' the BBC had interviewed Elvis Costello in her apartment..'

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:14 am

http://jazzshark.blogspot.com/2005/11/g ... arlem.html

Monday, November 07, 2005
A GREAT DAY IN HARLEM

posted by jazzshark at 4:23 PM

( extract)

Yesterday I saw two of the weirdest and most extraordinary gigs I’ve seen in my life.

.......................So we hung out with the Eggplants, had brunch and cheered on the marathon, then headed up to Apartment 3F, 555 Edgecombe Avenue in Sugar Hill (North Harlem). This is the home of Marjorie Eliot, musician and actress, who, for eleven years, has hosted a (free) jazz gig in her front room every Sunday (without fail) at 4pm.
Through the impressive marble lobby, imagining the legendary previous tenants Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Paul Robeson, Johnny Hodges and Andy Kirk (who used to teach Sonny Rollins here) and up to Marjorie’s apartment. We tapped on the door and slipped in.

An interval and Marjorie hands everyone fruit bars and fruit juice in paper cups. Then she speaks again to introduce the musicians and the second set, and also to mention that earlier this week the BBC had interviewed Elvis Costello in her apartment about the tragedy of Katrina in New Orleans. She spoke with great affection for Elvis, who she had not known previously - explaining that she had been incredibly impressed by his knowledge and understanding of racism, prejudice and politics. ‘You do know who Elvis Costello is, don’t you?’ she asked. ‘Yes, Diana Krall’s husband!’ replies someone in the audience……

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 6:04 pm

Guess this is the show - thanks to ReadyToHearTheWorst for this tip -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcone/listings/pr ... 3_15413_60

Imagine...
Tue 17 Jan, 10:35 pm - 11:35 pm 60mins

Sweet Home New Orleans

Alan Yentob presents a documentary tracing the musical heritage of New Orleans - a city that lives and breathes music - and asks what effect Hurricane Katrina will have. He meets musicians like Aaron Neville, Irma Thomas and Clarence 'Frogman' Henry, who have lived and worked there all their lives, and are determined to return despite the devastation. With contributions form Paul McCartney, Dr John, Jools Holland and Elvis Costello.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:00 pm

Great and moving programme. Elvis was typically intelligent and worth listening to. Allen Toussaint is an awesome pianist! Just gorgeous to listen to. Fantastic that Elv is collaborating with him. I know next to nothing of Aaron Neville, but the clip of him live sounded great.

ReadyToHearTheWorst · Post by **ReadyToHearTheWorst** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:04 pm

Yup, the prog was excellent, although I think Elv was a little carried away when he said that 'without Louis Armstrong there'd be no popular music'.

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:56 pm

Satchmo did get the ball rolling in many different ways, that Hot 5 & 7 box should be in every collection, though Elvis does get a bit carried away when he talks music at times. Loved his no bullshit comment that the disaster wasn't a natural disaster, reminding us all that it was manmade due to the systematic neglect of the levees. And Toussant wrote Southern Nights? Who knew. Yes, this does whet the appetite for the album.

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:37 pm

ReadyToHearTheWorst wrote:Yup, the prog was excellent, although I think Elv was a little carried away when he said that 'without Louis Armstrong there'd be no popular music'.

I think he's dead on actually. Every vocalist and instrumentalist who followed Pops owes him a debt. He invented modern vocalization and soloing. He's the prime mover of pop music. And the proof of that is that the other prime movers of pop music all agree. Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, et al all agree that Louis Armstrong paved the way for what they ended up doing.

ReadyToHearTheWorst · Post by **ReadyToHearTheWorst** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:24 am

I don't deny that Jazz/Blues/Rock n Roll owes a huge debt to Satchmo, but to say that 'popular music' wouldn't exist is just daft. Music may have taken different paths, but it would still have found popular forms.

ice nine · Post by **ice nine** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 6:13 pm

I do think Satchmo was the prototype for the rock&roll superstar. The effect of his musicianship can be argued, but he was the first superstar.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 6:37 pm

There'd still be popular music and popular superstars. As if anything could suppress Freddie Mercury...

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 10:09 pm

ReadyToHearTheWorst wrote:I don't deny that Jazz/Blues/Rock n Roll owes a huge debt to Satchmo, but to say that 'popular music' wouldn't exist is just daft. Music may have taken different paths, but it would still have found popular forms.

I think he meant popular music as it exists today. Certainly some form of music would be popular today without Armstrong. But the path that pop music did take would be utterly different without his influence. And you can't limit it to jazz/blues/rock n roll. The rhythmic patter of his singing has been copied by hip hop artists. His songs influenced and were covered by country artists. It's also important to note that Armstrong was the first recording artist to really be a sustained national phenomenon. Others can claim the first recording or the first hit recordings. But Armstrong is the first (thanks ice nine) superstar. And if pop music has been about anything besides the music, it's been about superstars.

At the very least, I think it fair to say that between Satchmo and Woody Guthrie, the groundwork for all that followed was put in place.