The Duke was a great example to all men about how to behave in public and private. He was forever graceful, stylish, thoughtful, musical, and magnetic. He was not the tyrant other jazz bandleaders often became, but someone who simply expected- and got- the best from everyone around him. Including himself.
The subject of musicians attire is of utmost importance and it is for one main reason: we have become a 'visual' society. Being visual implies that people's impression of what they are hearing is strongly influenced by what they are seeing. And this is even more important than back in Ellington's days. That is also why orchestras - classical or jazz- often use video clips in their concerts to aid the listener in really absorbing the music.
I tell my vocal students to be very aware that people are also listening with their eyes. In this day and age, if they still want to step on the podium dressed in black, from head to toe, it will be at their own risk.
Anyway, back to Ellington...
I was always so enthralled at how he travelled with a collection of silk shirts and scarves, along with his suits. But after getting a few silk pieces and touring with them, I realised that silk is very practical to travel with. You wash it, and it's dry in 4 hours!
Ok...polyester too, but we don't mention that word in my house.
Anyway to reiterate, dress is very important. It's your calling card. Even when I tell my musicians to 'come casual', I say "casual, like you're invited to a barbecue - by Prince". (Step it up!)
30 to 10 years ago, the young jazzers ( I was a little older, born 1958) were into grunge wear- stocking caps, plaid flannel shirts, the kind of pants mechanics and plumbers used to wear, work boots- all probably bought at thrift stores. If I asked them why they didn’t dress for a gig, they’d mumble, “I’m all about the music, man.” They looked as if they had slept in a dumpster, although they often played very well. Even now young guys often dress with no distinction or style. If you’re playing for paying customers, they can also see you, and the impression you make is total, the whole package.
George Hughes, a fine drummer who worked with Sarah Vaughn among others, gave me some advice when I was working with him: “If you’re not working much and want to get some gigs, dress in a tux or a nice suit, leave the tie behind, unbutton the top two buttons of the shirt, and show up late to other guys’ gigs. Hang out and dig the set. Eventually guys will say something like, “I got a gig I could use you on, but you’re probably already working, right?” 😸
Dexter Gordon was a marvellous dresser as well. Even Miles mentions this in his autobiography, basically saying Dexter taught him the importance of looking sharp. One of the greatest tenor players of all time, too, of course!
Although musicians may have looked to the untrained eye like they wore the same clothing as bankers, that was not actually the case. Wall Street bankers and lawyers wore the American sack suit, purchased at Brooks Brothers or J Press or Paul Stuart. Musicians like Duke Ellington and Miles Davis wore designer suits from Calvin Klein or Ralph Lauren or their contemporary equivalents. The designer suits often had better material and were way more expensive, but that's just the cost of being stylish.
OK, let's not get carried away. I definitely believe in presenting yourself the right way in all situations. But don't get caught on an island. If you're pitching gigs, clean yourself up but dressing like Ellington isn't realistic these days unless you know your audience or your interlocutor expects it or isn't put off by it. I favor form-fitting clothes with a substantial collection of vintage blazers in most 'formal' or work situations. Hats are good, especially when the prevailing weather gives you a good excuse. Deploy ties judiciously. Avoid looking like you're trying too hard.
Stylish but I hope in the future this won't matter at all. Let's just enjoy being confortable and accept how others make themselves comfortable, suit, no suit, whatever.
The button-down that Miles is sporting on the cover of Milestones is probably from the Andover Shop, which is as trad as you can get (I'm not gonna say "preppie" for styles that were the American standard for years). Honestly, if you just abjured cargo shorts and baseball caps, you'd already be closer to Miles than to most of your contemporaries.
In the 60s and 70s, I played wearing, mostly, jeans and a tie-dyed tank top. If the venue was more upscale or a concert hall, I dressed in slacks and long-sleeved shirt, occaisionally a suit. I felt uncomfortable and restricted playing drums wearing a suit. Having reached the age of 85, I wear whatever I feel like wearing. Sometimes it's baggy cargoes, t-shirt and sandals, other times, dressier cargoes and a short or long sleeve shirt. I live in the tropics and a suit would be ridiculous. I do own a sport coat a white shirt and a few ties, I've worn them once or twice in 10 yrs. I've passed the age where I need to impress anyone.
You have to sound like a lot of other people before you sound like yourself--Miles Davis
When it comes to fashion sense for the typical American male, I can only say that today there’s a deep conformity and flattening of the soul that doesn’t even know it should be striving for better. Aping the clothes of a fashion icon, as ridiculous as it might appear, is a step towards finding your own voice. There’s magic in clothes, as you can see every time you watch a film. To a surprising degree, we see ourselves through others’ eyes. Don’t believe it because your sense of self is so deeply rooted? Try wearing a clown nose for the next week and report back on your experience.
The inimitable Mac Rebennack (AKA, Dr. John), who was also known as an ivories-tickler, and with his headdress on cut quite the sartorial figure, recorded an Ellington tribute album with a most apt title: Duke Elegant.
