Ho hum, Yet Another Stanley Crouch Ellingtonian Encomium

Derek Taylor · January-13th-2005, 10:05 AM

http://www.slate.com/id/2112112/

Pete C · January-13th-2005, 10:10 AM

I don't agree that late Ellington has been virtually ignored, certainly not in recent years--20-25 years ago maybe, and if you bother with that jerk James Lincoln Collier.

Gary Sisco · January-13th-2005, 10:11 AM

Fuckin' A. How many times can guys write the same article these days and still get taken seriously?

By the way, I think there's a typo in the subtitle (!) of his novel. It's supposed to read "blues that doesn't swing."

I had a friend once who refused to eat at any place that had to tell you what it was. (X: An Eatery). He figured if they have to tell you, you don't want to eat there. Similary, another friend once cracked, when we were being involuntarily subjected to a "guest performance" of a celebrated "singer-songwriter," If you have to explain a song before you play it, you didn't write it very well.

Root Doctor · January-13th-2005, 10:12 AM

"Far East Suite," "And His Mother Called Him Bill," and "Afro-Eurasian Eclipse" are great records? Stop the presses for these iconoclastic assessments.

VIBEr · January-13th-2005, 10:14 AM

This is an excellent and informative essay. The statement about all civilized people needing to have some late period Ellington is a little overstated and probably meant to be taken with a sense of humor, but other than that, I agree with everything he has to say in this particular piece.

Gary Sisco · January-13th-2005, 10:18 AM

Well, then, you'll like all of his others.

VIBEr · January-13th-2005, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

Well, then, you'll like all of his others.

Well, not really - I disagree with a lot of what Crouch has to say, but not in this particular essay.

Derek Taylor · January-13th-2005, 10:29 AM

Gary’s point (& my point too) is he’s done *this essay* before in a myriad of formats: in magazine articles, in liner notes, as a talking head on Ken Burns’ JAZZ, on the radio... in pretty much any medium that will allow him to sing the same ol’ boilerplate song. It reads like a "cut 'n paste" job through and through.

Pete C · January-13th-2005, 10:55 AM

And my point is he's not the only one who's saying it.

Gary Sisco · January-13th-2005, 10:59 AM

Are you kidding? Guys have made entire careers out of cutting and pasting this article.

And here I was thinking that writers are supposed to have something new to say when they publish.

No wonder I wasn't able to make a living at it. Who knew?

Derek Taylor · January-13th-2005, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete C

And my point is he's not the only one who's saying it.

Good point, Pete.

clinthopson · January-13th-2005, 11:19 AM

I would assume that Crouch intends to illuminate the great, unwashed masses about Ellington.

Certainly anyone with a good knowledge of jazz is aware of all this.

With voices like Crouch and Wynton how can jazz fail?

John L · January-13th-2005, 11:33 AM

Late period Ellington? I thought this was going to be about the Third Sacred Concert, Live at the Whitney, the Togo Brava Suite...

Calling 1950s Ellington "late" makes me feel pretty damn old.