001-1991-005

Sat Apr 27 1991

28:40 DAT Master, Reel to reel and CD Preservation Copies, Access MP3 on DVD

Miner recalls meeting Dorothy in NYC and telling her about Jazz Fest - took 16 years to get her here. Asked about her childhood in Chicago and how she started playing the piano. Jokes about getting out of housework by practicing classical piano. Combined classical with jazz. First black person to play at Orchestra Hall in Chicago in 1943. Made front page of the paper. Brief time in movies in LA. Opened a club; found out “don’t go in business with your husband.” Didn’t get paid. 05:45 Met Art Tatum at age 18. He had heard about her and came to hear her. Tutored her. Demonstration of Tatum’s style and what she would play at rent parties (blues). 09:15 Miner addresses gender issue, why there aren’t more female instrumentalists in jazz. Donegan says it’s a field dominated by men. There are women playing today but they didn’t get to study with the likes of Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum. Miner mentions a recent New Yorker article about Donegan by Whitney Balliett titled “Wonder Woman” and her flair. Demonstration of Earl Hines, who played the “trumpet style” with right hand trill. 13:50 Currently lives in California, has done many workshops and lectures at universities. 15:30 Demonstration of classical music. Huge applause and Donegan asks “ Did I get the job, baby?” 19:10 Mentions and demonstrates the influence of Teddy Wilson and Earl Hines. Imitates George Shearing’s and Errol Garners’ (who did not read music) styles. Plays “Misty” in Garner’s style. Her humor is evident throughout the interview and it’s easy to see why her live performances were so popular. 25:50 Demonstration “Honeysuckle Rose” to close out. Audience asks if she ever met Louis Armstrong and she imitates his singing voice. Miner closes with “there ‘s nobody else in the world like Dorothy Donegan.”

Dorothy Donegan. Allison Miner, interviewer.

sound recording

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New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation Archive