Leonard Feather Interview, 6 October 1990
RTC 1: Side A
Running Time: 30:00
• Discusses first visits in New York.
• Born and raised in London; became jazz fan by listening to records.
• Met Ellington in Chicago for the first time through Irving Mills' cousin; summer of 1936 Ellington was playing there and Feather went back stage and meant him
Ellington's reputation in England when Feather was still living in England --more so than in the United States; more jazz publications in the early 1930s in Europe than in United States.
• Feels that Ellington did not gain the save level of acceptance as a great artist in United States because of race. Same issues didn't apply in UK.
• First Ellington records- Black and Tan, The Mooch, Creole Love Call
• Check and Double Check film Ellington demeaned by being secondary to white Amos and Andy, but at least Ellington got to perform music on screen.
• First saw Ellington at Palladium in 1933in London with Ivie Anderson, Snake Hips Tucker --was in awe of the music.
• Why did Feather come to the US in 1935? Came on a visit largely because of the music; had met John Hammond; took the ship the Normandy; met many people through John Hammond.
• Went on road with Louis Armstrong and experienced Jim Crow America
Hired by Ellington in 1942 to do publicity and promotion; became part of the Ellington family.
• Black, Brown, and Beige
• Ellington and Strayhorn work habits.
• Morale problems in Ellington Orchestra circa 1943.
RTC 1: Side B (Note: recording starts at 2:00 minute)
Running Time: 28:00
• Morale issues (continued)
• Discipline problems.
• Ellington put up with problems because he knew what he wanted musically.
• Orchestra musicianship and discipline began to fall apart by the end of Ellington's life, particularly after Strayhorn died.
• Johnny Hodges unhappiness with the band.
• Irving Mills --thoughts and memories by Leonard Feather.
• Feather never went to Cotton Club because blacks weren't allowed in the audience.
• Many New York jazz clubs were whites only until the early 1940s.
• Ellington the pragmatist.
• Meeting Helen Oakley (Dance)- produced Ellington small group sessions for Irving Mills and Ellington.
• Ellington income sources during --records provided the smaller amount because of poor jazz record sales; composing income subsidized the band.
• Strayhorn --met him as part of the Ellington "family"; worked with Strayhorn on a blues piano book for Robbins Music; Strayhorn was a delight and a total genius.
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
No release forms exist. Collection items are available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply.
Collection Citation:
Jazz Oral History Collection about Duke Ellington, 1988-1990, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
