[Dixielandjazz] Marsalis concert

[john Petters]

Boy ! I seem to have rattled Brian Harvey's cage
He said
> Phrases like "I would rather listen to........................than rep
bands
> of young musicians trying to play in older styles without any real
affection
> for the music" make me wonder whether they should be in the jazz business
at
> all. > How sad both Jim Beebe and John Petters sound.

Why on earth should you wonder about that Brian. Find me a rep band that
plays the truth and I'll listen to it. I doubt you will find one that has
the genius of the great players of yesteryear.As to why am I in the jazz
business - the answer to that is because I enjoy it and I think I can
contribute - that's not to be under any illusion that I am going to change
the world. When I play the various 'traditional jazz' styles, I try to play
something that is appropriate and I have listened and studied those early
players.

he then said
> John Petters various bands all try to play in the style of bands that are
> long gone - viz his King Oliver recreation band - is he saying that his
> trumpet men Ken Sims and Cuff Billet are actually better than the
originals?

No I certainly would not say that, but in the case of those players they are
both striving to play within the idiom, both have an economy of phrasing,
and they play convincing lines. Many of the Marsalis musos were playing
lines more appropiate to much later styles of jazz

> Or that they should not try to emulate the originals?
> All classic jazz of today is derivative, as is what the Lincoln Centre
> Ochestra were playing. What makes the Petters - Beebe versions of old jazz
> any better than that of Wynton Marsalis?
That is subjective. The Marsalis concert was billed, I believe, as a 'swing'
concert. In my understanding this means music in a particular style from a
particular era. In as much as that was the case, they failed. Why not be
honest and call it a big band concert of contemporary jazz?
> As for Peters ridiculous remarks about current New Orleans brass bands -
he
> bases his opinion on a snatch of one CD. John - go to the city, listen to
> them all then comment, not before. You are not qualified.
Just what qualifications do I need before I can judge New Orleans Brass
Bands? What indeed are your qualifications? As I recall I heard more than
one track of that CD. I have to say that Louis Lince brought several other
New Orleans recordings with him (it was during the tour I organised with
Sammy Rimington) and very few appealed to me.

> And back on the subject of the Lincoln Centre Orchestra - I cannot help
> feeling that neither of you heard and studied the late Ellington, Basie
and
> Herman bands. Had you done so you surely would not be so fast of the mark
> with your comments.

Wrong again Brian. I saw Ellington on his last London gig in November 73 ( I
believe). I have also got the Atomic Mr Basie (not my favourite period) and
some odd Herman recordings from later on. I saw Buddy Rich, Lionel Hampton
and Louis Belson with their respective bands. With the exception of the
leaders and the afore mentioned Arnett Cobb, none of the young soloists
impressed at all. They had all come through the Berkely College of
rent-a-Coltrane-million- notes -a -minute course and said nothing. Ellington
on the other hand was a genius who always had something to say and no one
can recreate that.

John Petters
Amateur Radio Station G3YPZ
WWW.Traditional-jazz.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "brian.harvey5" <brian.harvey5@ntlworld.com>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 4:27 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Marsalis concert





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