Re: Swing

["Brian Cady" <cadyb@home.com>]

> > Can't say I know of many teens that are into swing.

I don't know if you saw Ken Burns' Jazz on PBS but there were some
interesting parallels between the early days of swing and the early days of
rock 'n' roll. When the show recounts the reaction to The Benny Goodman
Band's first cross-country tour in the mid-30's when they got heckled
because they wouldn't play any "real" dance music; that is, waltzes, I
thought immediately of that great photo of Pete blasting feedback into that
ballroom crowd where the dancers hold their hands over their ears in shock.
The more things change...

Speaking of that show, there was another parallel that hit me hard. After
Duke Ellington lost his mother, which was a very traumatic experience for
him, he began writing very personal jazz pieces.  Immediately the critics of
the time jumped on him for writing "personal" music and saying it "wasn't
real jazz." Imagine saying that to Duke Ellington! I'm sure 50 years from
now rock students will be amazed at music critics who told Pete that what he
was writing and playing wasn't "real rock 'n' roll."

-Brian in Atlanta
 The Who This Month!
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