Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture > Video Oral History Gallery

Video Gallery Cataloging Data: Marian McPartland

Location

Schomburg-MIRS



Call #

Sc Visual VRA-182 Service copy. 

Sc Visual VRB-2015 Original of: Sc Visual VRA-182. 



Author

McPartland, Marian, interviewee. 



Title

Oral history interview with Marian McPartland, 27 August 1996

[videorecording] / interviewer, James Briggs Murray.



Imprint

1996.



Description

1 videocassette (1 hr., 58 min.) : sd., col. ; 1/2 in.

015800



Note

Title supplied; duration: 1 hr., 58 min



Credits

Produced and directed by James Briggs Murray.



Note

Marian McPartland also performs excerpts, piano.



Recorded on August 16, 1996, at Schomburg Center for Research in

Black Culture, Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.



Summary

The oral history interview with Marian McPartland begins with her

childhood. She recalls a family-owned music store and playing

piano at 3. Her mother played classical music and Marian herself 

began with Chopin waltzes. At 17 she enrolled in London's

Guildhall School of Music. Until then her formal music education

had been restricted to the violin. Although Guildhall's focus was

on classical music, in her free time she played Fats Waller, Duke

Ellington and Teddy Wilson; learned fingering techniques and

began composing for piano. Left Guildhall to join Billy Mayerl's

four-piano vaudeville  act (Billy Mayerl and His Claviers);

toured England and recorded for Decca. WWII: joined ENSA and

entertained troops throughout Europe. Talks about meeting Jimmy

McPartland and performing with him in USO service shows

Belgium/1944). She married McPartland in 1945 and, the following

year, moved to the US. Talks about NYC, Chicago, and meeting   

Louis Armstrong, Mary Lou Williams, Billy Holiday, Ellington,

Gene Krupa and the De Paris brothers; labored over arrangement of

Bix Beiderbecke's In a mist; and learned that Jimmy had a

drinking problem.



Established her own trio, most often performing at the Hickory

House (NYC/1950s). The trio performed  opposite Eddie Heywood and

with Roy Eldridge and Coleman Hawkins.  Discusses Duke Ellington,

his book (Music is my mistress/1973) and his participation in her

jazz education work. Mentions Billy Taylor's parallel efforts to

educate the young: Jazz mobile and Taylor made piano. Talks about

Louis Armstrong as a performer and person. Then, at length, about

her nationally syndicated radio  series Piano jazz; guests 

included Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie,

Alice  Coltrane, etc. Continues with discussion of the famous Art

Kane photograph, featuring herself and other jazz greats of the

period (1958); subsequent Jean Bach film, A great day in Harlem 

(a documentary based on Kane's photograph); and Kane's suicide.

Mentions Elvis Presley and his adaptation of old rhythm & blues

tunes (referred to as "race music"). Talks about Wynton Marsalis,

Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, and, through adaptation of traditional

arrangements, leaving a legacy of jazz. Proceeds to discuss her

book, All in good time (1987) and her attempt to write an 

autobiography; also discusses Ambiance, a composition produced

by her label Halcyon (1970). Concludes the interview by playing 

a tribute to Mary Lou Williams titled Threnody.



Note

Reproduction. Originally produced: New York, N.Y. : Schomburg Center

for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library. 1  

videocassette (MII) ; 1/2 in. VHS.



Use terms

Permission required to cite, quote and reproduce; contact

repository for information.



Biography/History

Marian McPartland is a pianist, composer, record producer, 

writer and educator. Born Marian Margaret Turner in Windsor, Eng.

(Berkshire), she began playing piano as a small child. Initially

trained in the classical tradition, she became an important jazz

pianist, collaborating with husband Jimmy McPartland and forming

her own trio. Concerned about the legacy of jazz, much of her

later professional life has focused on educating young children

about this musical genre. 



Note

Forms part of: Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.



In

Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project



Subject

McPartland, Marian -- Interviews. 

Chopin, Frédéric, 1810-1849 -- Influence. 

Weller, Fats, 1904-1943 -- Influence. 

Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974 -- Influence. 

Wilson, Teddy, 1912- -- Influence. 

Mayerl, Billy, 1902- -- Influence. 

McPartland, Jimmy, 1907-1991. 

Armstrong, Louis, 1900-1971. 

Williams, Mary Lou, 1910- 

Holiday, Billie, 1915-1959. 

Krupa, Gene, 1909-1973. 

De Paris, Sidney. 

De Paris, Wilbur. 

Biederbecke, Bix, 1903-1931. In a mist. 

McPartland, Jimmy, 1907-1991 -- Alcohol use. 

Heywood, Eddie, 1915- 

Eldridge, Roy, 1911- 

Hawkins, Coleman. 

Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974. Music is my mistress. 

McPartland, Marian -- Contributions in jazz education. 

Taylor, Billy, 1921- -- Contributions in jazz education. 

Kane, Art -- Suicide. 

Presley, Elvis, 1935-1977 -- Influence. 

Marsalis, Wynton, 1961- 

Hancock, Herbie, 1940- 

Methany, Pat. 

McPartland, Marian. All in good time. 

McPartland, Marian. Threnody. 

Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London, England). 

Billy Mayerl and His Claviers. 

Marian McPartland Trio. 

Piano jazz (Radio program) 

Great day in Harlem (Motion picture) 

Women musicians -- Interviews. 

Women jazz musicians -- Interviews. 

Women composers -- Interviews. 

Violin -- Studies and exercises. 

Piano -- Fingering. 

Piano -- Instruction and study. 

Piano -- Studies and exercises (Jazz). 

Arrangement (Music). 

Melody -- Technique. 

Piano ensembles. 

Vaudeville -- History -- 20th century. 

Bop (Music) -- History -- 20th century. 

World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, British. 

World War, 1939-1945 -- War work -- United Service Organizations (U.S.) 

World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, American. 

Piano music (Pianos (2)). 

Trumpet and piano music. 

Radio music -- Excerpts, Arranged. 

Jazz music -- Study and teaching (Elementary). 

Jazz musicians -- Pictorial works. 

Documentary films. 

Rhythm and blues music -- History -- 20th century. 

Jazz -- 1991-2000. 



Form/genre

Interviews. 

Biographies. 



Additional name

Murray, James Briggs, interviewer. 

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Louis Armstrong

Jazz Oral History Project. 

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. 



Donor

The Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project was funded by the

Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc.