Jimmy Blanton

[Gornick]

No BS there, Paul, Duke was no dummy. I have been on a serious Duke kick since WKCR did his birthday broadcast a couple weeks back. I think I will ride that kick for a looong minute, see where I come out.

[Jack Clark]

Originally Posted by jazzram

Steve: I am doing a piece about Jimmie's life and I was trying to find out more about his infamous string bass that you refer to on this thread. I just joined the site. I would also be interested in being able to contact anyone from Blanton or Wendell Marshall's family to get some more information. Can you or anyone else help. Thanks, Ralph

The other night I spoke with Herb Jeffires, who sang with Ellington when Blanton was with him, too. I asked him if he remembered Jimmy Blanton and he brightened up and said "James Blanton, bass player, sure I remember him. We were friends; he was a good kid. Died young. Tuberculosis." I don't know if Herb has any stories about Jimmy. I could ask, though, if you want. Not being a bass player himself, I'm not sure that Herb is aware of Blanton's significance in the history of jazz bass.

[MR PC]

Herb must know a thing or two about the history of jazz.....

http://www.herbjeffries.com/

[Jack Clark]

Originally Posted by MR PC

Herb must know a thing or two about the history of jazz.....

http://www.herbjeffries.com/

Yeah, he does. He tells Sidney Bechet's version of the origin of the word "Jazz," which he says Sidney told him himself. But I've never heard him mention the double bass, so I dunno if he's followed that particular line of jazz history.

I was thinking that if I had been an older friend of Jimmy Blanton, knowing that he died at age 23 . . . if I hadn't followed the history of the double bass, I might be stunned to learn that many bassists consider that "kid" I knew to be the "Father" of modern jazz bass. It's hard to believe that a 23-year-old could have developed enough to be the "Father" of any kind of movement.

But you're probably right. Herb's had a l-o-n-g time to accumulate information on jazz, . . . so he probably does know. Maybe I'll run into him again soon. It's a hot summer here, and we both like to hang at the same café-bistro.