My late grandfather was a 2nd generation Swedish immigrant in Chicago and was not very nice about race stuff. So it always cracks me up to see the cover of the Capitol Ellington compilation my mom has because for all his griping, Grandpa seems to have emulated Ellington's hairstyle.
Benny Powell, the great trombonist with Count Basie, told me this: "When you're working, buy clothes. That way when you're not working no one will know.".
Ted--this topic is so juicy I think I'll have to write a companion piece on my own Stack.
Clothes make the man; naked people have little or no influence on society - The Maxims of Mark.
As a musician, the book Dressing The Man (linked below) changed my life and my music. I went from being in a grunge band with no money, no audience, and no fun, to a swing orchestra with a record deal, gold record, unlimited touring opportunities, and all the fun that it was safe to have.
It made me comfortable and confident in any situation. Enabled me to explore my creativity. Made me look forward to social gatherings of all sort. And connected me better to the fabrics, colours, and patterns I always loved but didn't know how to talk about or express love for.
As a bonus, the book helped me learn the 'why' of neckties. Spoiler alert - There are lots of reasons to wear a neck tie: Because it's a beautiful piece of fabric, colour, or pattern, that you personally love and want to show it off by holding it close; because it can help keep you warm surprisingly well; because knots have for thousands of years tied and untied magic; because it symbolizes your fidelity and belonging to some group, idea, or purpose; because a women tied it there as a token of love, fidelity and rights.
This reminds me of the time during my first year in grad school back in the late 90s when I was editing a Hausa-English dictionary. I worked with a Hausaman from Niger who was editing our professor's Hausa grammar, and we had discovered we had similar musical tastes, except that I knew a lot more ska and he of course knew a lot more Afropop, so we traded recordings in great profusion. I lent him a Wynton Marsalis CD--I think the soundtrack to "Tune in Tomorrow"--and when he saw the snazzy pic of the band in stylish color-coordinated suits, he laughed and said, "They can't be Americans. Look at those suits--they must be Africans!"
Sun Ra as a fashion icon …. ? That was a stretch! I take your point, musicians should dress well. (My Dad was a master tailor who owned a clothing company. My Mom was a seamstress.) But you could wear Armani to the moon and back, and if you don’t play well, your audience will be bored, drink too much, get cranky and say, “I hate jazz.” I’d rather see and hear Marcus Miller in his trademark T, hat and jeans than some poseur who bores me w/endless, windy solos.
Yeah, he knew his way around the piano some....
The Duke was a great example to all men about how to behave in public and private. He was forever graceful, stylish, thoughtful, musical, and magnetic. He was not the tyrant other jazz bandleaders often became, but someone who simply expected- and got- the best from everyone around him. Including himself.
The subject of musicians attire is of utmost importance and it is for one main reason: we have become a 'visual' society. Being visual implies that people's impression of what they are hearing is strongly influenced by what they are seeing. And this is even more important than back in Ellington's days. That is also why orchestras - classical or jazz- often use video clips in their concerts to aid the listener in really absorbing the music.
I tell my vocal students to be very aware that people are also listening with their eyes. In this day and age, if they still want to step on the podium dressed in black, from head to toe, it will be at their own risk.
Anyway, back to Ellington...
I was always so enthralled at how he travelled with a collection of silk shirts and scarves, along with his suits. But after getting a few silk pieces and touring with them, I realised that silk is very practical to travel with. You wash it, and it's dry in 4 hours!
Ok...polyester too, but we don't mention that word in my house.
Anyway to reiterate, dress is very important. It's your calling card. Even when I tell my musicians to 'come casual', I say "casual, like you're invited to a barbecue - by Prince". (Step it up!)
30 to 10 years ago, the young jazzers ( I was a little older, born 1958) were into grunge wear- stocking caps, plaid flannel shirts, the kind of pants mechanics and plumbers used to wear, work boots- all probably bought at thrift stores. If I asked them why they didn’t dress for a gig, they’d mumble, “I’m all about the music, man.” They looked as if they had slept in a dumpster, although they often played very well. Even now young guys often dress with no distinction or style. If you’re playing for paying customers, they can also see you, and the impression you make is total, the whole package.
George Hughes, a fine drummer who worked with Sarah Vaughn among others, gave me some advice when I was working with him: “If you’re not working much and want to get some gigs, dress in a tux or a nice suit, leave the tie behind, unbutton the top two buttons of the shirt, and show up late to other guys’ gigs. Hang out and dig the set. Eventually guys will say something like, “I got a gig I could use you on, but you’re probably already working, right?” 😸
Dexter Gordon was a marvellous dresser as well. Even Miles mentions this in his autobiography, basically saying Dexter taught him the importance of looking sharp. One of the greatest tenor players of all time, too, of course!
