[TPIN] ...who doesn't read at all...

[Peter Sokolowski]

Folks:

Some of these are canards amplified to legends.

Sinatra certainly had to work with his pianist on specific notes, but he
could read lines enough to follow charts -- his pianist himself said so (he
is often seen reading charts in studio and TV performances, and we don't
know if they were just lyrics but they almost certainly were charts with
band breaks and rests indicated).  Since after a certain point every chart
he sang was written just for him, he didn't need to read like a session
player to nail the charts. Tunes that were unusual or unfamiliar to him
(famously on "Lush Life") he just gave up on. (Too bad, in that case).

Erroll Garner is credited (by Ron Carter first-hand) as sight-reading a new
tune in a studio situation.

Louis Armstrong subbed for Thad Jones in the Basie band for a night in Vegas
(Thad had had a taste too many the night before). Read the section parts
perfectly.

It really isn't that important for these legends. But, as Byron Stripling
says: "People are smarter than you think."

--Peter