Malletoba Spank
Willie (The Lion) Smith This was the thing about The Lion: a gladiator at heart. Anybody who had a reputation as a piano player had to prove it right there sitting down to the piano and displaying his artistic wares. And when a cat thought he was something special, he usually fell into that trap (or, you might say, the jaws of The Lion) and he always came out with his reputation all skinned up, covered with the lacerations of humiliation, because before he got through too many stanzas The Lion was standing over him, cigar blazing.
Johnny Hodges sometimes sounded beautiful, sometimes romantic, and sometimes people spoke of his tone as being sensuous. I've heard women say his tone was so compelling. With the exception of a year or so, almost his entire career was with us. Many came and left, sometimes to return. So far as wonderful listening audience was concerned, there was a great feeling of expectancy when they looked up and saw Johnny Hodges sitting in the middle of the sax section, in the front row.
Billy Strayhorn Our rapport was the closest. When I was writing my first sacred concert, I was in California and he was in a New York hospital. On the telephone I told him about the concert and that I wanted him to write something, "Introduction, ending, quick transitions," I said. "The title is the first four words of the Bible - In the Beginning God". He had not heard my theme but...Out of six notes representing the six syllables of the four words, only two notes were different.
Mahalia Jackson One of the memorable occasions was when we made "Come Sunday" with her in 1958..."Mahalia, listen, we want to try something different," I said. "We're not going to play, and we're going to put the lights out, and I want you to sing...by yourself." "Duke," I remember her complaining, "you're trying to make an opera singer out of me!" This encounter with Mahalia Jackson had a strong impression on me and my sacred music, and also made me a much handsomer kid in the Right Light.