January 23, 1943. Carnegie Hall. Duke Ellington and His Orchestra make their debut at the legendary venue. On the program is the premiere of Ellington’s new magnum opus – his three movement jazz symphony, “Black, Brown & Beige.” It is Ellington’s longest and most ambitious composition to date. Admittedly, the piece as a whole is under-rehearsed and rough in spots. But Duke is excited to use this stage-of-all-stages to make a grand statement on the Black condition.

He dubbed it, “a tonal parallel to the history of the Negro in America.” Within each movement, suites reflect components of the African-American experience, from slavery to Harlem to swing. Tympani portray the sounds of hard labor. Muted trumpets echo wails and work songs. There are spirituals and dance numbers. The work is rich and orchestral, but most assuredly jazz. Ellington makes sure his audience knows that jazz is America’s music – created by Black Americans.

Critical response to the Carnegie Hall performance is, at best, mixed. Discouraged by its tepid response, Ellington only performs “Black, Brown and Beige” once more before breaking it into pieces. Yet those pieces, like “Work Song,” and “Come Sunday,” collectively make the most powerful statement of all: We’ve come so far, but still have so far to go.

This episode of “Soundtrack to the Struggle” was written and produced by Ron Adkins. Executive Producers Dennis Green and George Dorman. Hosted by Hollis Monroe.

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It’s 1984, and Miles Davis is changing his musical course yet again. He’d exhausted his exploration of jazz fusion and now looked for a fresh perspective. The result was “You’re Under Arrest.” This album was intentionally controversial – from its garish cover art, to its confounding mix of in-your-face statements and sugary pop ballads. It was also Miles’s most overtly political record to date.

Miles Davis chose this time to go public with his long-held views on nuclear proliferation, racism, and especially, police intimidation. He had fallen victim to police brutality in 1959, when he was beaten and arrested by a white New York City cop. As he released “You’re Under Arrest,” Miles also lent his horn to the Sun City anti-apartheid movement, and to Amnesty International.

He had always been a supporter of the equality struggle and a vocal defender of Black culture. He believed that jazz was the purview of Black America, and that white musicians had co-opted their way into the art form. He was a staunch defender of the disenfranchised and openly contemptuous of the aura of white privilege. At a White House gathering, Nancy Reagan is said to have asked Davis, “What have you done to deserve being here?” Miles replied, “Well, I’ve changed the course of music five or six times. What have you done?”

“You’re under Arrest,” Miles’s latest course change, was initially met with a mixed, confused response. But, like the musician himself, the music and the causes he championed are multi-layered, difficult to define, and require study and contemplation.

This episode of “Soundtrack to the Struggle” was written and produced by Ron Adkins.

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Rumor has it that Marilyn Monroe’s vocal coach, very early in Monroe’s career, ordered her to buy all of Ella Fitzgerald’s records, and to listen to them 100 times in a row. This deep study of Fitzgerald’s singing made Monroe not only a pretty solid singer herself, but it brought about the beginning of a strange and beautiful friendship.

By the 1950’s, Ella Fitzgerald was jazz royalty. And yet, even she couldn’t sing in America’s biggest nightclubs. Bigotry kept her relegated to smaller venues, and forced her to enter through the kitchen. Even Fitzgerald’s agent, Norman Granz, who insisted that all his clients be treated equally, couldn’t get her on stage at some of the best jazz clubs.
One of those venues was Hollywood’s Mocambo Club. Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, and Lauren Bacall had reserved tables. But Ella wasn’t allowed through the door. That is, until Marilyn – now a superstar herself – made a phone call. “I told the owner to think of the publicity. I’d be there every night at the front table,” said Marilyn. And she did that very thing. She even brought Frank Sinatra along. “I owe Marilyn Monroe a real debt,” said Ella. “After that, I never had to play a small jazz club again.”

This episode of “Soundtrack to the Struggle” was written and produced by Ron Adkins.

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