Leonard Feather Blindfold Tests

[Plays "Moanin'" by Ray Charles, from Genius+Soul=Jazz, Impulse! Records (1961). Personnel: Ray Charles: organ; Bobby Timmons: composer.]

Leonard Feather: I guess you've heard that before, haven't you?

Art Blakey: Yeah, I like that. Ray Charles. A lot of bands have recorded that too, Bobby ought to be rich.

Leonard Feather: How long has it been since you introduced that? You made the first record, didn't you?

Art Blakey: It's only four years, seems like longer, so much happened.

Art Blakey: Yeah.

Leonard Feather: You think that arrangement?

Art Blakey: He came up on, didn't he?

Leonard Feather: Yeah, he sure did.

Art Blakey: He was fooling around out there in Columbus, Ohio. He had been banging around the piano. We just had a rehearsal one day and put it together.

Leonard Feather: Is that right?

Art Blakey: Then he goes, "What was that?" Put it together. He made Bobby put it together because he wasn't going to do it. He was thinking about, I don't know. He was just messing around with some chords.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: And he put it together, it was a good thing.

Leonard Feather: Do you think this arrangement got the right spirit with feelings of...

Art Blakey: Yeah, for a big band I think it was wonderful at the time, that they had been playing it together. Of course we play it over every night and it begins to be better.

Leonard Feather: Gels, yeah.

Art Blakey: Gels. And the way that Benny and Lee would work together on it, how they attacked. It's not as many people.

Leonard Feather: Yeah, that's easier to get them...closer together

Art Blakey: It's easier to do it, yeah.

Leonard Feather: Do you think it was pretty good considering that?

Art Blakey: Yeah. It's good for what they had to do, that's something.

Leonard Feather: What do you say about three stars worth, good? It's a little rating you know. Five is the top.

Art Blakey: Well, it's a good record, yeah. It's very good because I see him and I liked the way it went down.

Leonard Feather: Yeah. All right, let me see. The guy got an exquisite arrangement.

[Plays "Evad Smurd" by Dave Bailey, from Gettin' into Somethin', Epic Records (1961). Personnel: Dave Bailey: drums; Clark Terry: trumpet, composer; Curtis Fuller: trombone.]

Unknown Speaker: All those pictures we haven't decided on them, so.

Leonard Feather: Oh, [crosstalk 00:13:14].

Unknown Speaker: I'll ask tonight and pick [crosstalk 00:13:14].

Leonard Feather: Oh, that's right, you'll all be down to the public before you close anyway.

Unknown Speaker: Well, our problem is I have no...to get to them.

Leonard Feather: All right, fine, sure. Yeah, there's no rush on that, anytime before you leave town.

Unknown Speaker: Yeah.

Leonard Feather: Did you say when that was, Art?

Art Blakey: Oh, I don't know.

Leonard Feather: You start up thinking you know and changed your mind. Well anyhow.

Art Blakey: That's Clark Terry.

Leonard Feather: Sure enough, can't mistake him.

Art Blakey: No. Bobby Brookmeyer, isn't it?

Leonard Feather: Yeah, I haven't noticed him.

Art Blakey: Bobby Brookmeyer, I think it is. I don't know.

Leonard Feather: What did you think of it?

Art Blakey: I liked that, that's good.

Leonard Feather: Good drumming technique?

Art Blakey: Sure.

Leonard Feather: The whole thing because, it was the...

Art Blakey: He had a hell of a beat, he had a good beat. He sounds like a lot of people I know.

Leonard Feather: What groove would you say it is? What style of drums do you think he's listened to? He played disco, can't you tell.

Art Blakey: Well, I think that he listened to everybody. I guess it's either O.C or Dave Bailey. It's either one of them two.

Leonard Feather: That's right.

Art Blakey: It was O.C?

Leonard Feather: When he threw up I'll tell you who it was, it was one of those two though, you're right. What would you say> That they were just very efficient all-round drummers, or what?

Art Blakey: Sure. I know they were. I was thinking of that, it was O.C because of the arrangement, I know O.C writes.

Leonard Feather: Yeah, all right.

Art Blakey: Write things like that.

Leonard Feather: That's true. How would you rate it?

Art Blakey: Is that it?

Leonard Feather: No. It's down on the floor somewhere, I'll get up. No, one is poor, two is fair, three is good, four is very good and five is sensational.

Art Blakey: Well, it's four.

Leonard Feather: Four? All right. And the other one before, Moanin', what do you give that?

Art Blakey: That's four.

Leonard Feather: Four so far? Yeah, that was Dave Bailey. And of course Clark Terry. Just a moment.

[Plays "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" by Joe Morello, from It's About Time, RCA Victor (1962). Personnel: Joe Morello: drums; Manny Album: arranger.]

Art Blakey: Who was that? That sounds like Quincy's arrangement. [inaudible crosstalk]

Leonard Feather: Well, the music in question, regardless of who it was. What did it lack, what did it have?

