[Dixielandjazz] Battle of the Bands

[Stephen Barbone]

The history of jazz is the history of cutting contests is the history of
Battles of the Bands.

Much to voluminous to discuss on line. Suggest the following Sources.

For Goldkette Band v. Henderson Band  or Goodman V. Chick Webb, see
Sudhalter's "Lost Chords" or The Companion book to the Burns Jazz
program. "Jazz A History of America's Music."

For Armstrong v. Keppard, or Oliver v. Keppard, or Bolden v. everybody,
see Bergreen's biography of Louis Armstrong.

For various other individual "cutting contests", ie Hawkins v. Young, or
Eldridge v. Gillespie, investigate;

1) The popular Movie Kansas City, or various DVDs about the "modern Jazz
musicians".

2) Google searches of individual musicians.

3) Various biographies of the giants of jazz. (Armstrong, Bolden, Webb,
Henderson, Goldkette, Parker, Monk, Gillespie, Eldridge, Hawkins, Young,
Bechet, Goodman) Jazz, like any business is competitive. Those who say
it is not, are either trying to be nice, or they are not real Jazz
Musicians.

Re set up, opposite ends of the room, or stages side by side will work.

Who wins? The audience will let you know, and if the Burns Book and
Sudhalter Book are any guide, ( as well as my experience with them) the
musicians themselves will know quite easily who won, unless, like the
second Goldkette / Henderson meeting, it was pretty much a draw.

Cheers,
Steve

PS. If you promote or are involved in a battle of the bands, or a
cutting contest, No more Mr. Nice Guy, prepare to cut throats. The
object is to win. Like the saying goes,  "If it is only a game, why do
they keep score?"