The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1947-07-22
This Thing Called Jazz. :.
By F. A. M.

BY F. A. M.
When jazz gets in your blood
it's fatal but it's a nice way tc
suffer. But let's get this straight
jazz lover is not jitterbug type
who passionately yells That hotll'
or Send Mel" and taps his big
size tens on the floor in rhythm tc
a jukebox record.
Getting the jazz habit is like
getting to be baseball fan of the
real dyed-in-wool type. You've
met up with guys who know the
big league standings from day to
day down to the last decimal
point, who know the big ten bat
tiers averages, who know how ma
ny feet a ball has to go to clear
the right field stands at Yankee
Stadium. Well, the jazz addict
runs in that category.
Get a group of characters who
are interested in jazz and let them
discuss some records or some jazz
men. They are not interested in
how many times a tune hit the
Hit Parade or whether it is good to
dance to. They are interested in
what can be and is done to pit
of music by the men who play this
thing called jazz.
Backstage At
A Jazz Concert
After the jazz at the Philharmo-
mic concert which I wrote out
last month, the Nisei in the audi
ence gathered together as the
crowd winnowed out of the Audi
forum and decided to go back
stage for autograph.
I'm not the autograph hound
type but found myself following
in their wake brandishing my pro-
gram. After some showing and
elbowing I ended up with COM
plete coverage from a smiling Hell
en- Humes, who sang a nice 1 Cover
the Waterfront and even better
blues; a glum Coleman Hawkins
with has brim up on the back of
his head; perspiring Trummy
Young cornered on the backstage
stairway, and little dapper Willie
Smith surrounded by tall blonde
lovelies.
Trying to collect our forces who
were battling for autographs all
over the stage we ran smack into
a crowd around promoter Norman
Granz who was telling about jazz.
Naturally we sat in on the ses-
sion.
This Guy Granz
Granz is quite character in
jazz circles. He started promoting,
this Jazz at the Philharmonic idea
some years ago with the idea that
Jazz should not have to be play
ed in gin mills and smoky night
clubs, jazz can have class"
The name jazz at the PhiIa.lar-
nlonic comes from the series of
concerts Granz promoted at the
Les Angeles Philharmonic audi
forum. This was his fourth tour
through the U. S. and Canada.
The Jazz at the Philharmonic
type of jazz music is not for dane
ing. 1t is musical concert, Just
as a classical music concert would
be. Granz presents a program of
jazz performers who are real ar
lists in the jazz form. 7 per-
s0nally like listening to jazz this
way.
Jazz and Dancing
Quite often you get a certain
amc INT of jazz from the better
dance bands who play one-night
stands. But you have to wait
through the usual pops and Hit
Parade stuff to get the bits CT
Jazz. I have nothing against pops
for dancing. 1 like dancing to
pops. But if I go TO hear Louis
Armstrong or Lionel Hampton or
Duke Ellington, am not going to
waste my time dancing because
you don't hear the music when
you're dancing. So I am willing
to stand there for three hours or
more by the stand just listening
But standing while somebody sings
Adobe Hacienda is a waste of time.
So like jazz concerts.
Asnd I don't think that is IS
necessary to dance to records to APP
preciate them. But that's because
l like jazz.
Opinions on the Stuff
To the crowd of jazz fans sur
rounding him, Granz was giving
his opinions on jazz, answering
questions poured onto him by the