[Dixielandjazz] Re: Jazz Festivals

[Stephen Barbone]

> John Ding wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Stephen Barbone"

> : Besides, Newport in 1954 was really the first great jazz
> : festival no?
>
> Steve,
>
> What about the 1944 (45?) Esquire jazz festival at New York's Metropolitan
> Opera House, that had some pretty good names on the schedule as I recall.
> Embarrassingly, I cannot recall just who as my LP's of that festival are
> packed away. I do vaguely recall tho' there was a drum duet feature with
> Lionel Hampton and Big Sid Catlett also, sadly, that the overall sound
> quality of the LP's is quite dire for the most part.

I don't think one could properly call that a "great jazz festival" in the context we are using for this discussion. It was more like a jazz concert with a couple of acts. Similar to Benny Goodman's concert at Carnegie which included some very fine musicians other than his band.

Cheers,
Steve