Thursday, December 28, 2006

Saturn and The Big Band Leaders


















Here is yet another crop of luminaries from my favourite generational group, Pluto in Gemini, well known Big Band leaders from the 1930s and 40s. There were others too, of course, but these are some of the most widely recognised. I looked at a 12noon chart for each, hoping to find some hint of similarity.

Duke Ellington 29 April 1899 Washington DC
Jimmy Dorsey 29 February 1904 Shenandoah Pennsylvania
Glen Miller 1 March 1904 Clarinda, Iowa
Count Basie 21 August 1904 Red Bank, New Jersey
Tommy Dorsey 19 Nov. 1905 Shenandoah Pennsylvania
Benny Goodman 30 May 1909 Chicago, Illinois
and from Britian -
Ted Heath 30 March 1900, London
Geraldo 10 August 1904, London
Joe Loss 22 June 1909, London (?)

What separates a band leader from other musicians? The Big Band leader had under his wing a group of at least 16 to 18 musicians. They were often "on the road" travelling from venue to venue - away from home and family, liable to fall foul of excess alcohol, drugs, sex, and they would certainly be a mixed bunch of varying temparament. The band leader needed the ability to draw these individuals together to rehearse and perform. He would command respect and trust. The first words which sprang to mind were "discipline and organisation" and the next was "Saturn".

The band leaders in my list are legendary. Their musical ability is beyond question. It is an extra quality I'm looking for - something that set them apart from other musicians.
Without benefit of birth times, it's down to the "broad brush and stand well back" approach once again!

I felt sure that Saturn had to be involved. Discipline, organisation, business savvy, and an almost paternal attitude would be involved in finding success as leader of a Big Band.

The most common aspect involving Saturn in these charts is opposition to the Moon, it occurs in four of the six American band leaders. Of the remaining two, one has a Saturn/Moon conjunction and the in the other Saturn (widely) opposes Sun. From the British trio there's a close square and a trine in Saturn/Moon, and a Saturn/Sun opposition.

DETAIL:
American band leaders

Jimmy Dorsey and Glen Miller were born only a day apart, so their charts are similar. Both have Saturn at 14* Aquarius opposing Moon at 19* Leo ( Saturn being conjunct Mercury and Venus).

Benny Goodman - Saturn at 19* Aries opposing Moon at 19* Libra

Tommy Dorsey - Saturn at 26* Aquarius opposing Moon at 22* Leo.

Duke Ellington (the Daddy of 'em all) - Saturn at 23* Sagittarius and Moon at 29* Sagittarius

Count Basie - Saturn at 16.51* Aquarius and Sun at 28* Leo - wide opposition is the best I can find here.

British band leaders
Ted Heath - Saturn at 4*Capricorn and Moon/Mercury at 4* Aries - square

Geraldo - Saturn at 17* Aquarius, Sun at 17* Leo (Moon at 2* Leo) - opposition

Joe Loss - Saturn at 21* Aries, Moon at 24 Leo - trine.

As these calculations are based on 12 noon charts, there will be some Moon degree discrepancies. I think a loose picture still emerges though. It seems to show the discipline and structure of Saturn pitted against emotional and instinctual Lunar reactions, or less frequently against the native's Sun. I'm not sure how to interpret these aspects in this particular context. All involve major personality components Moon or Sun with Saturn, most within reasonable orb. In general it would be safe to say that Saturnian energy is directly affecting these personalities, often in a fairly dynamic way.

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