how does a largely white audience effect the music?

[Albert System]

Yes- refer to my earlier post. It is well known, and has been stated by many jazz artists beginning in the 20's, that producers had black bands record blues, and white bands record more "proper" type songs like waltzes and trite pop tunes, because that is what they thought would sell. Again- white bands played blues, but did not record them. Black bands played waltzes and fox trots, but did not record them. Recording sessions before the '60's were mainly a vision of what the producer thought would sell, and did not reflect the repertoire of the bands when they played gigs.

[Lawrence]

Does using this quote suggest that we are still hopelessly mired in outdated stereotypes? Are there still "rice and beans" black audiences who want simple swing music and don't dig bebop?

Again, I wildly and rudely suggest that perhaps the enthusiasm and attentiveness of the audience is far more important than the color of the audience or how brightly their skin reflects light back to the stage. ("Ow, the glare!! Damn, I wish they were all black!")

Are you saying that when that quote was written there was a large audience for bebop? There was a reason why jump blues became more popular than jazz. I think there a song called "This Joint Is Too Hip For Me" that pokes fun at bebop. If you are implying that the dance crowd (i.e., the Saturday Night Function crowd) wanted to hear bebop, I would like to see the evidence.

If you are saying that race doesn't play a role when evaluating an audience then I don't know what world you live in. That is not to say that race is the only determinant but it is a factor. And no one said that jazz musicians preferred a black audience to a white audience. If that was true, so many of them would not have gone to Europe (although there were additional Jim Crow reasons for enjoying the European experience). And no one has suggested that black audiences would not listen to white bands either. I met a gentleman at Tower Records one night who had lived through the swing era in Washington DC who noted that Benny Goodman was a popular downtown as he was at the Howard Theatre. Of course he wasn't allowed to watch Benny Goodman downtown so couldn't really comment on that experience, but he could confirm it was standing room only at the Howard Theatre. He was also a good example of how race is not a determinant of taste since he was huge Stan Kenton fan.

Without the distractions and tangents, I think the point I was getting at is simply the following: perhaps the enthusiasm and attentiveness of the audience is far more important than the color of the audience or how brightly their skin reflects light back to the stage.

[CafeSavoy]

[Without the distractions and tangents, I think the point I was getting at is simply the following: perhaps the enthusiasm and attentiveness of the audience is far more important than the color of the audience or how brightly their skin reflects light back to the stage.

no one disagrees with that. however your response did skirt the question. Incidentally, have you read Albert Murray's Stomping The Blues? I'd be interested in your review.

[Lawrence]

[Without the distractions and tangents, I think the point I was getting at is simply the following: perhaps the enthusiasm and attentiveness of the audience is far more important than the color of the audience or how brightly their skin reflects light back to the stage.

no one disagrees with that. however your response did skirt the question. Incidentally, have you read Albert Murray's Stomping The Blues? I'd be interested in your review.

Yes, my response was an obtuse way of responding to the question, "Not that much," and re-focusing on what really matters.

I have not read that book.