil War hero within range of. All right,

00:04:48:11 - 00:05:19:17 John Henry Hammond II: His people decided that Stevie Ray Vaughan was so big, that, that, he would overshadow, David Bowie on the tour. and so you just wanted to be a backup guitar player and not an opening act, and, is. Is going to be very big. The stage is very big. the manager, Jeffrey Miller, decided it would be crazy for, to do that.

00:05:19:17 - 00:05:53:19 John Henry Hammond II: So he’s opening here. says they got Jerry Wexler to play for the city, between 13th Street and Broadway. You know, bowling alley. and, and, and, that thing, of course, is. So God was going to, was going to do a tour throughout the country that the record very big. We had we had help getting on that the red parallel to the right things, what they was known as New York, that’s New York.

00:05:53:22 - 00:06:06:15 John Henry Hammond II: Stevie Ray was on that. and then I’ve got a role I sold for several of the South Coast states that that would be on Columbia. That would be on the next one. And. Oh.

00:06:06:17 - 00:06:09:15 Leonard Feather: What good is that? Do John Hammond? Right. As Apple is.

00:06:09:18 - 00:06:19:14 John Henry Hammond II: Competing. Because that’s the only way I can make any money. Oh that’s I haven’t I haven’t had a salary in over two years. You know. And it’s getting rough.

00:06:19:16 - 00:06:23:23 Leonard Feather: Well it isn’t. Wouldn’t it be better if the label had a particular.

00:06:23:23 - 00:06:50:26 John Henry Hammond II: Focus on the like? Well, that’s what we’re trying to do now. Apparently the financing is coming in. So that will be able to put a decent profit and, adequate that, something projected called the World of John. And what would that, have John have as well. Again. Oh yeah. And that makes sense to see that would be but with a certain amount of reissues that I have work with CBS.

00:06:50:26 - 00:07:02:21 John Henry Hammond II: Don’t let me leave. Oh yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah, I have wonderful relations with the World War. Yes. And almost everybody but the God, I’ve been making Columbia Records for 52 years.

00:07:02:24 - 00:07:04:00 Leonard Feather: Yeah, right.

00:07:04:03 - 00:07:22:24 John Henry Hammond II: And I still have. Thanks. Thanks for that. Unless your EMI and, because that is what is Fletcher Henderson first to go to American Columbia. One of them was in bankruptcy, but, know and then I did all of the things, obviously,

00:07:22:26 - 00:07:27:11 Leonard Feather: Well, what about such things as, say, the, I’m on the Callaway. Yeah.

00:07:27:14 - 00:07:47:16 John Henry Hammond II: Well, I’ve just got a revolver that was set for release on September, so no sense of putting off the summertime. Oh, one song will go already on, but, we didn’t have any money in the bank. We opened it on that. Be terribly frank. You. I’d be a little bit. Be a little careful.

00:07:47:20 - 00:07:49:28 Leonard Feather: I won’t.

00:07:50:01 - 00:08:06:04 John Henry Hammond II: So this is the real storyline and what I would give you. I wouldn’t give you any malarkey at all. And, I tell you what. Having might be of my assistance, because if you love music, which is a wonderful recurring theme with nice.

00:08:06:05 - 00:08:08:21 Leonard Feather: Words to say, you know. What’s your last name?

00:08:08:24 - 00:08:10:25 John Henry Hammond II: Harris. I was.

00:08:10:27 - 00:08:13:03 Leonard Feather: I thought.

00:08:13:06 - 00:08:20:16 John Henry Hammond II: And I was. Oh, she’s five. She’s. I thought she was the one, you know. Yeah. So I think you, I think you’ve.

00:08:20:18 - 00:08:28:19 Leonard Feather: Lost a lot of what you have. Because I don’t approach it as a friend.

00:08:28:22 - 00:08:35:25 John Henry Hammond II: Oh, that’s great. what are you playing back on TV? What? You know, to these. Are you going these? Oh, well.

00:08:35:28 - 00:08:40:01 Leonard Feather: I we have a motel in Fletcher Road. Yeah, yeah. Friends who go to.

00:08:40:01 - 00:08:41:26 John Henry Hammond II: These, I see.

00:08:41:28 - 00:08:44:21 Leonard Feather: One at a time. this is not to the public.

00:08:44:21 - 00:08:53:04 John Henry Hammond II: It’s just a reminiscence gathering. And I have a lovely lunch. My oldest friend.

