Hear Me Talkin' To Ya: The Classic Story of Jazz as Told by the Men Who Made It

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

360-361

text excerpt

In 1943, […] the three big draws on The Street [52nd St., New York] were Art Tatum, Coleman Hawkins, and Billie Holiday. And things were flexible for musicians on The Street. Like Don Byas might have an engagement at the Three Deuces as a leader, and then he'd go next door to the Downbeat as a sideman with Coleman Hawkins.

The cutting sessions there were just fantastic. With all of the musicians regularly working on The Street and with all those sitting in, astonishing sessions were inevitable. There were nights with five trumpets on the stand and five saxophones. And one night Leonard Feather had a session at the Three Deuces with four vibraphonists. The Three Deuces was a pretty narrow room, but every one of them on that Monday session had his own instrument set up, and each one was out to outplay the other.

excerpt from 'Hear Me Talkin' To Ya: The Classic Story of Jazz as Told by the Men Who Made It' pp. 360-361 (145 words)

1435925369226:

1435925369226