Teddy Wilson Interview

The NYPR Archive Collections | Jan 1, 2000

This episode is from the WNYC archives. It may contain language which is no longer politically or socially appropriate.

Interview only. Musical selections not on record.

Musical training? Piano for a year, then violin for a couple of years. Classical and spirituals, no jazz at first. First experience with jazz, he saw Lucky Roberts play piano in 1923 in Tuskegee. After he left school, went to Detroit, then Chicago.

Biggest influence? Fats Waller, Earl Hines, Art Tatum.

What direction do you think jazz will go? Combining of European influences. Experimentation. Lenny Christano, Pete Rugolo, Duke Ellington. It would be fatal to jazz get away from that basic beat. Dance music.

Who discovered you? Brunswick Records. John Hamann Jr., Benny Goodman's brother in law.

Most satisfying side with that outfit (Benny Goodman Trio)? Body and Soul, The Man I Love.

Formerly this catalog entry was combined with catalog number 5792, interview with Benny Goodman.

For more on Teddy Wilson and this interview please see: http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/neh-preservation-project/2013/jan/23/teddy-wilson/.

Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection

WNYC archives id: 72633
Municipal archives id: LT3831

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