[Dixielandjazz] West End Blues was Better Players

[Stan Brager]

For me, Dick, it wasn't the fact that he played each note in the chromatic
scale but his rhythm in doing it. When I hear it, I know that great jazz is
coming. He has a similar run which begins with a sustained note in his last
solo right after Earl Hines piano. That is another classic solo which many
have tried to emulate but have failed.

I can't help but to be carried along with the music. That is an ability
which modern players have lost. All the elements of great music are there -
surprise, anticipation, improvisation.

You ask what would have happened if Clifford Brown and Louis Armstrong's
birthdate and place were reversed?

I'll have to meditate on that... for the rest of my life.

Stan
Stan Brager
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Broadie" <richard.broadie at gte.net>
To: <JimDBB at aol.com>; <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 1:22 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Better Players


> On intro of Louis Armstrong's  West End Blues, he plays every note in the
> chromatic scale compressed in very few measures.  For his time,. Louis was
> harmoniclly on the moon!
>
> Clifford was extremely crative and talened but was exposed to a vastly
> different musical environment in his development than that of Armstrong
> which, of course, provided Clifford with an entirely different reference
> point both in time and harmonic genre.
>
> I can see absolutely no point in arguing as to which is the better
musician,
> by any criteria.
>
> To me, a far more interesting question is what if Louis had been born in
> Wilmington, DE in 1930 and Clifford in New Orleans LA circa 1901.   Would
> the roles be reversed?
>
> Dick Broadie
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <JimDBB at aol.com>
> To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 11:11 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Better Players
>
>
> > In a message dated 7/15/2003 9:24:21 AM Central Standard Time,
> > barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes:
> >
> > > Regarding someone's comment that Clifford Brown couldn't play what
Louis
> > > played, that is just not the case. Clifford
> > > had all the ammunition. Excellent tone, great feel/fire, great ideas,
> and a
> > > great melodic approach. To deny that he
> > > outplays Louis is simply a case of tunnel vision, or being stuck in
the
> > > musical time warp of the 1920s / 30s.
> > >
> > > Many players today easily replicate exactly what Louis played. I can
> recall
> > > Peter Ecklund doing so, as well as others.
> > > The hard part is the fire, the feeling, and the fact that Louis was
THE
> > > ORIGINATOR.
> > >
> > > But then, as powerful as they are, fire and feel are subjective
measures
> as
> > > interpreted by each of us differently. The
> > > numbered measurements above are completely objective. If you answer
> "yes" to
> > > them regarding a player like Brown what
> > > possible conclusion can you reach except that Brown plays better?
> >
> >   Cripes...do I have to keep repeating myself.  Nobody, dead or alive
can
> > play Louis Armstrong's classic solos ( say West End Blues or Potato Head
> Blues)
> > with the same phrasing and timing.  many have tried and all failed.
> >
> >   You are assuming because one may seem to have the technical facility,
> that
> > he can easily crack off an Armstrong solo.  But you are overlooking
> > Armstrong's masterful phrasing and timing, and that glistening sound.
> those things
> > cannot be duplicated.  As you said your self, the hard part is the fire,
> the
> > feeling...these guys don't have it.
> >
> > If I had 1000K I would place it out there for anyone who could duplicate
> an
> > Armstrong solo to the satisfaction of a small and select group of
judges.
> >
> > Jim Beebe
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
> >
>
>
>
>