00:08:53:06 - 00:08:55:17 John Henry Hammond II: Out there.

00:08:55:19 - 00:08:58:17 Leonard Feather: obviously, I should ask you about the cruise. How’d that happen?

00:08:58:20 - 00:09:02:01 John Henry Hammond II: Yeah, right. It all happened to film. Hey.

00:09:02:03 - 00:09:03:11 Leonard Feather: What is your relationship with Hank?

00:09:03:18 - 00:09:04:07 John Henry Hammond II: Good.

00:09:04:09 - 00:09:05:27 Leonard Feather: Now? Well, I mean, that’s what a business relations.

00:09:05:27 - 00:09:34:10 John Henry Hammond II: Business direction. Well, he’s he’s an officer of the company also one day, and, and, and he had brought in, you see all those the vacuum tapes we have not yet been able to pay for. And so George is very serious. but, I’m very glad I’m not. And, but he’s got, you know, Hannibal Peterson, those other some other pretty good, pretty good musicians.

00:09:34:13 - 00:09:39:24 John Henry Hammond II: It’s not it’s not exactly the the apex of my life right now.

00:09:39:27 - 00:09:42:28 Leonard Feather: I don’t, but it will be a unique experience, man.

00:09:43:05 - 00:09:44:02 John Henry Hammond II: It’ll be a wonderful.

00:09:44:02 - 00:09:46:12 Leonard Feather: Experience if I got to know the, company.

00:09:46:12 - 00:10:14:24 John Henry Hammond II: Yes. He did. He them one. I was directly with Allen, and I would be out and in a gunny there and one talk with somebody doing some jazz concerts and talking about jazz and everything before that, that I, that’s lovely of place in Montauk. So. I mean, I have a good time. If you see, my my activities have been very much limited in that I had to sell my car because the doctor did not have he had a stroke.

00:10:14:26 - 00:10:20:13 John Henry Hammond II: He never will be particularly good. He didn’t want me particularly to.

00:10:20:15 - 00:10:21:23 Leonard Feather: Drive at all.

00:10:21:25 - 00:10:37:20 John Henry Hammond II: To drive at all. But I do, but but I only when I go on weekends, you know, people, I can always read it. I have a my older sister is dying right now, which is very sad. I have to get up of here every so I sit down.

00:10:37:21 - 00:10:44:15 John Henry Hammond II: But she’s got, until the cancer. All right.

00:10:44:17 - 00:10:46:09 John Henry Hammond II: I’m so sorry about Harry James.

00:10:46:09 - 00:10:49:10 Leonard Feather: So that’s, that’s,

00:10:49:12 - 00:10:57:09 John Henry Hammond II: That’s makes me feel this, you know? I mean, after all, I think those records I made with Harry, you know, I was telling him that he had just.

00:10:57:11 - 00:10:58:21 Leonard Feather: Got a record as he ever read.

00:10:58:24 - 00:11:15:29 John Henry Hammond II: I think it’s probably the best record. Yeah, I, what I think introduced John Simmons to to the world. And, and, and that was only because we couldn’t get deductible bills, because he was so drunk that they didn’t. You see the reason for that?

00:11:15:29 - 00:11:17:02 Leonard Feather: They were getting up. And.

00:11:17:04 - 00:11:28:04 John Henry Hammond II: You know, the reason we had that date, you know, was because, the people were supposedly a better bad player than that. that was to be a new quartet.

00:11:28:07 - 00:11:28:12 Leonard Feather: you.

00:11:28:12 - 00:11:40:07 John Henry Hammond II: Know, I was so drunk when I moved down to San Diego to see him that, there was something I had read or would read.

00:11:40:09 - 00:11:45:03 Leonard Feather: Oh, to finish the cruise, did you did you have much to do? Put in the talent to go?

00:11:45:04 - 00:11:52:12 John Henry Hammond II: Yes. I had a lot to do. Yes, Adam, obviously you don’t know. And I forget who all along on.

00:11:52:14 - 00:11:53:07 Leonard Feather: No, I talked to.

00:11:53:11 - 00:12:12:12 John Henry Hammond II: Well. Oh yeah. We’re going to have next week. We have that particular, And, I haven’t gone incurable. I think I might have scored. That would have been nice, Minsky, but. Well, Bill, you know what I mean. It was speculation about. Yeah. And we’ll have to be honest with you, wasn’t. But Freeman played the other wonderful.