Art Blakey: It didn't lack anything. I guess that's the way they wanted to play it, but it didn't lack anything. I don't think big bands is for drummers, because he doesn't have enough freedom to do the things that you want to do, because I think it's too many personalities, or something, to fool with. We need them too, we need big bands but they are not together long enough to have that real feeling that a band should have. If we had big bands on the road like it used to be, the guys get to live with each other, then we have some big band music. But it's pretty hard to take a band and throw it together.

Leonard Feather: That's what it sounds like.

Art Blakey: No, it sounds good, it sounds hitting together but you can tell that they haven't worked together.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: You're trying to make a good record date and it's very hard. I wish we had more big bands because it would be a school for the cats.

Leonard Feather: Yeah, that's true.

Art Blakey: It would help so many young kids out, straighten them right up. It would help them but since we don't have them, pretty hard to put a date together.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: It was a good record.

Leonard Feather: Good record but it didn't gas you up inside.

Art Blakey: Well, I think it was the tempo, it was changing too much for me.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: It's good but the tempo changes a little bit too much for me. Well, it's kind of hard to go from one extreme directly into another, unless you're going into a mambo or something.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: Tasteful into another rhythm.

Leonard Feather: I see what you mean, in other words change the meter as well as the tempo.

Art Blakey: Yeah. He did it with, you know it gels pretty good in the opening. It sounds like Randy.

Leonard Feather: Yeah. Did you want to pass on rating that?

Art Blakey: Because did would not be the way the cats write today. They write in one mood and then they go into another one, without upsetting the apple cart.

Leonard Feather: A natural transition.

Art Blakey: Yeah. To get into it.

Leonard Feather: Just let it go that, not rate it, we'll give it fair, two stars.

Art Blakey: It's a good arrangement, it was well played and I think they should get some...

[Play "Be-Bop" by Milt Jackson and John Coltrane, from Bags & Trane, Atlantic Records (1959). Personnel: Milt Jackson: vibes; John Coltrane: tenor saxophone; Hank Jones: piano; Paul Chambers: bass; Connie Kay: drums.]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6_3BiszoIU

Art Blakey: I haven't got the least idea what it is.

Leonard Feather: Nevermind that.

Art Blakey: I'd like to know.

Leonard Feather: Aha. Does it mean you liked it?

Art Blakey: Yeah.

Leonard Feather: Which did you like the best?

Art Blakey: What?

Leonard Feather: Which of the guys did you like best? Or what did you like about it?

Art Blakey: Of this tune?

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: The rhythm section was good. We play, he was cooking. I don't know what was playing. Somebody I don't know.

Leonard Feather: You liked all of them, all the solos?

Art Blakey: I didn't listen to the solos.

Leonard Feather: Really?

Art Blakey: No.

Leonard Feather: Too busy listening to the rhythm section?

Art Blakey: Yes, I was listening to the rhythm section. The solo is something I don't know what happened in there. It just didn't get my attention. The rhythm section had me that time.

Leonard Feather: Well, all right.

Art Blakey: I'm prejudiced.

Leonard Feather: I guess it's [crosstalk 00:21:13].

Art Blakey: The rhythm section.

Leonard Feather: So you didn't notice the [crosstalk 00:21:13]?

Art Blakey: Well I'll tell you what I like about horns. I think a man with his horn is like Bird said. What's in a man come out when he plays his instrument. He wasn't too positive about what he was doing because he would get that presence anytime you hear Fat Girl, or you hear Diz or you hear Miles. You've got to listen to them and it's all.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: Clifford even wants to listen to him. Lee Morgan, these guys you've got to listen to. Freddie Hubbard, they command your attention while your listening. Not that it command your attention, but something happens. You can do it but this is very important. I think the guys playing the horn, he's got all the best of everything. You've got a melody instrument, you're supposed to get in there. If he don't, the rhythm section is cooking and right behind they're going to take it away from him, he's got no business up there.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: You've got that presence, you've got to have presence. Everybody can't but some guys do, be in a solo, some guys.

Leonard Feather: Yes, that's right.

Art Blakey: Most guys got it. You know Clark Terry, so that's something. Make you listen to him whatever he's playing.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: Cullum got that. Benny Goodman had that too man, he make you listen to him.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: Regardless of what he's doing. Pops got it. They just make you listen. I'll tell you what, you know what Leonard? You've got to hear Bud Powell.

Leonard Feather: Oh yes, he's still making them as well.

Art Blakey: Oh, he's cooking.

Leonard Feather: That's wonderful. I saw him in Paris about three years ago and he was in very good shape then.

Art Blakey: Oh, he's in much better shape now.

Leonard Feather: Downstairs place, you know the...

Art Blakey: Uh, that's where he was working?

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

[Plays "Big Foot" by Buddy Rich and Max Roach, from Rich Versus Roach, Mercury Records (1959). Personnel: Buddy Rich: drums; Max Roach: drums.]

Art Blakey: We've got a picture there, look at that pitcure, yeah. Two different men.

Leonard Feather: How about that one?

Art Blakey: That was Buddy Rich, right?

Leonard Feather: Well, partly. Art, do you want to hear some of it again?

