Terry Teachout's Unlikely Duke

A few years ago I picked up Terry Teachout's then recent (2013) biography of Duke Ellington. I looked at the first pages, thumbed through the book, put it back on the shelf; saying to myself, "This is not for me" - there was an nasty smell about the book.
     Duke Ellington's nephew, Stephen James has taken steps to set the historical record straight in a thoughtful calling out of Mr. Teachout and his Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington. Mr. James' essay is to be found online at
                                http://jjs.libraries.rutgers.edu/index.php/jjs/article/view/77
     As I mentioned to a friend today, when we were growing up musically we had WQXR's John S. Wilson to contend with. Today Terry Teachout of the Wall Street Journal is our burden.
     For those who desire to know, David Schiff's The Ellington Century and, of course, Gunther Schuller's writings on Ellington and much else are the places to go.

Bud Freeman & Chicago Cats

I've been listening to tenor-man Bud Freeman's 1929 - 1940 recordings with Pee Wee Russell, Jess Stacy, Jack Teagarden, Grachan Moncur, Gene Krupa, Big Sid Catlett and many other midwestern worthies - some Benny Goodman, Bunny Berigan, and Tommy Dorsey too. Bud Freeman's tenor, his use of vibrato, reminds me of Anthony Braxton while his ensembles with Pee Wee Russell and Jack Teagarden  remind me of Mingus.

The pianist, Jess Stacy's music has been closely attended to me lately. He was many years Benny Goodman's main piano-man. Stacy was married to the great and wonderful singer Lee Wiley for three/five years. Her performances of "Sugar" and especially "Steamboat Tennessee" with Stacy and friends are captivating. Take a look at Will Friedwald's insightful study Jazz Singing: America's Great Voices From Bessie Smith to BeBop and Beyond.