1951 - November 15-16

Mezz Mezzrow And His Band November 15-16 1951 

Henry Kahn: Melody Maker December 1 1951 

ALMOST as many people were turned away from the Mezzrow-Collins-Singleton concert, at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, as were admitted. There must have been about 3.000 fans in the vast hall. They were sitting in the gangways' and even on each other's laps.  

They showed their usual impatience when nine o'clock passed and there were no signs of a start, but that always happens over here.  

Finally, the lights started dimming and, when the theatre was blacked out, we heard the strains of "Really The Blues " coming from behind the curtain. The concert had begun.  

Two spotlights picked up Mezz and tenorist Guy Lafitte in a most dramatic fashion-proving that Mezz, if he thought of all this, is quite a showman.  

Monopolised  

It was soon obvious that Mezz was out to prove something. He wanted us to know he could play the clarinet and he monopolised most of the slow numbers.  

When the concert was over I asked one of his greatest fans why. "Because many people say he plays false - and he wanted to prove otherwise," was the answer.  

This may. or may not, be so, but the band as a whole was too good to be elbowed out so often. We did not hear enough of Zutty Singleton, and the fans informed Mezz of this in no uncertain terms; and we could have heard more of Lee Collins, who is a magnificent trumpet player.  

It was immediately obvious that this combination of Mezz, Zutty, Lee Collins, Andre Persiany (piano). Guy Lafitte (tenor) and "Mogli" Jospin (trombone) was going to be good. They had played together for five days only, but there was "feel" and even ness in their playing. The ensemble was highly musical, it swung well and the intonation left nothing be desired. 

I feel quite sure that by the end of their tour, which will take them round Switzerland, France, probably Italy, and North Africa, they will be just about as great a band as Europe can produce. 

No Return 

Hugues Panassie, of the Hot Club de France, who has organised the tour, told me that Mezz has no intention of returning to the States, except to see the family and play a little.  

So the combination may be around for quite a while, and I am wondering if Britain might not be given an opportunity of hearing it.  

Mezz did not play "Black And Blue." which he always says he will play till he dies, particularly well. I thought he played it more like a sentimental ballad than a jazz number.  

This is, perhaps, the one great criticism I have to make. He puts great feeling into these slow numbers, but not nearly enough invention.  

When he plays with the band, in my opinion, he shows greater musicianship.  

He excelled in the "Revolutionary Blues," slipped rather far down with the "Far Away Blues” - but then no musician can be perfect throughout two and a hall hours' playing.  

I think it is fair to say that all trumpet players copy Louis because he succeeded in giving trumpet playing a certain quality which no previous player had ever succeeded in doing. He made the trumpet, with its three valves, a pliable and highly musical instrument. He added a new technique to its noble tones.  

Lee also does that. He is a smooth yet inventive player, not quite as spectacular as Roy Eldridge or Hot Lips, but with a beat of his own which is a joy to hear.  

Lee received a terrific ovation and deserved every handclap and cheer given him.  

Three-quarters of the way through the first part the fans began to grow restless; they wanted Zutty.  

We were given only one Zutty solo before the interval, however. He started with a slow, mysterious roll, with a regular accent on the second beat, and then worked up into a crescendo, using everything he had.  

But Zutty never forgot for one moment that he was playing music, jazz music, and the beat was as regular as a pendulum - and it swung like one, too.  

When the second half of the concert started the fans showed they were hungry for Zutty. Mezz had his programme and refused to be put off.  

You can shout," he told them in English, "but I don't understand French."  

So he let them shout until he was ready to announce a composition by Zutty called " Drum Face." We were given exactly what we expected. The fans roared their heads off. 

Down Beat 25 February 1953 Volume 20 Issue 4 

Zutty Singleton Returns From France Disillusioned And Bitter At Mezzrow  

Have you been hearing wondrous tales about living conditions for American musicians in Europe, and especially for Negro musicians in France? Are you by any chance one of those jazzmen who have seriously considered pulling up your stakes and going over there to live forever in ease and comfort? If so, you would be well advised to listen to the tale of Zutty Singleton and his wife, Marge, who have just returned, after 14-months over there, bitter and disillusioned about the situation in general, and about two gentlemen named Mezz Mezzrow and Hugues Panassie in particular. 

Mezz is the musician described by Nat Hentoff in the Feb. 11 Beat as the Baron Munchausen of jazz. 

“I used to think Mezz and I were friends,” says Zutty, sadly. “The day before he went to jail he ate at our home. The day after he came out of jail he ate at our home. I even used to fight with Condon and all the other guys who laughed at him and were against him. “Mezz sent for me, and for Lee Collins the trumpet player. He painted a rosy picture of conditions over there, promised I’d make no less than $200 a week, guaranteed me six months’ work. He told us we’d never want to come back; so we sold our car, and all our furniture.   

“We got to Paris Nov. 1, 1951, and started working Nov. 19. Things went pretty well and we worked steadily, but conditions in the band were not happy. Mezz would stand up and play that real bad clarinet and the house would come down as if it were Benny Goodman; there were riots in the streets to get in to hear him. Back Home “Then in January Lee Collins left—sick, broke and disgusted. I had to lend him $100 to get home to Chicago. He was in an oxygen tent for the entire Atlantic crossing.” 

Mrs. Singleton picked up the story. “Mezz hired a cheap French trumpet player after Lee left, and gave Zutty a $50 raise; but we were waking up on him all the time. He was a rea! trouble maker. 

“He would go around saying that the Negro being crucified in America and he was going to save them and get every Negro musician to come to Europe. I gave him hell for that. And he would be fighting with the men all the time—once he almost hit the trombonist over the head with his clarinet during a record session.” 