Although musicians may have looked to the untrained eye like they wore the same clothing as bankers, that was not actually the case. Wall Street bankers and lawyers wore the American sack suit, purchased at Brooks Brothers or J Press or Paul Stuart. Musicians like Duke Ellington and Miles Davis wore designer suits from Calvin Klein or Ralph Lauren or their contemporary equivalents. The designer suits often had better material and were way more expensive, but that's just the cost of being stylish.
OK, let's not get carried away. I definitely believe in presenting yourself the right way in all situations. But don't get caught on an island. If you're pitching gigs, clean yourself up but dressing like Ellington isn't realistic these days unless you know your audience or your interlocutor expects it or isn't put off by it. I favor form-fitting clothes with a substantial collection of vintage blazers in most 'formal' or work situations. Hats are good, especially when the prevailing weather gives you a good excuse. Deploy ties judiciously. Avoid looking like you're trying too hard.
Stylish but I hope in the future this won't matter at all. Let's just enjoy being confortable and accept how others make themselves comfortable, suit, no suit, whatever.
The button-down that Miles is sporting on the cover of Milestones is probably from the Andover Shop, which is as trad as you can get (I'm not gonna say "preppie" for styles that were the American standard for years). Honestly, if you just abjured cargo shorts and baseball caps, you'd already be closer to Miles than to most of your contemporaries.
In the 60s and 70s, I played wearing, mostly, jeans and a tie-dyed tank top. If the venue was more upscale or a concert hall, I dressed in slacks and long-sleeved shirt, occaisionally a suit. I felt uncomfortable and restricted playing drums wearing a suit. Having reached the age of 85, I wear whatever I feel like wearing. Sometimes it's baggy cargoes, t-shirt and sandals, other times, dressier cargoes and a short or long sleeve shirt. I live in the tropics and a suit would be ridiculous. I do own a sport coat a white shirt and a few ties, I've worn them once or twice in 10 yrs. I've passed the age where I need to impress anyone.
You have to sound like a lot of other people before you sound like yourself--Miles Davis
When it comes to fashion sense for the typical American male, I can only say that today there’s a deep conformity and flattening of the soul that doesn’t even know it should be striving for better. Aping the clothes of a fashion icon, as ridiculous as it might appear, is a step towards finding your own voice. There’s magic in clothes, as you can see every time you watch a film. To a surprising degree, we see ourselves through others’ eyes. Don’t believe it because your sense of self is so deeply rooted? Try wearing a clown nose for the next week and report back on your experience.
The inimitable Mac Rebennack (AKA, Dr. John), who was also known as an ivories-tickler, and with his headdress on cut quite the sartorial figure, recorded an Ellington tribute album with a most apt title: Duke Elegant.
This is great.
My late grandfather was a 2nd generation Swedish immigrant in Chicago and was not very nice about race stuff. So it always cracks me up to see the cover of the Capitol Ellington compilation my mom has because for all his griping, Grandpa seems to have emulated Ellington's hairstyle.
Benny Powell, the great trombonist with Count Basie, told me this: "When you're working, buy clothes. That way when you're not working no one will know.".
Ted--this topic is so juicy I think I'll have to write a companion piece on my own Stack.
Clothes make the man; naked people have little or no influence on society - The Maxims of Mark.
As a musician, the book Dressing The Man (linked below) changed my life and my music. I went from being in a grunge band with no money, no audience, and no fun, to a swing orchestra with a record deal, gold record, unlimited touring opportunities, and all the fun that it was safe to have.
It made me comfortable and confident in any situation. Enabled me to explore my creativity. Made me look forward to social gatherings of all sort. And connected me better to the fabrics, colours, and patterns I always loved but didn't know how to talk about or express love for.
As a bonus, the book helped me learn the 'why' of neckties. Spoiler alert - There are lots of reasons to wear a neck tie: Because it's a beautiful piece of fabric, colour, or pattern, that you personally love and want to show it off by holding it close; because it can help keep you warm surprisingly well; because knots have for thousands of years tied and untied magic; because it symbolizes your fidelity and belonging to some group, idea, or purpose; because a women tied it there as a token of love, fidelity and rights.
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/213268
This reminds me of the time during my first year in grad school back in the late 90s when I was editing a Hausa-English dictionary. I worked with a Hausaman from Niger who was editing our professor's Hausa grammar, and we had discovered we had similar musical tastes, except that I knew a lot more ska and he of course knew a lot more Afropop, so we traded recordings in great profusion. I lent him a Wynton Marsalis CD--I think the soundtrack to "Tune in Tomorrow"--and when he saw the snazzy pic of the band in stylish color-coordinated suits, he laughed and said, "They can't be Americans. Look at those suits--they must be Africans!"
Sun Ra as a fashion icon …. ? That was a stretch! I take your point, musicians should dress well. (My Dad was a master tailor who owned a clothing company. My Mom was a seamstress.) But you could wear Armani to the moon and back, and if you don’t play well, your audience will be bored, drink too much, get cranky and say, “I hate jazz.” I’d rather see and hear Marcus Miller in his trademark T, hat and jeans than some poseur who bores me w/endless, windy solos.