[Dixielandjazz] Big Band Showcase - Denny Farrell Show.

[Bill Gunter]

Listmates,

Steve B. Wrote:

>Big Band OKOM is alive and well.

Couple of points:

1. I really don't think Big Band Music is "well."

2. I don't even think Big Band Music is "alive."

3. There was no "Big Band" music when Billie Holiday sang with Artie Shaw's 
band or when Harry James was recording prior to WWII!  In those days they 
were called "Orchestras."   Yes, they were "bands" and, yes, they were 
relatively "big" but they weren't called that!  The term "Big Band" came in 
after the war when the bands started to regroup but it was impossible to 
take a large orchestra on the road. The band members organized into smaller 
combos and travelled playing dates in casinos and clubs. When the occasion 
would arise that an entire orchestra was called for they would hire extra 
sidemen, dig out the charts and call themselves the "Glenn Miller (or 
whomever) Big Band" to distinguish it from the smaller groups currently 
touring.

Respectfully submitted,

Bill "picky picky picky" Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com

ps . . . other than that Big Band Music is alive and well.

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