The new, younger artists today are too insecure to be willing to face that kind of musical competition afforded by the jam session.
You can't have a finale that runs one hour. So you give each man 40 minutes or so, and you say: Let's do a jam session at the end with the leaders.
Today it's rare to find a major artist that would be willing to break up his own group. They need the musical security their own groups give them.
I still travel a great deal. I go to the States, not for too long periods, but I make frequent trips because of my management problems with Ella.
Of the newer people I would like to display to the public, I find it almost impossible to get them to agree to the jam session form.
Ella can work nightclubs that Duke might not be able to work, because of having the big band. Where they go now is strictly a matter of their own names and talents.
There are many artists that I present that I admit I like less than I do others. But I think that they warrant being presented by my own, personal standards.
Many movie people, who would never have dreamt of using jazz arrangers for scores, are doing it frequently now, even though they water them down.