The secret history of jazz greats who were freemasons

[BillF]

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jul/02/secret-jazz-freemason-history-duke-ellington-sun-ra

[Shawn]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddM7kJ9xQfA

[7/4]

Not a secret any more!

[Leeway]

I would bet the drug user network was more important and influential than freemasonry. I thought that was what the "secret history" was a reference to. Still, I did find the freemason angle interesting.

[ejp626]

Interesting piece, but Duke Ellington an "anti-establishment" figure? Wha??? Unless Paul Gudgin means that anyone playing that "hot" music was anti-establishment. Kind of a stupid statement that makes me a bit sorry he has had such high profile gigs.

Some of the comments below the line are great. I particularly like "I once saw a picture of David Bowie in a pointed hat. He must be a witch."

[bertrand]

Never understood what freemasonry was all about.

Bertrand.

[ArtSalt]

Freemasonary means different things and levels of intensity, depending on where you actually live.

In Scotland for example.....

In England the lodges where once arranged on strictly class basis......

I'll leave it there, but in the US it seems a more inclusive thing. And indeed, back in Blighty they're desperate for new recruits.

But in any event, the position that freemasonary has had any discernable influence or inspiration on jazz music as art form is clearly wishful thinking, delusional and quite historically incorrect.

Edited July 5, 2014 by ArtSalt

[danasgoodstuff]

But in any event, the position that freemasonary has had any discernable influence or inspiration on jazz music as art form is clearly wishful thinking, delusional and quite historically incorrect.

That's what they want us to think....

[ArtSalt]

Now you put it that way....

Hmmmm......

[Rooster_Ties]

Never understood what freemasonry was all about.

Bertrand.

My 87 year old father is a life-long Mason, and I'm not sure I can really explain much of it myself, except a tiny bit and only in the most superficial way.

[Hot Ptah]

It is interesting to me that some of Sun Ra's unusual stage costumes were influenced by masonry. I had always assumed they were designed from one or more person's imagination. But to consider that they had an origin in a long standing tradition completely outside the Arkestra, that is interesting to me.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

How does Freemasonry differ from all those black societies like the Pythians that are constantly being mentioned in bios of musicians of the twenties-forties?

MG