Leonard Feather Blindfold Tests

[Plays "Jada" by Bob Brookmeyer, from Traditionalism Revisited, World Pacific Records (1957). Jim Hall: guitar; Dave Bailey: drums.]

Leonard Feather: Okay.

Monica Zetterlund: Can I sit like this?

Leonard Feather: Yeah, you can sit like that...

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah. I know the tune.

Leonard Feather: What's it called?

Monica Zetterlund: Jada Jada Ying Ying Ying. And it must've been, Bob Brookmeyer... and I think you know. And...but the rest I don't know you know, who they are. But I, it swings...

Leonard Feather: Well...

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah, what's more to say? Should I give it stars or what?

Leonard Feather: Yeah, well did you like that kind of music?

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah.

Leonard Feather: Pleasant? Do you want to discuss the guitar and the drums.

Monica Zetterlund: I think, yeah ... the guitar was good it was I don't know who it was though but it was personally.

Leonard Feather: Personal?

Monica Zetterlund: Mm-hmm.

Leonard Feather: Mm-hmm.

Monica Zetterlund: And the drums was very well played, I think. It's simple, not too complicated. I hope it was Brookmeyer... Yes?

Leonard Feather: Well, five stars mean sensational, four is very good, three is good, two is fair and one is bad.

Monica Zetterlund: I think three, then.

Leonard Feather: Oh Okay.

[Plays "I Could Have Danced All Night" by Chet Baker, from Chet Baker Plays the Best of Lerner & Loewe, Riverside Records (1959). Herbie Mann: flute; Bill Evans: piano; Clifford Jarvis: drums; Chet Baker: trumpet.]

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah? I could've danced all night.

Leonard Feather: You know the song?

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah, it's funny. It's difficult for me to say who they are, really. It sounds, it sounds like Miles Davis. I don't know if he recorded that too.

Leonard Feather: Well, you recorded it, didn't you?

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah I did. I did, but not the same way though. I did it as a ballad.

Leonard Feather: In Swedish?

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah. In Swedish. Um... I think I like it. It's at least different. Oh yes, I do. Especially when they're playing soul-less.

Leonard Feather: Mm-hmm.

Monica Zetterlund: And they have different things going on, you know. I couldn't tell though, who is the flute? He sounded very pretty, and very nice tone. Was it Piccolo?

Leonard Feather: Um, I don't think so.

Monica Zetterlund: Or was it...

Leonard Feather: True, I guess.

Monica Zetterlund: Sound very light.

Leonard Feather: How would you rate it?

Monica Zetterlund: Uh... let's see...let me see...sometimes it sounds like Art Blakey on drums but I don't know, the piano, I don't know really. Well, I like it. Let's give it... let's see. No, I couldn't give it one. No, three.

Leonard Feather: Three?

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah, I think so.

Leonard Feather: Okay.

[Plays "Blue Rondo a la Turk" by Dave Brubeck, from Time Out, Columbia Records (1959). Personnel: Paul Desmond: alto saxophone; Joe Morello: drums; Dave Brubeck: piano, composer.]

Leonard Feather: So.

Monica Zetterlund: So? So what? I think it's, I suppose it's very interesting it's full of strength but I don't really care for Brubeck's piano. But I, like Paul Desmond and I like the drummer too. But, it's a kind of strange thing though, It must be one of his compositions, I suppose.

Leonard Feather: You notice the odd time?

Monica Zetterlund: What?

Leonard Feather: The time? It's not a regular 4/4.

Monica Zetterlund: No, no. It's not. No. But, I don't think it's jazz, not really. When Desmond plays it is but when he's you know, it's a good piano player you can hear it and it's strange but I personally don't care for it too much. So, two.

Leonard Feather: All right.

[Plays "Jumpin' In The Morning" by Ray Charles, from What'd I Say, Atlantic Records (1959). Ray Charles: vocal, piano, arranger.]

Monica Zetterlund: Oh, yes Lord. My cigarette...

Leonard Feather: Oh, excuse me.

Monica Zetterlund: Thank you. Ray Charles... I know that, even if it's, it must be an old recording. Because I never heard him like that before but, It was nothing too... It must be him. You could... especially the piano playing, still the same but I prefer him the way things might not be that the recording's are better now. And I don't know what band it was though but I think I prefer him with his own band. They worked out things together. I like it very much. 4, I think.

Leonard Feather: What do you think Ray Charles has?

Monica Zetterlund: Oh yes, the soul.

Leonard Feather: That's what I wanted you to say. Okay.

[Plays "Don't Wait for Henry" by The International Youth Band, from Newport 1958, Columbia Records (1958). Personnel: Bernt Rosengren: tenor saxophone; Kurt Jarnberg: trombone; Marshall Brown: composer.]

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah, I like that. I do. But, it's difficult to say what it is. What I like most is the first tenor solo.

Leonard Feather: The tenor solo?

