In a message dated 1/12/03 9:11:48 PM Eastern Standard Time, sergedautricourt@hotmail.com writes:

Could someone share a little something about who Stanley Crouch is? All I
can remember from jazz history class a few years ago is that he was a mentor
to Wynton Marsalis' traditionalist approach. hmmm, but quick look on
allmusic.com reveals he's written liner notes for a few avant-garde types as
well.

curiously, serge

You're correct about his relationship with Marsalis. I'm currently reading Eric Nisenson's "Blue: The Murder of Jazz," which presents Crouch as a very conservative jazz purist who preaches that any jazz post-bebop isn't jazz at all. Here's Nisenson's description of Crouch:

"[He] began...as a free jazz drummer whose style was based on that of avant-gardists Sunny Murray and Milford Graves. He also wrote poetry; one of his notable poems was a euology for Albert Ayler, who became famous for playing the sort of white noise on his saxophone that Crouch -- and Marsalis -- now spurn as not really being part of the jazz tradition. In the 1970s he began to write jazz criticism, especially boosting players in the free jazz community. But over the years, Crouch's musical outlook began to change drastically, and that change reflected his slide to the right politically. He gave up playing the drums altogether...[and] eventually Crouch moved so far from his past positions that former close colleagues, like the saxophonist David Murray....would openly wonder what had caused such a sea change in their former associate and booster."

Hope this helps,
Tom

NP: John Coltrane "Ascension" [jazz to the core]