[Dixielandjazz] Mixed race lineups, Chicago Style

[Bobolink7736 at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/24/03 3:02:52 PM, charliehooks at earthlink.net writes:

<< I think this is on musical point because as jazz players we all miss having
the fine black musicians among us, yet they are dying off and dropping out
without replacements.   None are in sight. >>

Sad to say, Charlie, but the more I read lines like this, the more I think 
and feel compelled to say, "hey, those who are dying off and dropping out 
without replacements" are members of this List.  I am not much younger but I am just 
starting over again and find it damned difficult to learn as much as I need 
to know from you
old folks because I only find you on the DJML.  Where else do I need to look 
for old
players and semi-private jam sessions that includes has-beens-wannabe agains?

Meanwhile, here's some news for folks like Charlie.  

Grade school bands in Chicago have a lot of budding and fine young musicians, 
who are learning to read music and who are also learning to play by ear.  I 
have sat-in with
such a band; it was all Black and they played like beginners but they played 
both by
sight and by ear.  They played standard beginning stuff like scales, long 
tones, excerpts, and they played take-offs, riffs, some memorized, some faked; 
they played
from notation and from chords.  They were in the fourth and fifth grades.  
Their band director seems to know everything there is to know about music, 
except Dixieland which he thinks too difficult to teach in public school music 
programs.  Again, this is in Chicago.  The future of jazz looked pretty good from 
where I sat.

Best wishes,
boblynn
bobolink7736 at aol.com