00:12:12:15 - 00:12:18:24 John Henry Hammond II: Oh, well, I don’t know what,

00:12:18:26 - 00:12:29:17 Leonard Feather: What what would you say? And, the lawyer. Jesus. And I’ll be just a recording. Yeah. I was just going to ask what you most proud of. Two or.

00:12:29:17 - 00:12:33:14 John Henry Hammond II: Three. Well, I think breaking down racial or racial barriers.

00:12:33:16 - 00:12:34:06 Leonard Feather: Well, I.

00:12:34:09 - 00:12:56:04 John Henry Hammond II: Will say that. Yeah. I mean, individual people. Well, I’ve, I think, you know. Benny did me a lot of good. I did Benny a lot of good when he got paid for all the things I, I did, but I never got a nickel. Benny, for any except one. I,

00:12:56:07 - 00:13:05:19 Leonard Feather: But you. I think what you’re saying. And effective. At least I would infer from that the. Really if you’ve got this one year of study by credit by helping Benny.

00:13:05:21 - 00:13:48:07 John Henry Hammond II: Oh, I think there’s no question about it. Right. No question about it. I had, this was something I had always wanted to do, and I realized that it couldn’t be done without black musicians, you know? And the first thing I did was to get Fletcher Henderson together with Benny. and, that and that was a miraculous thing as far as I was concerned, because, in the first place, in those days, we were all in the at the mercy of publishers, because you could not all the melodic lines and the rest, you know, and, so that you remember those old Benny Goodman thing, everything, all first choruses, the Billie

00:13:48:07 - 00:14:17:02 John Henry Hammond II: Holiday, Teddy Wilson, and then, you know, listen, we were able to do that was we had recorded those same tunes with Kate Geiser and Ben Burley, and all the other, and that he, Duchin and all the other people would have done. And then if we did it, at least one of these things in our own way, that we, we could get away with it because that were made specifically for the jukebox group and that that started in 1935.

00:14:17:05 - 00:14:22:19 John Henry Hammond II: And I suspect those were the most productive years I ever had.

00:14:22:21 - 00:14:26:11 Leonard Feather: well, I ask you to name two, three people, Billie Holiday.

00:14:26:11 - 00:15:03:24 John Henry Hammond II: Obviously, when I first heard Billie in 1933, I knew I was never gonna hear a lot of it better. Jazz singer, I love you, I love and I did. And, you say what they say. They see, as, that I guess that really all in my relationship with Benny because, we did my, you know, my real, thrust and then, worked with Benny until basic cable and then, of course, thanks to the kept moving, I wasn’t able good basic for three years, I.

00:15:03:27 - 00:15:08:19 John Henry Hammond II: Yeah.

00:15:08:21 - 00:15:42:06 John Henry Hammond II: other things that I’m proud of, of having done with this purchase. This way. You guys, because, that really that’s the first time that, a New York audience had ever heard authentic, uncomplicated, untutored, black jazz. Yeah. Well, or or gospel, which I love to see. And this was all a reaction to having been turned down by the NAACP, who hated jazz, who hated blues, and who hated gospel.

00:15:42:08 - 00:15:57:05 John Henry Hammond II: And, I mean, the they they refused to have a deal with the country. And that’s why I had to, resort to backing from the from the New Masses. But they could but they could provide an audience.

00:15:57:08 - 00:15:57:12 Leonard Feather: Yeah.

00:15:57:12 - 00:16:28:17 John Henry Hammond II: That’s that in the book. Yes. Oh, you know, in great, great glory. Did I do with the, Eric Burnett? Yeah. He was the business man of the new masses of his. It was his idea. And they put up the money to, to bring the audience up and of course, that also, enabled me to get God to live with some of the stage managers of, of, spiritualists this way.

00:16:28:17 - 00:16:47:19 John Henry Hammond II: And when there was a vacancy in the classical department, I was able to get God to believe in the work and the rest of the department as it is. And and from there, because he became president after about 18 years. Yeah, yeah.

00:16:47:21 - 00:16:54:25 Leonard Feather: Let’s get back to John Hammond. All right. Do you have anybody under contract? You know, what is it? All right. So.

00:16:54:27 - 00:17:21:01 John Henry Hammond II: no, we’ve we’ve had we’ve had we’ve had people on the contract. I’ve discovered several new, rock people who haven’t made it yet, but who will, kick well off. Halprin. Wonderful. But that was a terrible thing. I was hoping we could make a record like that for a long $15,000 instead of plus 50.

