The Turnaround

Chris Robinson on music, books, etc

Metronome Magazine Blindfold Test List

The first Blindfold Test was published in the September, 1946 issue of Metronome magazine. The first Blindfoldee was pianist and composer Mary Lou Williams. My in-process book on the Blindfold Tests has an entire chapter devoted to the first test and the larger significance of Leonard Feather’s choice to have her be the first to appear in the feature. Feather published a total of 55 Blindfold Tests in Metronome before he permanently moved the feature to Downbeat in 1951.

I have created the table below that lists the date, volume and issue number, artist name, and page number for each Blindfold Test in Metronome. All of them were conducted by Leonard Feather. I hope it will be useful for jazz fans, historians, and critics. Note: Prof. Snotty McSiegel, “tested” in the January and February, 1951 issues, was a fictional character whose responses were written by Feather. If referencing this table, it would be lovely if I (Chris Robinson) was credited as its compiler.

Leave a comment