[Dixielandjazz] MARSALIS AT THE PROMS

[Charlie Hooks]

on 8/6/02 5:31 AM, john Petters at jpettjazz@btinternet.com wrote:

> They have lost the plot.
> They sound like basically 'modern' inclined musicians 'playing' at the older
> style without either affection or conviction.

    John, I agree with you about this, but don't think (nor assume that you
think) that they do it on purpose.  Any time I hear swing music played by
younger players who actually get the proper feel, I'm amazed; very few can
do it.  Suppose I could apply this lesson to myself and wonder whether I
ever get an early trad tune to sound as it should.  Born in 1929, I grew up
with swing all around me, oozing in through my pores: eighths and sixteenths
are my natural way of thinking.  Boppers learned to play evenly divided
lines (as I did in the 50s), and they have trouble thinking in eighths and
sixteenths swing style, even if thy are aware of it and are trying to.
Makes me wonder just what the hell I'm leaving out of, say, "The Original
Dixieland One-Step" or "Riverside Blues"!

"Lost the plot" is an apt phrase.  I'll steal it.

Charlie

>I missed the emotion of an Edmund Hall, a Johnny Hodges or a Baby Dodds.

Me, too, John. Me, too.