00:17:21:03 - 00:17:47:06 John Henry Hammond II: It’s still isn’t. It still hasn’t finished because of all that multi-track tracking. All this profit was on the record because I’m essentially a one Mike, man. And and I loathe overdubbing and I loathe isolation. And when I see, musicians in the studio with earphones on, I shudder, because I realize that this absolutely destroys whatever real ensemble.

00:17:47:09 - 00:17:51:24 John Henry Hammond II: the creative sets in the studio scene.

00:17:51:26 - 00:17:54:11 Leonard Feather: But you’re still making you’re still compromising on that.

00:17:54:14 - 00:18:13:25 John Henry Hammond II: But very little, very little present without that one other. I mean, Stevie Ray Vaughan was the absolutely without, without overdubbing, without, without earphones, nothing. It’s just absolutely pure great. you know, great artists playing together.

00:18:14:02 - 00:18:15:18 Leonard Feather: You just have, a new album.

00:18:15:19 - 00:18:29:12 John Henry Hammond II: That I had, on the other one, another session I had, well, I this is the third album I’ve done with Live Without Juliet. yeah. This is the third Columbia.

00:18:29:14 - 00:18:30:17 Leonard Feather: Scott. Columbia.

00:18:30:19 - 00:18:55:28 John Henry Hammond II: this is uncle in the. It’s like the one of, on Columbia because she she likes to be paid quite correctly and, and, they haven’t done a particularly good job of it. but, I mean, the records are around, and, and they remain in the catalog. Yeah, yeah. And we had Bud Johnson for this time playing at the U.

00:18:55:28 - 00:19:16:26 John Henry Hammond II: With, Vic Dickinson, Doc Cheatham on the first session, and, Jonah Jones replacing him in the second session, which he did as a favor to me because he doesn’t like to do anything unless he played it. But I was able to talk him into it. But we do have Jonah, Cruz, which makes me feel very, at least, I don’t know it.

00:19:16:26 - 00:19:18:05 John Henry Hammond II: Just one.

00:19:18:07 - 00:19:25:04 John Henry Hammond II: Really?

00:19:25:07 - 00:19:53:17 John Henry Hammond II: Well, I’m sorry, I don’t have, you know, a huge number of things to tell you, but, I’ll tell you about what I’ve done. I mean, the Marion Williams, did very well. Yeah, that’s probably the probably the best gospel singer around, but she’s got very bad. baby, why do, why did we have delightful company? But Charlotte, sweet is a little Off Broadway hit last year.

00:19:53:19 - 00:19:56:11 John Henry Hammond II: Here’s. And Michael, you got you have the Michael Frank.

00:19:56:13 - 00:19:57:20 Leonard Feather: Yes I have yeah I do.

00:19:57:20 - 00:19:59:27 John Henry Hammond II: That. Yes, I saw that. You know.

00:19:59:29 - 00:20:07:12 Leonard Feather: And then I have to argue that. No, I didn’t.

00:20:07:14 - 00:20:12:28 Leonard Feather: I didn’t like you in my sentence. My whole mother got. No, no, I.

00:20:13:01 - 00:20:16:21 John Henry Hammond II: Got so much. Yeah, yeah. He has to travel, go to Europe right now.

00:20:16:23 - 00:20:19:00 Leonard Feather: Yeah, yeah. I don’t have to take all.

00:20:19:00 - 00:20:24:27 John Henry Hammond II: Of your go. I don’t blame you. Don’t get a few thousand copy with you. Is out there.

00:20:24:29 - 00:20:37:01 Leonard Feather: So what do I got? I, I don’t, I don’t really play any, Well do you have any other, any other people or objectives that you haven’t gotten around to. Yeah.

00:20:37:07 - 00:20:56:13 John Henry Hammond II: Well actually, and this is not full rotation. CBS wants me to come back, so, so so that that may happen by that may be happened by the way before. Well, we should mention no I don’t no, not at all because it’s because it’s not signed. Sealed. Yep. But I’m very close with all.

00:20:56:13 - 00:21:02:11 Leonard Feather: The ethical which is about bring a catalog with you and put it’s oh, my God, this way.

