Jazz Musicians, Drugs and Jail.

[robertoart]

Just watched the Anita O'day documentary.

She talks about her time in jail, and also describes how the cops busted her.

Which Jazz musicians received Jail terms during their lives? And why did others, perhaps more high profile escape this fate?

For instance, Grant Green, Baby Face Willette, Frank Morgan (on the Black side) were in Jail for extended times. On the White side, O'day, Joe Pass, Art Pepper.

Other well documented addicts, as far as I know, were spared lengthy sentences, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Bill Evans? Jackie McLean?

Would the level of privilege, status, race...have been significant factors on who the authorities targeted, or was it more luck of being in the right/wrong place at the right/wrong time?

Also, did the emergence of specially dedicated psycho-social drug rehabs play a role in Jazz musician-addicts lives during the Sixties and beyond. Perhaps this was tied into the incarceration period and release?

Bob Porter writes that when Grant Green was released from Jail (and began sideman work with Prestige) he had minders with him who were making sure he avoided all stimulants (even caffeine). This suggests some kind of post release rehab treatment. Joe Pass was also an early Syanon resident - which he talked about in interviews at some length. And his musical legacy is really most known post that period of his life.

Edited December 23, 2012 by freelancer

[BillF]

Interesting thoughts, Freelancer. I'm not sure that Charlie Parker ever did prison time, despite his notorious addiction. Just contrast this with Tadd Dameron, Howard McGhee and Dexter Gordon, to name just three other black musicians from his times.

Edited December 23, 2012 by BillF

[brownie]

Gene Ammons, Billie Holiday, Dupree Bolton Stan Getz, Hampton Hawes...

A full list would unfortunately be way too long!

[medjuck]

Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Gene Krupa?

[AllenLowe]

the question should be, what musicians DID NOT do time in jail?

[JETman]

the question should be, what musicians DID NOT do time in jail?

did you?

[mjzee]

I finally watched the Monk documentary "Straight No Chaser" last night. It mentioned Monk's losing his cabaret card and spending 3 months in jail for copping to drugs that belonged to Bud Powell. The film then cut to Monk playing "Evidence." Blakey called that same song "Justice." I never understood the meanings of those titles, but I wonder whether that juxtaposition in the film was no accident.

[mr jazz]

add Jimmy Heath

[Matthew]

Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Gene Krupa?

According to Art Pepper in Straight Life, Chet Baker snitched out everyone to avoid going to jail. Not saying that's true, but that's Pepper's story.

Edited December 23, 2012 by Matthew

[Larry Kart]

the question should be, what musicians DID NOT do time in jail?

did you?

You can be counted on.

[paul secor]

I finally watched the Monk documentary "Straight No Chaser" last night. It mentioned Monk's losing his cabaret card and spending 3 months in jail for copping to drugs that belonged to Bud Powell. The film then cut to Monk playing "Evidence." Blakey called that same song "Justice." I never understood the meanings of those titles, but I wonder whether that juxtaposition in the film was no accident.

I believe that "Evidence" is based on the chords of "Just Me, Just You" = Just Us = Justice = Evidence (not to say that justice proceeds from evidence in real life). I remember a black activist or comedian using the line that justice really means just us, which can be taken a couple of ways.

[mikeweil]

Dexter Gordon, IIRC.

Frank Butler

Joe Pass

Elmo Hope? That LP "Sounds from Ryker's island" comes to mind ...

[JSngry]

I believe that "Evidence" is based on the chords of "Just Me, Just You" = Just Us = Justice = Evidence (not to say that justice proceeds from evidence in real life). I remember a black activist or comedian using the line that justice really means just us, which can be taken a couple of ways.

Yeah, it's an old line used by many over the years, but I first heard it used by Richard Pryor, something along the lines of "they call it justice because every time you go to a jail, that's all you ever see, just us".

Also, correct about the evolution of the title from the original changes.

[Mark Stryker]

Just watched the Anita O'day documentary.

She talks about her time in jail, and also describes how the cops busted her.

Which Jazz musicians received Jail terms during their lives? And why did others, perhaps more high profile escape this fate?

For instance, Grant Green, Baby Face Willette, Frank Morgan (on the Black side) were in Jail for extended times. On the White side, O'day, Joe Pass, Art Pepper.

