One day before Ellington’s birthday, here’s something fascinating: This audio interview with Duke has been heard by a few Ellington specialists, but it is still unknown to most people, so I’ve decided to share it with you here, along with my new research on it. As Nat Hentoff says in his introduction, he was then
Exactly-- people think it was always solo piano, but that's not the case. And yes, definitely pipe organs in some cases--they still exist in some historic former movie theaters. THANK YOU DAVID
Thanks Jim--you were on the right track--I updated the essay because David Palmquist found out that the award was given a few days BEFORE the 26th, which solves the dating problem. THANK YOU JIM
Wendell Marshall was Blanton’s cousin and played Blanton’s bass? Didn’t know that. Thanks for sharing this. Good to hear Duke talk about Henderson and Armstrong, too.
intriguing
Depending on the size and structure of the theatre, it was either a piano player, an orchestra, or a player of the "mighty Wurlitzer" organ.
Exactly-- people think it was always solo piano, but that's not the case. And yes, definitely pipe organs in some cases--they still exist in some historic former movie theaters. THANK YOU DAVID
Clearly this is off the air.
A thought about your dating this precisely -- might the reference to the NEC award have been the announcement of it, not the ceremony?
Thanks Jim--you were on the right track--I updated the essay because David Palmquist found out that the award was given a few days BEFORE the 26th, which solves the dating problem. THANK YOU JIM
Wendell Marshall was Blanton’s cousin and played Blanton’s bass? Didn’t know that. Thanks for sharing this. Good to hear Duke talk about Henderson and Armstrong, too.
Absolutely--sometimes "family connections" are very distant, but Marshall was indeed a first cousin to Blanton . More info here:
https://www.mattheyman.com/pitter-panter-chatter
THANK YOU LAZARO