[Dixielandjazz] Re: Better Players>>Jabbo Smith

[BudTuba at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/15/03 10:24:29 AM Eastern Daylight 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.
> 
> 

I often thought the Jabbo Smith played more inventively than Louis Armstrong, 
however, Louis' secret was to keep to the melody.  His solos were 
reinterpretations of the melody and people who were not rapt jazz fans could still enjoy 
his music.  Jabbo played all over the place and reinvented motiffs which could 
lose the average listener.  (I have also heard it said that Jabbo didn't have 
the right management to rise above the pack.)  Nonetheless,  I really enjoy 
listening to Jabbo, but it is from the perspective of a musician.  

I love Louis Armstrong because the nuances of his timing and selection of 
notes makes the songs he chose memorable.  Many of Louis' renditions become the 
song for me, rather than the original version.  I was just listening to one of 
my MP3 compilations I keep in the car and reminded of Louis' version of All Of 
Me.  He takes a rather mundane song and transforms it into a trumpet 
masterpiece.  Even his vocal would make a good trumpet line.

Bud Taylor
Smugtown Stompers
Rochester, NY
Traditional Jazz since 1958