It seemed a promising title , and made me think there are possibly other claimants. Any thoughts?
Anyway, the Jewish Chronicle carries a rather rambling paean to Ronnie Scott (Photo from 1985 by Max Adelman / NPG) and to lokshen soup HERE.
But I did find that this paper has a great sense of humour: here’s a hilarious story about a prisoner trying to avoid extradition,
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LondonJazz reader LW writes: Jazz's coolest Jew?
Ronnie's certainly up there, but never overlook:
-Lee Konitz (musically),
-Dan Morgenstern (cool and unperturbed, wears his massive knowledge lightly),
-Lennie Bruce (coolest man-about-jazz and could riff like no-one else),
-Jack Sheldon (trumpet and stand-up comic),
-Stan Getz (perhaps not Stan Getz),
-Nat Hentoff (cool and measured commentator),
-George Kussel (the late excellent South -African bass player who ignored apartheid)
-And, of course, Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff (founders of Blue Note).
I thought I was jazz's coolest Jew! I even have a band called Clave Nagila: http://www.myspace.com/clavenagila
Woody Allen?
For living jazzers, I think it would have to be Gilad Atzmon!
But frankly, I don't know the religion or race of most of the aretists I listen to!
How about Mezz Mezrow – dead but not forgotton – author of Really the Blues as well as a great player.
Ronnie Scott was undoubtedly jazz's coolest jew even though he was English
Of the Americans, definitely not Stan Getz who was a jazz genius but not cool. Lee Konitz ,yes and the wonderful, laconic Al Cohn
Wally Houser
By the way, the JC is wrong about the Ronnie Scott Club. Louis Armstrong was never there nor were Miles Davis or Cannonball Adderley. With those notable exceptions it is hard to come up with a jazz giant who did not play there, however
Wally Houser
John Zorn. Totally at ease with his jazz and his Jewishness.
I think that Gilad is too neurotic.
Miles was there. I saw him the night he played with Dave Holland!