Other well documented addicts, as far as I know, were spared lengthy sentences, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Bill Evans? Jackie McLean?

Jackie McLean did, in fact, do jail time. Some six months in 1964 as I recall. Think it was related to a failed appeal from an earlier offense.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Mark Stryker

[AllenLowe]

I never even got arrested, though I got close about 2 years ago when I told a cop in Portland how he almost caused an accident; he told me to mind my own business, and I pointed out that there had been no declaration of Marshall law. I regretted saying that as soon as it came out of my mouth (though I thought I was right); he approached me, then shook his head and walked away.

but, let me add: Mulligan, Getz, Sonny Rollins and Dameron (last two in Lexington); Howard McGee;

Edited December 24, 2012 by AllenLowe

[jeffcrom]

I've known many musicians who have spent time in jail for various reasons. The funniest story (although probably not to the guy at the time) concerns one of my closest friends, a guitarist, who spent a night in jail for jury tampering, of all things. He was playing a two-week gig at a hotel lounge in Dalton, Georgia. A jury was sequestered at the same hotel, and when my friend returned to his room every night after the gig, there was an armed policeman sitting in hall. Toward the end of the first week, my buddy decided to make a joke - as he passed the guard on the way to his room, he said, "He's guilty!" Almost immediately he was up against the wall being handcuffed. They took him before a judge the next morning, and he was told to leave town immediately; the band had to get another guitarist for the rest of the gig.

[BillF]

I've known many musicians who have spent time in jail for various reasons.

There is, of course, the story of Johnny Griffin and the British Inland Revenue authorities. IIRC John was seized on arrival at London airport in connection with unpaid income tax arising from previous employment in the UK and spent the night in Pentonville jail, before his release was secured by his friends in the music business. He subsequently played on the Clarke Boland album At Her Majesty's Pleasure (British legal term for indefinite imprisonment), which featured tracks named after prisons ("Pentonville", Wormwood Scrubs", "Broadmoor", Holloway") and convict experience ("Doing Time", "Reprieve", "Going Straight"). I think I detect the humour of fellow band member Ronnie Scott in that album concept.

[sidewinder]

Miles Davis of course - alimony.

Then there's also Synanon - Joe Pass (as mentioned), Arnold Ross, Frank Rehak.

Edited December 25, 2012 by sidewinder

[robertoart]

I've known many musicians who have spent time in jail for various reasons.

There is, of course, the story of Johnny Griffin and the British Inland Revenue authorities. IIRC John was seized on arrival at London airport in connection with unpaid income tax arising from previous employment in the UK and spent the night in Pentonville jail, before his release was secured by his friends in the music business. He subsequently played on the Clarke Boland album At Her Majesty's Pleasure (British legal term for indefinite imprisonment), which featured tracks named after prisons ("Pentonville", Wormwood Scrubs", "Broadmoor", Holloway") and convict experience ("Doing Time", "Reprieve", "Going Straight"). I think I detect the humour of fellow band member Ronnie Scott in that album concept.

That's a nice change.

A single night in the Slammer for tax evasion.

Still seems a bit silly though.

I mean, how many people in the UK could have been targeted for that?

[BillF]

I've known many musicians who have spent time in jail for various reasons.

There is, of course, the story of Johnny Griffin and the British Inland Revenue authorities. IIRC John was seized on arrival at London airport in connection with unpaid income tax arising from previous employment in the UK and spent the night in Pentonville jail, before his release was secured by his friends in the music business. He subsequently played on the Clarke Boland album At Her Majesty's Pleasure (British legal term for indefinite imprisonment), which featured tracks named after prisons ("Pentonville", Wormwood Scrubs", "Broadmoor", Holloway") and convict experience ("Doing Time", "Reprieve", "Going Straight"). I think I detect the humour of fellow band member Ronnie Scott in that album concept.

That's a nice change.

A single night in the Slammer for tax evasion.

Still seems a bit silly though.

I mean, how many people in the UK could have been targeted for that?

In view of the time when it happened (the 60s), race probably had something to do with it, as well as the fact that he was regarded as a non-British "alien".

[AllenLowe]

not paranoid, but first time I read that I thought you wrote 'he was regarded as a non-British 'allen'." The Portland cops have stopped me so many time (approx. 8 times in the last 10 years; more than my previous 49 years on earth) that I can't pass a police car without averting my eyes.