Tyrants, Bandleaders & Musicians

It has always been believed (and pictured) that movie directors in the old days were tyrants in leather boots, sporting riding crops.  Even the Carol Burnett show did a parody with Harvey Korman emulating such an over-bearing character (Erich von Stroheim in Sunset Boulevard).  I suspect that to some extent this part of silent movie history was probably true.

The Big Bands during their heyday also had their dogmatic drill-sergeant-types. It was rumoured that Tommy Dorsey wasn't the easiest to get along with and he and his brother Jimmy went at it at every turn. Les Brown had his demanding moments, as did Benny Goodman. Of course it's well known that Buddy Rich could also be difficult now and then.

However, there's no denying that they all produced incredible bands with a very high degree of artistry. What can you conclude except that they were perfectionists and perhaps driven by egos.

Benny Goodman came across as a very absorbed individual and totally into "his" music. He was  very competitive and he took his status with the public seriously (Some say, too seriously).   When he lost out in the popularity polls one year in Down Beat Magazine, they say he was very upset. He lost out to his perceived rival Artie Shaw who couldn't have cared one way or the other.

They say that these leaders all had their quirks and idiosyncrasies. Benny Goodman had a habit of calling just about everybody "Pops". They suspect that's because he couldn't remember anyone's name, even musicians that had worked with him for many years. Remembering people's names wasn't a priority with him. Playing the clarinet was.

Maybe there is something to believing that most musicians have big egos and are more or less "free spirits."   If these bandleaders didn't demand a high performance standard, I doubt they would have achieved the excellence that they did.

When I was in the service bands in the United States the higher-ups called us musicians a bunch of "civilians."   We could produce wonderful music and such but our personalities and mannerisms were contrary to their idea of the "military mode."  Let's just say, they didn't care for us very much.

However, being called "civilians" was considered a compliment.  It means we managed not to conform.  Was this a good thing?  I don't know. There is a certain amount of individuality that goes with being an "artist". (musician)

Artie Shaw was also a free spirit and in his lifetime was also famous for being married eight times.  (Maybe that isn't being a free spirit. Maybe that's just being plain reckless.)  He was a strict taskmaster and his band turned out to be one of the best. To this day Shaw's beautiful recording of” Stardust" (Billy Butterfield on solo trumpet) is considered a must-have classic.

Some one once remarked that Artie was an expert on marriage. (Referring to his being married so often.) He denied this and said that if anything he was an expert on divorce.

Some time after the big band era, Ziggy Elman, lead trumpet player for Benny Goodman would continue to sell himself as "The World's Greatest Trumpet Player." This moniker eventually came back to haunt him. 

When he was going through a divorce, his wife at the proceedings used this aggrandizement to win a larger alimony settlement.  She validated her financial request by supporting it with Ziggy's "world" stature.

It would be difficult for Ziggy's attorney to explain to the presiding judge, "Your honour. My client isn't as good as he used to be."   How can you eat those words that came to be so self serving years ago?

Rather than admit that the glory days were gone, Ziggy coughed up the extra cash. 

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