Sir, The postwar split in British jazz referred to by Mark Etherington (letters, Jan 9 and 3) was far more than a “trad versus modern” hostility. Each discipline was subdivided into several styles, each with its own vociferous supporters. Traditionalists split into at least three groups: the fundamentalist New Orleans purists (ensemble improvisation, no soloists, exemplified by the Ken Colyer Band); the Armstrong-inspired “Chicago” style groups, with the emphasis on soloists; and the more overtly commercial “white” Dixieland bands. Modernists were split mainly between (American) West Coast “bop” (Dizzie Gillespie, Parker) and East Coast “cool”, with much heat being generated by fierce disputes over whether Dave Brubeck, for instance, actually played jazz at all. Add to all that the rumpus over big “swing” bands, and the 1950s music scene was pretty lively.

Mr Etherington’s problems when attempting to provide satisfactory music for wedding parties remind me of the occasions when, having provided a jazz group as specifically requested by the happy couple, our energetic improvisations have been greeted with urgent demands to make it “more lively”, ie play some pop instead. This is one of many reasons for musicians to avoid weddings.

David Lyon
Shaftesbury, Dorset

Sir, I was present when the great Duke Ellington was arguing with a jazz critic about the merits of Art Tatum. The critic clearly did not share Ellington’s opinion that Tatum was the greatest jazz pianist of all time. Ellington said to him: “I wrote a tune called It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing.” Then he asked the critic, “What is the most important word in that title?” The critic didn’t know. Ellington said: “The most important word is ‘that’,” adding, “Bach swings, Stravinsky swings, but they ain’t got that swing. And if you can’t identify that swing from all the others, don’t come around here talking to me about Tatum!”

David Lee
Kingston upon Thames, Surrey

Sir, John Gray (letter, Jan 7) must be living on a different planet from me if he is able to listen to “the alto sax of Paul Desmond playing with the Modern Jazz Quartet”. The latter consisted of vibraphone, piano, bass and drums. Besides, Dave Brubeck would have missed Paul greatly.

May I also correct those quoting Louis Armstrong as saying “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know”? It was Fats Waller who was asked what rhythm meant, and his snappy reply was: “Lady, if you has to ask, you ain’t got it.”

Terry Dwyer
Loughborough, Leics

Sir, Isn’t jazz best summed up by Miles Davis’s defining comment: “Think of a note. Don’t play it.”

Ian Harris
Liverpool

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