[Dixielandjazz] Re: "AXE"....

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Fred.
You just beat me to the Robert S. Gold 'Jazz Talk' reference.
I also have:
ax. n. [1930s-60s](US Black) any musical instrument, esp. guitar. [orig. Black
jazz use, when instrument more likely saxophone or trumpet] in The Cassell 1998
'Dictionary of Slang' by Jonathon Green.
I recall the term being used in Melbourne, Australia  during the mid-late 1940s
(within the 'trad' scene) for a guitar.
Later it was used here, infrequently, by jazzmen for any musical instrument
except the piano or drums.
However, we young kids, at that time, shunned its use as being in the same
league as 'liquorice stick' and 'goanna'.
Kind regards,
Bill.
PS: Loved Nancy's: In the U.S., there are three acceptable spellings for this
word:
"ax," "axe," and "ask."
'Axe' for 'ask' is also still common to older Australians in certain suburbs of
Sydney.