Posted by Alice Leyland on February 13, 2001 at 16:10:33:
Hi Leslie:
I enjoyed the first few installments of the Burns series, but think they spent too much time on the repeated segments with Louis Armstrong, Billy Holiday, Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Coltrane, Gordon & Davis--particularly when so much of it centered on the seamy side of their lives when that time could have been spent spotlighting our other past (and some still current) greats. Where was Alberta Hunter, Maxine Sullivan, Velma Middleton, Ralph Sutton, Dick Hyman, Albert Ammons, Miff Mole, Jane Jarvis, Dick Wellstood, and progressively, J. J. Johnson & Kai Winding? And Fats Waller only received brief recognition. The last segments completely ignored the wunderkinders of our generation who are keeping the music alive: the New Black Eagles with their superb instrumentalists, Jim Cullum's band, High Sierra, the Rent Party Revelers, Banu Gibson, and the big bands of Hot Tomatoes, Royal Society, Vince Giordano, vocalists Rugy Wilson, Jimmy Mazzy, the list is endless. There was so much current material to pick from but they left their audience, those not aware of today's traditional jazz activities, with the belief that only the atonal stuff was alive. Also, no mention was made of the influence of our music on the overseas bands: Milano, Greentown, Allotria, Fat Sam. Lastly, I hope the Burns staff availed itself of your archives and especially your knowledge. The credits ran by too quickly for me to check. In summation, I had the feeling that if it wasn't a "name", it wouldn't sell.
Hope all's well with you and that your 40" winter snowfall (so far) hasn't
sent your heating bill thru the roof. But if you're not using your gas, send
some to me??? Best....Alice