“Well, we got back to Paris in April and opened at a new club called Jazzland,” said Zutty. “Mezz several weeks behind in my money, and on top of that the club closed suddenly after nine days. 

On Friday evening he said he’d go to the bank with me in the morning and get everything straightened out. In the morning I found a note in my mailbox saying he’d gone out of town for a few days. I also found out the banks were closed Saturdays anyway. 

“That was the last I heard from him. The next thing I knew Mezz was in America, owing me $1,615.00.” 

Ask Union Aid 

(Zutty wrote to the union. They never caught up with Mezz during his stay over here, but he was erased from membership in the A.F. of M. Aug. 21, 1952. Mezz has since sent a long letter to the union, accusing Zutty of drunkenness and other heinous crimes, and protesting that he can’t collect enough money to pay Zutty because the men who owe him are now in the army and can’t be sued. The union says there isn’t much it can do while Mezz is out of the country.) 

“After Mezz’ disappearance,” Zutty continued, “I loafed for three months. Man, Paris is the worst place in the world to get broke in; I saw musicians around there who'd been fooled by all the talk about how great things were and now they were living from day to day, working for 2000 francs ($5) a night, just barely getting by. 

Zutty finally got a job with Hot Lips Page and a Belgian band in Knocke for the summer, then returned to Paris and went on a concert tour with Bill Coleman, an American trumpet player who has been eking out an existence in Europe for several years. 

When Zutty and Marge finally planned their return trip, they were the envy of almost every Negro musician stranded in France for want of the fare home. 

“Most of the guys are living poorly. Even well known musicians like Don Byas, Bill Coleman, and Nelson Williams (the trumpet player who used to be with Duke) are just about getting by. Panassie’s agents and Mezz and his friends know that they can get these guys to work for whatever they want to pay them, because they have no choice. The feeling’s getting stronger; they’re gradually freezing up on Mezz and Panassie. 

“Of course, there are some good jobs. Charles Delaunay pays good salaries and is a nice, good, capable fellow.” 

“How does it feel to be back home?” we asked. 

“Wonderful,” said the Singletons simultaneously. 

“We know the people, know the money here; we actually feel freer in America than we did in France,” said Marge. 

“As far as all that talk about being crucified, you know I worked with white bands for years in California before I went to France and I was better off musically and financially,” added Zutty.  

“When I think of things like the night a fan told me he saw old Pops Foster trudging through the snow carrying his bass fiddle—because he couldn’t afford a taxi I wonder how people fall for al! that stuff about conditions in Europe. 

“Marge and I went riding in Central Park the other night. It felt so good, we were so happy. Gee, it’s great to be home!” 

Oh, didn’t he ramble: the life story of Lee Collins by Lee Collins. University of Illinois Press 

The men in the band had been getting along together fine all this time, but then I began to notice a slight difference in Zutty. For the life of me, I could not understand why, as we had never had any words. All I wanted was to get along and blow my horn and make a good job of it. After all, that was what I went over to Europe for in the first place.  

The first time I knew Zutty was angry with me was when his wife Marge saw a poster with my name billed over his. Zutty gave Mezz hell about this. Personally, I didn't care who was billed first because I was Lee Collins, the trumpet player, and he was Zutty Singleton, the drummer, and I was just as good in my field as he was in his. I got my trumpet playing from my grandfather on down, and even with asthma I was not to miss notes, as I knew all kinds of tricks with my horn. But it is not easy trying to catch your breath when you have asthma, let alone play a trumpet.  

After that, Zutty and me spoke sometimes, and sometimes we did not. I wasn't drinking, so after a concert I would go straight to my hotel. The band had planned to cook a big Thanksgiving dinner at one of the French boys' homes after we got to Paris, but because of the turn that things had taken between Zutty and me, Mary and I decided to have a turkey dinner, American style, at Tom's place — a Paris supper club that was owned by an American. After leaving Tom's, we went to where Sidney Bechet was playing at the Vieux Colombier with Claude Luter's French band. We enjoyed ourselves that night.  

But after that I began to hate it that I had come to Europe. I was used to working happy, and now it seemed like every time we got to a new place something was bound to go wrong. Mezz should have known that if the musicians were happy the band would be better.  

We had another concert scheduled at the Salle Pleyel, but my health was getting worse. On top of the asthma I had a cold from traveling in the car to other jobs we had. We recorded on stage during the Salle Pleyel concert, and to this day I don't know how I ever got through that night, sick as I was. The numbers we recorded were "Really the Blues," "Royal Garden Blues," "Sweet Georgia Brown" and some others.  

The night of the concert I had a burning fever, and afterwards, after the job, my temperature was very high. When I got back to the hotel Mary called a doctor and he told her to either keep me in bed or get me to a hospital. 

Session Information 

Leased from the Vogue Label 

Lee Collins, trumpet; Mowgli Jospin, trombone; Mezz Mezzrow, clarinet; Guy Lafitte, clarinet, tenor sax; Andre Persiany, piano; Zutty Singleton, drums. 

Paris, France, November 15, 1951 

51V4147, If I Could Be With You, BLP 7023 

51V4148, Struttin' With Some Barbecue, BLP 7023 

 

November 16, 1951 

51V4150-2, Blues Jam Up (alt), BLP 7023 

51V4152-2, Blues No One Dug (alt), BLP 7023 

51V4153, Mezzerola Blues, BLP 7023 

51V4155, Blues Des Annees 20 (as Blues Of The Twenties), BLP 7023