[Dixielandjazz] Dixieland Music Taught in Schools

[Stephen Barbone]

Both Tom Wiggins and Bob Lynn bemoan the fact that "Dixieland" is for
the most part, not taught in schools.

>From my limited viewpoint, I think that is true. There are jazz courses,
but not really Dixieland Courses.

I can't understand why the teacher Bob knows doesn't teach Dixieland
because it "is too difficult".  I just don't get that.

Dixieland is one of the easier forms of jazz. Musically, there is an
easy to hear melody. The chord progressions are not only relatively
easy, but they go where you expect them to go on most tunes.

I suspect that today's "jazz teachers" teach the music from the point of
playing patterns, rather than following the chords. In that sense, yes,
then Dixieland would be hard to play properly.

However, even with my limited skills, I have no trouble playing 1000 or
so Dixieland songs with just a quick look at the chords, and/or by ear.

And every time we use a "modern" player with our groups, there is no
problem at all with them following what we are doing.

Cheers,
Steve