Monica Zetterlund: Oh yeah, I like that very much. Must be one of these moderns I think.

Leonard Feather: Mhmmm. How about the last trombone song?

Monica Zetterlund: Oh yeah, I love that too. The last one, yeah. It's so difficult for me to say what it is because, I don't think I've heard this band before, together. Must be a session or something, is it?

Leonard Feather: Well I'll tell you later.

Monica Zetterlund: Okay, thank you... The tenor sax verse I like very much. I wouldn't dare to say because I don't know who it was that sounded a little Sonny Rollins and a little Coltrane.

Leonard Feather: You think the band as a whole swung?

Monica Zetterlund: What?

Leonard Feather: The band, swung?

Monica Zetterlund: Oh yeah, definitely. I think.

Leonard Feather: What would you rate it?

Monica Zetterlund: I give it four stars. I think there was atmosphere there.

[Plays "Who Cares?" by Ella Fiztgerald, from George Gershwin Song Book Vol. 2, Verve Records (1957). Personnel: Buddy Bregman: arranger; Ella Fitzgerald: vocals.]

Monica Zetterlund: Mm, That's good. I never heard the tune though, I don't I suppose it's called as long as you care for me or something like that. It was, of course, Ella Fitzgerald and I never heard her do anything bad. She's always great.

Leonard Feather: You like the arrangement?

Monica Zetterlund: Yes, definitely. I do. Is this one of... I never heard it. I like the arrangement very much. Oh, what's more to say? Ella's always Ella.

Leonard Feather: Well you heard Ella in Sweden with a small group, I suppose, haven't you?

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah. Oh, she can, you know, she can sing with small groups and big bands. She's always good, she's, she knows how it goes.

Leonard Feather: Okay, how would you rate it?

Monica Zetterlund: Four.

Leonard Feather: Okay.

[Plays "Brief Encounter" by Harry Arnold and Quincy Jones, from Harry Arnold + Big Band + Quincy Jones = Jazz!, Mercury Records (1958). Personnel: Arne Domnerus: alto saxophone; Rolf Backman: alto saxophone.]

Monica Zetterlund: Oh yeah, I could tell you all about that one and...

Leonard Feather: You heard this before?

Monica Zetterlund: Oh yes, I've heard it once, only once. Well maybe they've done it twice when I've been at the concert too. But, I didn't know until the other day really what it was. When I was home in... and I got homesick so I played it. So I played Quincy's at home again.

Leonard Feather: Oh yeah.

Monica Zetterlund: And I think I must give it four stars because Arne Domnerus he always kills me. Every night even if we play together, every night he always plays good and he comes with new things every time. He doesn't play the same he's always interesting and that proves that he's a good musician.

Leonard Feather: You hear anybody else besides Arne?

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah, it was the other acts was Rolf Backman. I know all the guys. I Think that Quincy wrote the arrangement, didn't he? Yeah, I think he did. Maybe not, but he wrote most of the things on this record but... No he didn't, no he didn't. I don't think he wrote this one, no. I think, well I don't know. Anyway, I like it.

Leonard Feather: Yeah, okay.

[Plays "You Don't Have to Know The Language" by Lena Horne, from Songs by Burke and Van Heusen, Victor Records (1959). Personnel: Ralph Burns: arranger.]

Monica Zetterlund: Hmm, it's Lena Horne. Oh, she's very good. I prefer when I can watch her at the same time. I don't want to listen to her when I can't see her because I think she is one of the greatest artists on the stage. I suppose it's her husband that did the arrangement. Lennie Hayton. Sounds a little bit like it.

Leonard Feather: Did you ever hear the tune before?

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah, Maybe I don't know.

Leonard Feather: Do you understand the lyrics?

Monica Zetterlund: Yes I do. But these things I really prefer to see her do, than to listen to. Like when she does love me or leave me and things like that you can listen to and enjoy very much but this is more or less stage numbers I think. So, for listening I, It's good though. I don't know, three.

Leonard Feather: All right.

Monica Zetterlund: I couldn't give more than three but, I like her anyway. I couldn't give her less either because I like her so much to watch and things like that.

Leonard Feather: What would you give five stars if I played it?

Monica Zetterlund: I know what I would give five stars for, would be some of the things on Progy and Bess with Miles and this Moanin' from this one. That I would give five stars, I think. It's crazy.

Leonard Feather: Which one?

Monica Zetterlund: Moanin'.

Leonard Feather: Moanin', yes by Lambert, Hendricks and Ross.

Monica Zetterlund: Yes, and... of course It's all right and Ain't that love and this Losing hands I think with Ray Charles.

Leonard Feather: Okay.

Monica Zetterlund: And This here with Cannonball, yes. That's something else. Oh, Something Else is good too. That's where fire starts too.

Leonard Feather: Something else by...

Monica Zetterlund: Yeah, Cannonball.

Leonard Feather: Cannonball.

Monica Zetterlund: Hmmm.

Leonard Feather: Yeah.