00:21:02:13 - 00:21:30:12 John Henry Hammond II: Oh, it’s impossible this way. I mean, I’ve never done it was like going back to Mercury, which also had no money, you know, I know that at Vanguard it didn’t matter because, you see, I was operating in New York and, and, the things were all made for scale I made. But I made the wonderful some $50 for, for recording, those albums and, and,

00:21:30:14 - 00:21:31:06 Leonard Feather: you know, station.

00:21:31:09 - 00:21:33:13 John Henry Hammond II: I said, yeah. And. No. Right.

00:21:33:16 - 00:21:35:20 Leonard Feather: That’s what I got for the first Sarah Vaughan.

00:21:35:22 - 00:21:48:19 John Henry Hammond II: I’m sure, I’m sure I’m told I learned I learned very little. I was under the illusion I had money that good. Now I know I don’t. So,

00:21:48:22 - 00:22:11:01 John Henry Hammond II: You know. We just check.

00:22:11:04 - 00:22:31:19 Leonard Feather: Now come on. Yeah. All right. Leonard. Hi. No, no, no, I’m fine. Thanks. But first, before anything else, I want to apologize, too, for that ridiculous call when I woke you up and started, getting into an argument with you about this. Oh. That’s okay. So first of all, I really should send you a copy of my review because you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

00:22:31:22 - 00:22:46:15 Leonard Feather: Oh, good. I gave it the top of the column, and I gave it a predominantly. The only thing I put down was the narration, which really wasn’t good, you know? But I said a lot of favorable things about it, and I don’t know why. What got into me that night when I started taking a ride?

00:22:46:17 - 00:22:47:27 John Henry Hammond II: Listen, we all have our.

00:22:47:27 - 00:23:09:03 Leonard Feather: Moments, you know? But anyway. And I was. And I apologized to. We’re friends. Thank you. Did I? I got some interesting news there. Reissue of hobby man. Bill Evans of Magnetic. Oh, Nirvana. Yeah. It’s a beautiful album that never had notes. No offering. Remember that it came out. Yeah, I guess I’ve got the original somewhere, you know, that was right.

00:23:09:05 - 00:23:09:29 John Henry Hammond II: Actually, that was.

00:23:09:29 - 00:23:11:12 Leonard Feather: Recorded before I was born.

00:23:11:13 - 00:23:16:19 John Henry Hammond II: I never.

00:23:16:21 - 00:23:26:04 John Henry Hammond II: And I.

00:23:26:07 - 00:23:26:26 John Henry Hammond II: Yeah.

00:23:26:28 - 00:23:31:09 Speaker 5 One, two.

00:23:31:12 - 00:24:02:08 Speaker 5 Three. And, really liked the piece. I don’t know who it is, exactly. It reminds me of a lot of people. I suspect this may be Ashley Alexander playing the double trombone, the, valve slide trombone. it sounds like him. And it sounds like that instrument. if not, I don’t know who it is. he’s either a very slippery slide trombone player or he’s playing, the double trombone sounds like a valve at times.

00:24:02:08 - 00:24:27:22 Speaker 5 And slide at others. I like I like the composition. I thought it was great the whole first part, unison, was lovely. as opposed, Well, it was just lovely hearing unison. I very seldom write unison, and it’s just, reminded me how how nice they are sometimes. I always have the desire to, voice everything out 38 ways.

00:24:28:28 - 00:24:31:12 John Henry Hammond II: You get back a little too close.

00:24:31:14 - 00:24:56:29 Speaker 5 Oh, okay. Sure. yeah. And, nice rhythm section. I thought the drummer was excellent. The Brazilian time was, you know, kind of modified samba time I thought was good. I think the recording quality, as it seemed to be a little, not bright enough for my taste, but, that may just be, a personal, you know, thing.

00:24:57:01 - 00:25:30:08 Speaker 5 That the chart was good. The fugal or trumpet, solo. I think. Well, that’s it. That again, I think it was frugal. it may have been Ashley Alexander and a ranger from Texas. His name is Mantooth or something. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought the chart, reminded me of Bill Holman. it’s Bill Holman inspired, or the the arranger is, at one time or other, the unison especially.

00:25:30:10 - 00:25:49:00 Speaker 5 Lovely last chord in tune and very plain. I like the whole thing. Just delightful. oh. For at least. Okay.

