 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2012-07-26 18:56
Hey everyone,
In an effort to raise the profile of jazz clarinet, and frustrated that he wasn't even on the ballot, I've started a write-in campaign to get Pete Fountain into the DownBeat Hall of Fame. You can vote by going to http://www.downbeat.com/
I've also linked from my blog. Fortunately, DB provides boxes for write-ins, so it's pretty easy to send a message, if enough of us want to.
Pete's playing has always inspired me. If he's inspired you too, I encourage you to join the campaign!
Eric
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The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-07-27 16:45
My guess is that he was a retro figure by the time he was doing his standard New Orleans style of playing. Perhaps "DownBeat" is looking to place those who 'established' a style rather than simply carried it forward. Pete was no Beethoven.
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2012-07-27 17:31
Paul,
Pete's style was not so backward looking as you might think. When he returned to NOLA in 1959, he established a combo that played a stylistic fusion of the old New Orleans sound with a modern jazz conception similar to the Brubeck Quartet. It was unique--and documented on albums such as "Pete Fountain's French Quarter", "Live at the Bateau Lounge", "Pete's Place" and others--most of which have never been reissued on CD, and belong only to those willing to listen to vinyl--but were extremely popular in their day and deserve another listen (to my ears, they never go out of style). In short, Pete presented another way forward with jazz clarinet--neither a reunion band nor bebop. His albums after 1959 (except the work with Al Hirt) are almost all forward looking for the next decade or so--not traditional New Orleans jazz (just ask a real traditionalist--they'll tell you Pete ain't it).
Second, Pete returned to New Orleans at a time when it was difficult to be a gigging professional jazz musician there: he helped solidify the music scene for several decades, making it the jazz center is should be, culturally. That's an important contribution.
The DB Hall of Fame has many players who aren't "Beethoven"--and even a large number of musicians who were at best second-tier in their day. To vote for Pete would raise awareness of a unique approach to jazz, and an important figure in jazz history. Not a bad thing to do.
Eric
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The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: Buster
Date: 2012-07-27 18:15
Let's do some research...
Pete was not a retro-clarinetist doing a standard style of NOLA clarinet playing.
If a "fault" is to be stated, one could say that he in fact was too modern in his playing of the New Orleans style. Assuredly, George Lewis (a member of the 'old-guard' Naw'lins cats) could not have fit into the more modern "swinging" Lawrence Welk Orchestra, as a toupee'd Pete did..... but bourbon don't mix well with champagne.
In fact, if the pillars of 'the' New Orleans clarinet style are known, such as the work of Lewis, Barney Bigard, Sidney Bechet, Ed Hall, Johnny Dodds on-in-to Omer Simeon... a far broader palette of sound/style is parenthetically encompassed.
To further the truth, many of the clarinetists that weened themselves in New Orleans went on to do much of their work in the Chicago bands: where does the dividing line truly lie? Omer and Johnny were workin' in Chi-town, but still went back to record with Jelly Roll Morton for his Red Hot Peppers sessions. What style could they be said to lie in... NewChicagOrleans?
Ed Hall and Bechet spent a great deal of time playing abroad; both in Europe and Africa... where do they fit into the larger puzzle?
Pete took a mix of Fazola and Benny Goodman (a New Orleans and a Chicago clarinetist) to be his ideal and made his own concoction of the 2. Reward it or not in one's own mind, that is the truth as Pete himself even states it.
That can be seen as a mere continuance of the New Orleans style, a unique personal combination of varying influences, or a bastardization of all involved parties.... at least knowing what is being guessed about can be helpful.
The "retro-" New Orleans style is scarcely heard these days.... sorry, but the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, as much as I dig'em, is not representative of the old New Orleans style.
Should that be ignored or merely accepted?.... if accepted, then Pete is not at all retro in his approach as he combines the old NOLA style with modern influences just as the Dirty Dozen. Does that make him more eligible?
If Pete is viewed to be a non-innovator, or 'not a person X', then others already residing in the DownBeat Hall of Fame could conversely be thrown out. Cannonball, Rollins, Lee Morgan, Stitt, Joe Henderson or Jackie McLean were monster players, but did not establish a new "style" of jazz. Are they less worthy of residing in the marble-floored Hall of Fame? How about the aberration that is Sun Ra?
I'd say voting for Pete Fountain is ultimately a personal decision... but the reasoning behind it all should be stated truthfully.
-Jason
Post Edited (2012-07-27 18:20)
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2012-07-27 18:29
Sing it, Jason! Now that's some intelligent discussion!
For a bit of perspective on the Brass Band history that Jason alludes to, interested folks can check out Dr Michael White's first hand accounts of an era that saw a strong change from the old tradition. He's written an article entitled "Dr. Michael White: the Doc Paulin Years (1975-79)" for Tulane University's The Jazz Archivist, Volume XXIII (2010).
Eric
******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2012-07-27 20:05
My vote is in. All of you know much more about Fountain's career and background than I do, but I just enjoy his playing (no matter what he plays).
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2012-07-27 20:41
Perhaps it's worth mentioning that I don't think DB was snubbing Pete at all--they provide the write-in boxes for precisely this purpose, and while the editors certainly have their own opinions, I doubt they're "looking for" something super-specific (the diversity on their list of suggestions is enough proof of that). They want to honor great jazz musicians, period. If we create enough of a surge, we'll remind those who might have forgotten how great Pete was, and maybe generate some interest. Who knows, we might even spark enough to get him in this year. I hope so, at least.
Heck, if my posts have convinced anyone to buy some old vinyl of Pete, they'll have been worth it. Who has too much joy in their lives?
Eric
******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2012-08-21 14:59
This is the last day to vote in the DB poll: http://www.downbeat.com/...we have thousands of young ideologues going door to door with our slogans:
"Are You Better Off Now than you were after the last DB poll?"
"It's the Sound, Stupid"
"Hope and Swing"
"Free Bourbon" (okay, that one is a political lie, but the college kids seem to dig it...)
"A vote for Pete is the best way to bring recognition to the drumming of Jack Sperling."
Eric
******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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