[Dixielandjazz] Re: Dixielandjazz digest, Vol 1 #270 - 21 msgs
DWSI@aol.com
DWSI@aol.com
Mon, 14 Oct 2002 15:38:29 EDT
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RE: Message: 14
From: "Bill Gunter" <jazzboard@hotmail.com>
To: brian.harvey5@ntlworld.com, dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Two beat or four beat that is the
question......................
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 15:36:58 +0000
A pithy question:
>Could any erudite list member please explain to me the difference between
>two and four beat and also suggest how an old 'cloth ears' (i.e. aged non
>musician) should be able to distinguish one from the other?
This isn't an 'erudite' answer nor is it necessarily the right answer but
it's my best explanation . . .
Two beat = BOOM chuck BOOM chuck
Four beat = BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM
Respectfully submitted,
Bill "Boom chuck chuck (I like walzes)" Gunter
jazzboard@hotmail.com
Dan Spink replies:
Great (and I think accurate answer), Bill. Since this is one of my favorite
pet peeves in jazz, allow me to indulge my prejudices for a moment. As a
piano plunker, I love chords, melody and stride rhythm. Unfortunately, the
evolution of jazz (according to some experts such as John Mehegan who once
taught jazz at Julliard) has reduced the piano to a "sophisticated" one-line
instrument that plays only 4/4 time. In other words, we're supposed to play
block chords in the left hand endlessly while composing exciting, one line,
linear improvisations based on various scales and modes. My answer is to that
is simply "PHOOEY!" When a modern bass player gets going on a 4/4 beat (and
don't tell me about the subtle differences between the 1 and 3 beat accents
now), it sounds to me like rain dripping. I'll take an old fashioned two beat
bass any time. And when that 4/4 bass player then turns the bass line into a
linear improvisation that ignores beat but moves all over the barnyard and
back I have to wonder why he or she is playing bass. What ever happened to a
two beat stride bass? I'm sure I'll hear from the modern jazzists in spades
now. Sorry guys!
Dan (piano fingers) Spink
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<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">RE: Message: 14<BR>
From: "Bill Gunter" <jazzboard@hotmail.com><BR>
To: brian.harvey5@ntlworld.com, dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com<BR>
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Two beat or four beat that is the<BR>
question......................<BR>
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 15:36:58 +0000<BR>
<BR>
A pithy question:<BR>
<BR>
>Could any erudite list member please explain to me the difference between<BR>
>two and four beat and also suggest how an old 'cloth ears' (i.e. aged non<BR>
>musician) should be able to distinguish one from the other?<BR>
<BR>
This isn't an 'erudite' answer nor is it necessarily the right answer but <BR>
it's my best explanation . . .<BR>
<BR>
Two beat = BOOM chuck BOOM chuck<BR>
Four beat = BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM<BR>
<BR>
Respectfully submitted,<BR>
<BR>
Bill "Boom chuck chuck (I like walzes)" Gunter<BR>
jazzboard@hotmail.com<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3 FAMILY="FIXED" FACE="Courier New CE" LANG="0"><B>Dan Spink replies:<BR>
<BR>
Great (and I think accurate answer), Bill. Since this is one of my favorite pet peeves in jazz, allow me to indulge my prejudices for a moment. As a piano plunker, I love chords, melody and stride rhythm. Unfortunately, the evolution of jazz (according to some experts such as John Mehegan who once taught jazz at Julliard) has reduced the piano to a "sophisticated" one-line instrument that plays only 4/4 time. In other words, we're supposed to play block chords in the left hand endlessly while composing exciting, one line, linear improvisations based on various scales and modes. My answer is to that is simply "PHOOEY!" When a modern bass player gets going on a 4/4 beat (and don't tell me about the subtle differences between the 1 and 3 beat accents now), it sounds to me like rain dripping. I'll take an old fashioned two beat bass any time. And when that 4/4 bass player then turns the bass line into a linear improvisation that ignores beat but moves all over the barnyard and back I have to wonder why he or she is playing bass. What ever happened to a two beat stride bass? I'm sure I'll hear from the modern jazzists in spades now. Sorry guys!<BR>
<BR>
Dan (piano fingers) Spink <BR>
</B></FONT></HTML>
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