00:25:49:02 - 00:26:23:11 Speaker 5 Go ahead. well, I think it was to. I’m a little apprehensive now after completely killing myself on the first one. but I think it’s Toshiko and Lou’s band, and, then probably Bill Reichenbach and, Phil Teal on bass trombone and Gary Foster and, Bobby Shou and all the, LA animals and, I love that, chart.

00:26:23:14 - 00:26:46:22 Speaker 5 very effective. Nice chart. The trombone solo is the greatest. I’ll I’ll mention that I. And I would never write that hard for trombones myself, because if I tried any of the parts, I probably couldn’t play them. had a real nice, had a real nice feel. The whole thing was a very good chart.

00:26:46:24 - 00:26:55:19 Speaker 5 Well played. interesting. Yeah. All things, I forget the name of the tune is a typical,

00:26:55:21 - 00:26:56:06 Leonard Feather: An original.

00:26:56:07 - 00:27:27:08 Speaker 5 Yeah, yeah, yeah, it almost sounds like a Lennie Tristano had, on all the things. Yeah, but it’s to. She goes and, Oh, I, I saw nothing the matter with the recording. I don’t know whether it’s. I have a I don’t know whether it’s Fender upright bass. Now, maybe that’s just the recording. I should be able to tell a difference.

00:27:27:10 - 00:27:56:17 Speaker 5 but that’s my fault. Maybe not the recording. likely. I enjoyed the whole thing. Like the drummer, I, I have, heard that before, and, have no reason to change my mind. four and a half out of five. Easy, easy. Sure.

00:27:56:19 - 00:28:19:21 Speaker 5 Well, I, I love that great blues chart. Lovely band, excellent drummer, bass player, piano player. It sounds so much like Basie that that’s, it might be, but I think I think not. I haven’t heard it before or I don’t remember hearing it before.

00:28:19:24 - 00:28:49:24 Speaker 5 If the trumpet player isn’t sweet. he listen to sweets at all. Hum. Awful lot. lead alto players and Marshall royalties. Listen to him an awful lot. The piano player. same vis-a-vis. Basie I would say. I guess, I guess is Bill Berry’s band with the Marshall and and suites and, I love the whole thing.

00:28:49:26 - 00:29:08:10 Speaker 5 I loved all the solos, especially if it was sweet. If it was Bill, I loved it. Anyway. Five stars. the recording is nice. The everything about it was great. Wonderful. Okay.

00:29:08:12 - 00:29:46:29 Speaker 5 Okay. I have no idea who it is or what it is. It’s, it’s an awful distance from Count Basie to this music, and I’m. I haven’t traveled the distance, too. Well, I’m afraid, there’s a bunch of good players I like the also solo. I don’t understand this, this, music, and, if not understanding it is, also, I do not understand it.

00:29:46:29 - 00:30:12:08 Speaker 5 And do not enjoy it that much. And yet, I’m probably sticking my neck right in the news because I don’t it’s probably people I know and respect that do this music. And, sometimes I like it in that live situation. but I wouldn’t, listen to it, for pleasure. And it wasn’t,

00:30:12:10 - 00:30:35:25 Speaker 5 It wasn’t emotionally, emotionally involved. Me. It was kind of a a smile and, it didn’t didn’t mind it, but, I don’t know what all that noise was from the rhythm section and assorted electronic gear. so I must be honest. I just didn’t enjoy it that much. I don’t know, I haven’t the faintest idea who it is.

00:30:39:03 - 00:30:58:10 Speaker 5 Give the players, the alto solo particularly. And, it was well played and all, but I just don’t understand that music. I would, 1 to 5 stars. One is to. It’s fair to two and a half.

00:30:58:12 - 00:31:02:09 Leonard Feather: Machine also because I’d like to get a reaction when I tell you it was. It was Gil Evans.

00:31:02:12 - 00:31:03:10 Speaker 5 Yeah.

00:31:03:12 - 00:31:05:06 Leonard Feather: I am not surprised.

00:31:05:08 - 00:31:38:06 Speaker 5 no. Not really. Gil Evans, I prefer the, original version of Gil Evans, Porgy and Bess and Miles ahead and etc.. I don’t Gil has left me, and I’m I’m I’m sorry about it, because, he’s was, to me, the oh, you know, the top three, four, maybe one, two arrangers of all time.

00:31:38:09 - 00:31:46:26 Speaker 5 okay.

00:31:46:29 - 00:31:57:06 Speaker 5 you’re a sneaky person. I’ve never heard that before. A live recording of some kind.

