[Dixielandjazz] Jazz??

[BillSargentDrums at aol.com]

Listmates & especially Bill Sargent,

   There are damn few living "jazz" singers around no matter what their
stripe. Be they male, female, black, white, American, European or whatever!>>

Can't argue with that.

<<The last male "jazz" singer was Al Jolson and even that's open for
discussion.>>

Can't agree with that.

<<Now that I have your attention let's get back to basics. The original
songs and singers were referred to as the "blues" not "jazz". Look in just
about any discography of traditional jazz and you will find that most of
them have "blues" in the title.
   As for the singers starting with Bessie and all the rest, they sang the
Blues, not Jazz. The musicians played Jazz to back them up.>>

Some folks are so hung up on having to put labels to everything . . . they 
miss the whole point and beauty.

I've played with a ton of blues bands and blues singers. . . . and I've also 
done the same with jazz . . . of several genres . . . and the two were not 
the same . . . or even close.

<<I am sure that most of you have heard the phrase "he could really make
that instrument cry". Now that's a "Blues" musician!>>

That term could be applied to anyone who played with an exceptional amount of 
expression and emotion.

<<   Singers are just like all the other musicians regardless of their axe.
There are those that do it with passion and those who just read the notes.
Expertly maybe but no soul, no passion, nothing directly from the gut.
That's what separates the wow from the ho hum.>>

I agree.

<<   Now that I have said my piece let's stop knocking "Chick" singers for
their gender. >>

I love female vocalists (good ones). Fact is, I named my doughter after Ella.

<<Face it men, things have changed considerably in the last
hundred years.>>

Truth NEVER changes. Fools do.

<<They even train Women Marines in the same platoons with the
men and they die just as easily but that's another string which I prefer to
let lie.>>

See above.

<<   All of you have a great weekend!
   Gary (one lung) Wallbridge>>

Especially, you too!
Bill
414-777-0100
BillSargent.com
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