Art Blakey: Yeah.

Leonard Feather: It wasn't all Buddy Rich.

Art Blakey: Oh?

Leonard Feather: Just a minute. [Plays excerpt from the same tune]. There you go now.

Art Blakey: That's Max and Buddy, right?

Leonard Feather: That's it.

Art Blakey: Huh?

Leonard Feather: I'm not supposed to say anything, but you guessed it. Here you go. Did you ever hear that before, any of those things?

Art Blakey: No. Never heard that before.

Leonard Feather: What do you think of the effect?

Art Blakey: The drumming part was good, come off good. And they made it on time, they made the fourth on time which is something. It isn't done, it's always done with exceptional people, exceptional drummers. Because most drummers can't cooperate like that, they try to outplay each other and they ain't cooperating. This was like they cooperated together.

Leonard Feather: Yeah, that's right.

Art Blakey: It was nice, it was beautiful. So that's why I thought it was good.

Leonard Feather: Very good. The drumming part, what about the rest of it?

Art Blakey: I didn't...

Leonard Feather: Pay too much mind?

Art Blakey: Too much attention to it.

Leonard Feather: Well it was pretty sloppy.

Art Blakey: Mm-hmm. Then again they had to get something together real quick.

Leonard Feather: Yeah, I guess so. Do you like it or not?

Art Blakey: Yeah.

Leonard Feather: Do you want to say anything about either Max or Buddy individually?

Art Blakey: Well, I love both of them. Very tight, all of this. That's the way it is, it's a good thing that people get a chance to hear them together.

Leonard Feather: Yeah, that's right.

[Plays "Turchentine" by Barry Miles, from Miles of Genius, Charlie Parker Records (1961). Personnel: Barry Miles: drums].

Art Blakey: I haven't got the faintest idea who that was.

Leonard Feather: Well, it's not who it was.

Art Blakey: Huh?

Leonard Feather: It doesn't matter. I didn't play it for you to guess it, just to see what you thought. Is anything happening?

Art Blakey: What do I reckon?

Leonard Feather: Mm-hmm.

Art Blakey: Yeah, they were playing it swinging, as hard as they could.

Leonard Feather: Regarding the drummer?

Art Blakey: He was trying to swing. He was cooking, he kept it together.

Leonard Feather: Mm-hmm.

Art Blakey: Kept the thing together. But he was playing very good and once again I didn't listen to the solos.

Leonard Feather: Maybe they weren't worth listening to.

Art Blakey: Maybe, but I think they were. I think they're worth listening to because they're just trying, everybody trying to get it together. I haven't got an idea who it is.

Leonard Feather: No, you wouldn't know who this is.

Art Blakey: Can't figure it out.

Leonard Feather: Would you give it a good rating? Three or something?

Art Blakey: Yeah. Now, who was it?

Leonard Feather: Hang on. I'll tell you who this was because it's rather interesting. This is a kid named Barry Miles who's 14 years old. This drummer has been playing around a year now, I think. Ever heard of him?

Art Blakey: 14 years old?

Leonard Feather: Yeah, he was playing like this from the age of about nine and he's now 14. It was interesting that you didn't notice that there was something unprofessional about the drumming. Evidently he's pretty damn good for that age. You never heard of him?

Art Blakey: He's good for any age.

Leonard Feather: How about that. This is on Charlie Parker's label. Charlie Parker records, his first album. Isn't that interesting? How about that?

Art Blakey: Ain't that something?

Leonard Feather: There's...

[Plays "Little Karin" by Benny Golson, from Take a Number from 1 to 10, Argo Records (1961). Personnel: Benny Golson: tenor saxophone, composer, arranger].

Leonard Feather: How do you like that?

Art Blakey: That was Benny Golson. Benny Golson arrangement.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: I never heard that before either, but I know it was him.

Leonard Feather: Yeah, you liked the sound?

Art Blakey: Yeah.

Leonard Feather: Pretty huh?

Art Blakey: Mm-hmm.

Leonard Feather: How long have you known Benny?

Art Blakey: Quite a long time. I met him in Dizzy's band, I met him way before that.

Leonard Feather: Oh, really? The old band?

Art Blakey: Yeah.

Leonard Feather: Oh yeah. And he worked for you about a year and a half, was it?

Art Blakey: Yeah. He was wonderful too in that band. He's an organization type of guy, everything has got to be straight ahead.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: Which is a wonderful thing. But not a thing to deflower, he's got his own, if he could make himself more flexible.

Leonard Feather: Yeah. You like his sound?

Art Blakey: He sure writes pretty things.

Leonard Feather: And do you like his sound? That kind of sound on tenor?

Art Blakey: Yeah, I like that.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.

Art Blakey: Sure, I was raised up in that.

Leonard Feather: That's right.

Art Blakey: I like that thing.

Leonard Feather: Traditional kind of sound.

Art Blakey: Yeah.

Leonard Feather: That's good.

Art Blakey: Very good.

Leonard Feather: How would you rate that out of five?

Art Blakey: He should get five for that.

Leonard Feather: Very good, our first five star record.