00:31:57:08 - 00:32:18:05 Speaker 5 You know, sound, wouldn’t you? Yeah, yeah, I, I love that tune. I prefer the original, rendition of it. I I’m afraid to say I found the chart a little, Oh.

00:32:18:08 - 00:32:45:26 Speaker 5 Uncommon. it’s. I liked it, like, a little hit, a little hectic at times. the rhythm section had. It got a nice groove behind both the trumpet solos. I think it was two different trumpet players. And, the first one sounded like Freddie Hubbard, and the second one sounded like dizzy. was an excellent trombone. So, some kind of J.J. Johnson clone or something of that kind?

00:32:45:26 - 00:33:09:07 Speaker 5 I don’t know who it is. I thought the rhythm section was great behind the trumpet solos. the. I would give more to the performance than the chart, you know? the performance, I think, was overall very good. The rhythm section was grooving along. and I think everybody played well, but I, I just found the chart a little unnerving.

00:33:09:07 - 00:33:23:01 Speaker 5 So I would give, I would give maybe, three and a half, four for the performance and, and a little less maybe for the chart. I haven’t really any idea who it is.

00:33:23:03 - 00:33:23:29 Leonard Feather: No, I will not.

00:33:23:29 - 00:33:31:21 John Henry Hammond II: Please. I mean, there’s no.

00:33:31:23 - 00:34:03:16 Speaker 5 Yeah, I have I have no idea who this is either. I didn’t care for the composition very much. It was kind of one of those, two chord. Three chord for chord, jobs. It wasn’t, any autumn in New York. So that’s, apologies to the, composer.

00:34:03:18 - 00:34:30:25 Speaker 5 That is not really up my alley. I found the chart a little the composition a little disquieting. when it goes from just straight swing time to straight eighths. I found it. It never really established itself in some sort of. Well, as the straight eights or swing time. so I found it disconcerting rather than fresh and exciting.

00:34:30:27 - 00:34:57:18 Speaker 5 the trombone solo, all the solos were fine trombone, tenor flute. I hate a fade ending. And I’ve done it. And I’ve hated it when I’ve done it. okay. I just think I like traditional music. better than that. I’m a traditional person, and, that would be somewhere in the middle. Three stars.

00:34:57:20 - 00:35:08:29 Speaker 5 I have no idea, really. Who who it is.

00:35:09:01 - 00:35:38:07 Speaker 5 Okay, well, I think that was Duke’s band with, flugelhorn player from Toronto, Freddie Stone, who was an old compatriot and, fellow musician. And, I don’t, Harry Carney and, Hodges and the band from, I guess, I would say early 70s maybe, would be a guess. I don’t know whether that’s a Duke song.

00:35:38:07 - 00:35:44:12 Speaker 5 I don’t know whose song it is.

00:35:44:15 - 00:36:05:22 Speaker 5 It was a kind of pleasant, jazz was, ten stars for Duke Ellington. Anything he did in his life. Yeah. he’s the father of us all. All the writers, all the bandleaders.

00:36:05:24 - 00:36:16:06 Speaker 5 Well, that’s enough, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed other Duke Ellington music more. but that’s, neither here nor there.

00:36:16:08 - 00:36:16:16 Leonard Feather: Yeah.

00:36:16:17 - 00:36:23:17 John Henry Hammond II: That’s good.

00:36:23:19 - 00:36:25:24 John Henry Hammond II: what was that addition coming?

00:36:25:27 - 00:36:57:10 Speaker 5 I, I haven’t heard I hadn’t heard that piece before. would recognize Freddie Stone anywhere. Probably because we played for years together. he was in the original original bands that I had, including the bass, brass, and, is a distinctive player.

00:36:57:13 - 00:37:01:25 Leonard Feather: they were.

00:37:01:28 - 00:37:22:21 Leonard Feather: All. unnecessary, when he was 12 or.

00:37:22:23 - 00:37:37:16 John Henry Hammond II: Hello, this is Helen Kean’s office with Kean is not in right now, but if you will leave your name, telephone number, and a message along with the date and time you’re calling when you hear the tone, she’ll be glad to call you back when she returns. Thank you very much.

00:37:37:18 - 00:38:02:21 Leonard Feather: Hello. Hello, this is Leonard Feather calling again. I’m doing the liner notes for a Bill Evans album. I’d like very much to be able to call to talk to you about it. So please call me as soon as possible to, 21399513331.