DownBeat February 1994 [antikvár]

ON THE BEAT DOW\BEAT February 1994 Classics, Heart Soul by Frank Alkyer John Ephland 'ith this issue of Down Beat, we begin a yearlong celebration of our 60th anniversary For us, it's a chance to look back and reflect on a proud history as well as set a course for a proud future. For you, it means lots of good reading. That reading begins with The Classic Interviews. We couldn't think of a better way to kick off this party than to go through more than 1,400 issues and bring back a few of the choice articles that helped build the Down Beat legacy But, to be honest, our research also created some serious challenges. It was easy to include the magazine's first real interview, a 1935 gem with Louis Armstrong titled, "My Chops Was Beat." After Pops, you would think the list of names to be included would just roll right along. And, you're right. They rolled, and rolled, and rolled . . . until we had a list that could fill, well, some 1,400 issues of Down Beat. So, the editorial staff locked itself in a room and the negotiations (to put it politely) began. How can we reprint an interview on drum god Buddy Rich and not include one on Gene Krupa, Max Roach, Jo Jones, or Art Blakey? We've got Ellington and Basie, but what Jazz, blues, and beyond: Ornette Coleman about Benny Goodman, the Dorseys, Woody Herman, or Sun Ra? As for blues greats. Muddy Waters is featured in a timely 1964 interview, but we wrestled with some great pieces on John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, Bessie Smith, Howlin' Wolf, and others before making our final decision. The same held true for the great "Beyond." Should we choose the Doors' Jim Morrison (who requested a DB interview simply because we would discuss music with him instead of the color of his underwear), or Sting, or Merle Haggard, or Judy Garland? We settled on our sole Jimi Hen-drix interview—a candid, insightful piece from 1968 that predates his guitar-guru status. And, what about singers? Their impact on jazz' popularity and expression is immeasur- able. But. a few names must suffice. We selected interviews with Lady Day from 1947 and Frank Sinatra from 1953. The words of Ella, Joe Williams, and Sarah Vaughan will just have to wait for another issue. Another issue? That's the ticket. As we said earlier. The Classic Interviews kicks off our anniversary. but there's plenty more. Our actual anniversary date is in July, so we're planning to offer up a variety of special issues and features throughout the year. L As for this project, searching for ^ the best of the best interviews has 5 been a journey of cultural discov-I ery. It's amazing to go through the 5 pages of Down Beat and see how it represents a sort of diary for the 20th century. "Music News From Coast To Coast," as the original banner stated back in 1934, has meant music coverage in the midst of war, the growth of unionism, and issues of race, to name a few subjects. We only wish we had more time to savor not only the articles, but the changing musical and journalistic styles. To dissect what was hot and what wasn't, what was groundbreaking and what, in hindsight, was laughable. The Classic Interviews offers you a few pages of that diary. We hope they give you pause to remember some great artists, or to discover them for the first time. But most of all, we hope they bring a smile to your face. Thanks for reading all these years. And, of course, we'll be in your mailbox or on your local newsstand again next month— working toward that next 60 years. DB