[Dixielandjazz] Bix - undigested food for thought

[Steven Holzer]

If Bix had lived, would we be praising him for his advances or bemoaning 
his abandonment of the "true jazz"? Miles Davis seems to me a possible 
model for how it could have gone. A saint one day, a demon the next. 
Food for thought.

Steve Holzer

Richard Broadie wrote:

>Hi John,
>
>Louis found his niche and was very comfortable in it, just being happy in
>either the role of musician or entertainer.  Bix, I feel was different,
>perhaps exploring "serious music" because he didn't feel he was advancing in
>his jazz playing.   I would guess that, had Bix grown in his knowlege of
>theory and harmony in "serious music" he would have applied it to jazz in a
>manner to further advance it as far as he could take it.  I was told years
>ago that one of the reasons Bix drank as much as he did was that he was
>frustrated by the limitations of the music of his era.  Rather like a 747
>pilot trying to fly a Wright Brother's aircraft?    That's my 2 cents worth
>on this speculative venture.  It may not be worth that much, but it's fun to
>guess.
>
>Dick B
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "john petters" <jpettjazz at btinternet.com>
>To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2003 3:42 PM
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Bix - undigested food for thought
>
>
>  
>
>>Dick said
>>
>>    
>>
>>>I wonder if Bix, himself would have wanted his music preserved as it was
>>>recorded during his lifetime.  In long ago conversations with Hoagy
>>>Charmichael and Phil Harris who knew Bix well, I was given the
>>>      
>>>
>impression
>  
>
>>>that Bix was anything but interested in tradition.
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>I doubt if Bix would even have thought about it.
>>
>>In his era, Bix was "far out," with creativity and
>>    
>>
>>>innovativeness being his hallmarks, in addition to his brilliant
>>>      
>>>
>>execution.
>>    
>>
>>>Had Bix lived and additional 15 years, I have little doubt that Bird and
>>>      
>>>
>>Diz
>>    
>>
>>>would have been at his side saying, "How'd ya do that, man?"  I
>>>      
>>>
>>Interesting point about Bix, Bird and Diz. However Louis Armstrong was not
>>affected at all by Be Bop, perhaps Bix would have remained playing his own
>>thing and doing what Bobby Hackett did. More likely he would have gone
>>    
>>
>into
>  
>
>>'serious' music as his piano works indicate.
>>John Petters
>>Amateur Radio Station G3YPZ
>>www.traditional-jazz.com
>>
>>
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>>    
>>
>
>
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