[Dixielandjazz] Re: 'Mouldy Figs' term

[JimDBB at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/17/2003 2:08:26 AM Central Standard Time, 
bhaesler at nsw.bigpond.net.au writes:

> Feather does indeed admit in this chapter that his comments at that time 
> were
> "mean-spirited" and "clumsily written".
> This later softening of his attitude still does not endear me to the man or 
> his
> jazz writings. 
> I am sure Jim Beebe will agree with me.

  Leonard Feather was a despicable person.

However, Feather (in the book) credits the origin of the 'Moldy Fig' term to 
a
> letter to Esquire from Sam Platt (USN).
> Dan, your reference suggesting that Platt was replying to an earlier letter 
> from
> 'Moldy Fig' in France is new and intriguing.
> I hope you will be able to check out the original Esquire sources at UT's 
> PCL
> library.
> When some of us were young jazz turks growing up in Melbourne, Australia 
> during
> the mid/late 40s we proudly proclaimed ourselves as 'mouldy fygges'. 
> As a matter of interest, Chubby Jackson and His Jacksonville Seven recorded
> "Dixieland Stomp" for Victor on 12 Dec 1946 (at an Esquire All-American 
> Award
> Winners record session) with Charlie Shavers, t; JJ Johnson, tb; Coleman
> Hawkins, ts; Harry Carney, bssx; Teddy Wilson, p; John Collins, g; Chubby
> Jackson, sb; Shadow Wilson, d. Snotty McSiegel is credited as the composer.
> It was not issued at the time and only surfaced in the 1960s(?) on a Camden 
> LP
> (called of all things 'Dixieland and New Orleans Jazz') as "Dixieland Stomp" 
> and
> on an RCA LP 'Swing. Vol 1' as "Moldy Fig Stomp". It was also issued on a 
> 1972
> French RCA LP  featuring the Metronome All Stars and the Esquire All Stars 
> using
> both titles. All in my collection. 
> The tune (based on the verse of "Basin Street Blues") was meant as a 
> derogatory
> send up at the time and was not then (or now) very good.


  Yes, that recordings was meant to mock dixieland jazz but they did a poor 
job of it.  You could tell that their hearts really weren't in this.

  A few years back JJ Johnson was a guest on Marion McPartland's 'Piano Jazz" 
radio show and he spent some time talking about 'tailgate' trombone.

 Jim Beebe