GLBT jazz musicians

[Christiern]

Count me among those who never heard that Fats Navarro was G, L, B, or T.

Playing a recording by Bessie Smith and Porter Grainger will take care of two.

[clifford_thornton]

Thanks Chris.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind some corroboration on the Navarro bit.

Any other thoughts, especially on players in the modern/post-1950s idiom? I don't want to out people, obviously, but I want to show a range of musicians in the field who are part of the GLBT continuum as well. Too bad there's just not a lot of documentation, though I suppose in most if not all ways it's better that people be valued for their art rather than sexual preference.

[sonnymax]

Nice article by James Gavin in the December 2001 issue of JazzTimes, Homophobia In Jazz, including quotes from Chris A.

[paul secor]

Seems as if there are names being thrown out here without any substantiation.

[Niko]

Seems as if there are names being thrown out here without any substantiation.

true, but part of not making a big deal of some people being GLBT is not being afraid of throwing in a name without being certain...

[paul secor]

Seems as if there are names being thrown out here without any substantiation.

true, but part of not making a big deal of some people being GLBT is not being afraid of throwing in a name without being certain...

Unfortunately, it is a big deal in some areas of our society. And what's not a big deal to you may be a very big deal to someone whose name is mentioned without any substantiation.

[Justin V]

I did not know about Fats Navarro. That's interesting.

Cruelly, he was nicknamed Fat Girl, but perhaps he didn't mind too much as he gave a composition this name.

Maybe he was like Bird and wasn't too concerned with the particulars of how and what his compositions were titled.

[Justin V]

I'm pretty sure it has been mentioned here, but does anyone remember the album where a male vocalist sang songs that were originally written from a female perspective with the lyrics unaltered? There was a track from it (maybe 'The Man I Love') on YouTube, but I can't find it. It was a pretty mysterious album, with the vocalist recording under an assumed name.

[Niko]

Seems as if there are names being thrown out here without any substantiation.

true, but part of not making a big deal of some people being GLBT is not being afraid of throwing in a name without being certain...

Unfortunately, it is a big deal in some areas of our society. And what's not a big deal to you may be a very big deal to someone whose name is mentioned without any substantiation.

yes, but from that angle, consent seems more important than substantiation to me... and for "historical" people like Navarro I don't see a problem

[Chuck Nessa]

Why should this be an issue or program?

[Christiern]

I'm pretty sure it has been mentioned here, but does anyone remember the album where a male vocalist sang songs that were originally written from a female perspective with the lyrics unaltered? There was a track from it (maybe 'The Man I Love') on YouTube, but I can't find it. It was a pretty mysterious album, with the vocalist recording under an assumed name.

There was a time when vocalists didn't have gender-based hang-ups. Crosby sang "Ain't No Man Worth the Salt of My Tears," Mildred Bailey recorded "Emaline," etc.

[RDK]

Why should this be an issue or program?

It shouldn't be an issue, but featuring GLBT jazz musicians during Pride Month seems an appropriate honor to me - provided, of course, that's it's done in the spirit of "honoring them."

Edited June 14, 2011 by RDK

[clifford_thornton]

That is my point exactly. I won't do it unless it's done right, obviously.