[Dixielandjazz] Condon's lessons

[Stephen Barbone]

Jim Denham wrote:

> Martino's lament is not unique to Brazil: here in the UK it is notoriously
> difficult to assemble a band to play 'Condon-style'. It's a tightrope you have
> to tread: fall on one side and you're with bland "mainstream"; fall on the
> other and you've got 'trad'. It isn't just the repertoire (though it's best to
> avoid "Muskrat Ramble" and "The Saints"), it's the approach of the individual
> players. I don't think this can be taught to a generation who have not heard
> Pee Wee, Cutty, Wild Bill, Ed Hall or Vic D in person. All we can do is
> encourage them to listen to the records, and then do their best. Not copying,
> but keeping to "the spirit".

List mates, Jim and Tito:

Well, I learned something. Coming originally from New York City, I often lose
touch with the rest of the world, and even the rest of the USA. We "City"
(there's only one, VBG) boys seem to think that just because we've been exposed
to something, everybody has. Foolish mistake, made in ignorance, for which I
apologize

I can now appreciate that "Condon Style" may sound like Be-Bop, unless like me,
you heard all those great Dixieland musicians in New York live, at Condon's, or
Nick's, or the Metropole, or a dozen other Dixieland clubs, in the 40s, 50s, and
60s.

I would urge listees to get some of those great records of various Condon groups
and listen to where Dixieland was going. Or come to New York City or Philadelphia
now where various musos and bands play the style quite well, when not playing for
a "West Coast Revival" audience.

I would also urge Festival Producers to bring a few good "Condon Style" bands to
their festivals. (Not us as we are too expensive for you and have plenty of local
gigs)

About the music, note another quote from the astute Mr. Condon: "At Nicks we did
a lot of Dixieland numbers because the customers identified them with our music
and asked for them. We could have played the most recent popular hits, giving
them our interpretation, but many of the listeners would not have believed they
were hearing jazz."  From Second Line.

Or Jack Maheu's (clarinet) lament: "If you could only have heard it back then.
You'd open the door to some little club where those guys - Eddie and some of his
cronies were playing. And that music would hit you in the face like a fist, a
blast of superheated steam. It was powerful. I mean lots of guys today play well.
But back then there was something else - in Pee Wee, Bud, Wild Bill, Teagarden,
George Wettling . . ."

Cheers, I guess you had to be there,
Steve (easy for me, difficult for you) Barbone

PS. We play Muscrat and Saints almost every gig to great appreciation of people
who don't get enough of them lately, or have never heard them.