[Dixielandjazz] Re: Musical Versatility

[Stephen Barbone]

Dennis, John, & List mates:

Dixieland is polyphonic counterpoint. Virtually any tune can be adapted to that musical form. To attempt to defines it
further leads to all sorts of disagreements as to what is "Dixieland". The problem of appeal to younger audiences with
"Dixieland" is that no new tunes are played by most Dixieland Bands and the older stuff just isn't relevant on it's
own.

The tunes I listed below in my post are not Rock & Roll. They are "modern jazz tunes". Done by modern jazz performers
such as Clifford Brown, Cannonball Adderly, Sonny Rollins et al. They adapt very well to polyphonic counterpoint a/k/a
Dixieland.

I don't understand your point about "polluting the music". Jazz is, and always has been an evolving or changing art
form. Dixieland was the first change from New Orleans Jazz. That's why we get into rigid opinion differences about
Preservation Halls version of jazz v. ODJB, and/or King Oliver.  Or British Trad versus Condon style. And when a newer
style gains favor, the older style does not disappear. It sticks around. The "integrity" of the music will always
remain with those that preserve it. The future of the music is in the hands of those who innovate it.

One so called style is just as valid as the other and they all have their fans. Absolutely nothing wrong with that as I
see it. For example, Preservation Hall is rough? Well of course, so was ALL of N.O. Jazz in the beginning. Jazz trumpet
did not evolve from an untrained musician to Arturo Sadoval in a year. It took a century. So who is playing "N. O.
Jazz" today? Preservation Hall, that's who. Like or not, that's up to the listener, but the style is valid and pretty
damn authentic for the most part.

We should forget all that trash talk about a jazz muso saying he wouldn't play there,  with those guys, bcause he
didn't play with them when they were young, since they were no good then either. That's just BS, like Dizzy G and Louis
A trash talking each other's music. BS, they were neighbors in Queens County, NYC for many years and they were great
friends. The trash talk was media hype, and now half the jazz fan world believes is as fact. Pure nonsense. (BTW I was
there for that info, and got it straight from both of them in person)

It should be no surprise to us that every trumpeter in Jazz today plays better than Louis. Faster, cleaner, higher,
more ideas. We might as well get used to it. The point, of course is that Louis innovated Jazz in the beginning. He is
THE FATHER. But you can bet the farm that he is proud of his sons who surpass him.

And what the heck is the wrong with playing a tune partly in 3/4 and then shifting to 4/4.?  OK, have an opinion,
that's fine, but to put it down as tasteless is, well, tasteless. Many musos love to create some tension in 3/4 time
and then release it via 4/4 time, or similar time changing devices to effect the tension and release which is a basic
musical fact of life in helping make a jazz tune say something.

Check out Brubeck's works for examples of this. ("Pick Up Sticks") Or check out "St Louis Blues" with it's shift from
Latin Beat to Swing Beat etc. While Blowing Bubbles was played all the way through in 3/4 by ODJB, Many current bands
do not consider it mandatory to slavishly follow what ODJB did. That whole style of music is hardly played at all
today. Good as it may be, it did not stay popular very long then, and is not popular now. Better left to the
"preservers".

And yes, Sacramento has other musical genres than OKOM. Of course, it has to do so in order to survive. It is no longer
promoted as a Dixieland festival. However, there is enough Dixieland there to keep the most dedicated fan from hearing
other musical forms.

I can understand that some Brits may not like certain US styles of Dixieland, that's fine. After all, I can't stand
British Trad. If there is ever to be any such thing as musical polution, it would get my vote. But that is one man's
opinion and in the grand scheme of things, not worth a damn thing.

Cheers,
Steve

> "john petters" <jpettjazz at btinternet.com> wrote (soice girl corrected)
>
> Steve said
>  >And for the College parties, we can also do "Mercy Mercy Mercy", "St.
> Thomas", "Gerkin For
> > Perkin", or "Jordu"  on the spot
>
> Steve I would query that the above is OKOM. It certainly is not Dixieland. I
> have always drawn the line at polluting a jazz gig with the obnoxious rock
> beat. So my gigs are ALWAYS in jazz time (occasasionally 3/4 for a chorus
> before swinging). The trick is to adapt the material to the style of the
> band, not the band to the style of the song. I have a recording of the Ory
> Band at the Green Room playing a dance where they play Perdido. They do not
> sound like Duke - they sound like the Ory band. Their is a danger in trying
> to be all things to all men - the integrity of the music can become
> compromised. End result The Spice Girls.

> Then "Dennis Mowatt" <basousanjo at blueyonder.co.uk> wrote (soice girl reference omitted)
>
> John,
>
> Having seen some of the bands at Sacramento recently, I was reminded of
> Irish Showbands, who were very adept - they were required to be - at playing
> *ANYTHING* the punters wanted. This included the pops of the day (including
> the "Shadows' steps"; you remember?), Irish Ceile dance music, quicksteps,
> foxtrots, waltzes, oh, yes, and Dixieland Jazz, to name but a few. Just as I
> would query the jazz content of the Irish Showbands - which did contain some
> very fine jazz musicians - I query the jazz content of some of what I saw at
> Sacramento. No, I refuse to "name names"!!
>
> If there is one thing I hate it is the playing of the first chorus in 3/4,
> then "swinging it". To me that is the dregs of tastelessness. To play, for
> example, "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles", take a leaf from the book of the
> ODJB and play it properly, in 3/4, all the way through!