[Dixielandjazz] Authentic Jazz & Reeds

[Stephen Barbone]

List mates:

George Buck may have said that the Dirty Dozen Brass Band doesn't play
"authentic jazz" but that is a very personal categorization. If most
folks can't agree on what "jazz" is, then how in the world are we going
to handle "authentic jazz"?

To tell any jazz musician that he is not playing "authentic jazz" is a
great put down line. To me, the word "authentic" is too tough a modifier
to use along with jazz, unless you can state with certainty what year
jazz became counterfeit.

Regarding reeds, I use Vandoren V 12 reeds. Just switched from Grand
Concert Thick Blank (Rico). Also using a "long faced" 5JB Vandoren
mouthpiece as opposed to the regularly faced one. Like Russ Guarino, I
try and keep a good reed forever and will wash it after a gig. After
patting it down with a towel, I place it between two 3 by 5 inch pieces
of half inch think plate glass (to flatten it) till the next day when I
put it back in its case. Learned that trick from a local Bass Sax player
who carries his reeds between plate glass, rubber banded together.
Sounds anal, but it works for us.

During my pre 1962 gig dates, I often arrived with one reed and
consequently have played with split reads, or ones missing a bit of the
tip, or ones that I had to cut down with a nail clipper and then scrape
with a razor blade. But the best story I ever heard about reeds concerns
Bechet. It seems he forgot his reeds one night at a club date and so he
took out his straight razor, grabbed a cigar box lid (wood in those
days) and carved himself a reed that played just fine, according to the
story.

True or urban legend I believe he could have done it successfully if he
was of a mind to do so.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone