[Dixielandjazz] THE POWER OF OKOM

[Jim Denham]

Here, hear, Steve!

Some us believe that the Condon bands of the 1940's and '50's were the 
apogee of traditional jazz for the latter-Twentieth Century (and a good 
starting-point for the Twenty First).

And as the great Slick told John Steinbeck (when Steinbeck demanded that 
he - Condon - returned to the "one true American instrument", the 
banjo): "Aw, that went out with button shoes".

But you don't have to subscribe to the Gospel according to Condon: kid 
Ory (surely of impeccable New Orleans/Trad credentials), NEVER used a 
banjo in his later bands, and his guitarists included such trad purists 
as Herb Ellis and Kenny Burrell.

By the way, I've nothing against a good banjo in a band. It's just that, 
in my experience, there aren't that many of them. Two good ones that 
spring to mind are a (to me) local lad, Brian Mellor and listmate Louis 
Lince.

Yours,

Jim Denham

In message <3D3F126B.7F01934A@earthlink.net>, Stephen Barbone 
<barbonestreet@earthlink.net> writes
>
>Russ Guarino wrote:
>
>> Steve:
>>
>> With a guitar instead of a banjo, do you really sound like Tra Dixieland or,
>> more like a swing band with a swing jazz feel?
>
>Russ & List mates
>
>Sound is pretty close, in feel, to what the bands at Eddie Condon's joint
>sounded like in the 40s -50s-60s. Although overall slightly more towards small
>band swing on some numbers. Especially where the guitar takes single string
>solos. We play mostly the war horse tunes, (Strutting with BBQ, Tiger Rag, Jazz
>Me Blues) which are quite new to the audience and always well received. Plus a
>few updated numbers like "Michelle"
>
>Note that Kenny Davern worked a lot in recent years with Bucky Pizzerelli
>and/or Howard Alden on guitar. So we are traveling down the same road, but he
>is, of course, a much better reed man than I.
>
>My wife Martha, told me that in 1960 when we were courting and we went to the
>Cinderella Club in NY to participate in a cutting session. I got a lesson from
>Kenny that night and she said. "I don't know if I should tell you this, but he
>is better than you are."
>
>Shortly afterwards, impressed by her honesty, I asked her to marry me. Kenny,
>Martha and I still laugh about that, and Martha and I are still happily
>married.
>
>Cheers,
>Steve Barbone
>
>PS. Remember too that most trad New Orleans Jazz Bands, circa 1900 to 1917 used
>guitar as the chord instrument, not banjo. Recording changed it to banjo
>because guitar did not pick up very well in those early years. String bass
>became Tuba for the same reason. Perhaps we're just coming back full circle?
>:-)
>
>
>Russ Guarino wrote:
>
>> Steve:
>>
>> With a guitar instead of a banjo, do you really sound like Tra Dixieland or,
>> more like a swing band with a swing jazz feel?
>
>
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-- 
Jim Denham