[Dixielandjazz] Cornet Education for Bill Biffle

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/15/03 2:56:12 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
mikedurham_jazz at hotmail.com writes:

> These guys are all 
> pretty important too (and a lot less opinionated than Mr Marsalis!) 

Hi Mike:

With all due respect:

Maybe Wynton and a lot of other Excellent Black musicians that have been 
totally ignored by the Dixieland Music Industry for so long have a right to be 
opinionated, after all Nick La Rocca did not invent Dixieland Music as many 
people who play it believe.

  Authentic History proves that it started down in New Orleans with guys Like 
Jelly Roll Morton and King Oliver, Buddy Bolden and many others that never 
saw a line of print.

If it had not been for the great undeniable success of Louis Armstrong their 
just might not be any Dixieland music at all.  Which in My opinion is the main 
reason he is included in the Great Trumpet Players list.  You can't even 
recognize this music and Not recognize Louis Armstrong and his contributions.

Whether or not we wish to admit it, these Black originators of Jazz music 
were relegated to mostly back street juke joints and Brothels to play their music 
and not allowed uptown in the White Dance Halls.

Wynton Marsalis is not one of my heroes or even favorite players, but I do 
not deny him his success and his opinions, which speak volumes for those who 
were denied their rightful place in History.  Many of them paid a dear and hard 
price for Wynton to achieve what he has done, as well as one of my former 
trumpet players, John Faddis at Carnegie Hall.

It's About time they got some respect they earned it and did not get there 
just because they are Black or because of Affirmative Action.  They are Good, 
and Wynton is doing more for Traditional Jazz than 90% of all the So called Jazz 
Societies in the World.

  Anyone who thinks not should ask why did Ken Burns not come seek us out for 
our opinions on who is Hot in Jazz rather than Wynton who is a highly 
respected professor of Jazz studies in Louisiana, besides being a fine trumpet 
player.

Many of us loved to Hate Ken Burns and even threw a few verbal stones at him 
on this list, but fact is he did something and most of us did not.  Thanks to 
him many of the bands and musicians on this list are currently enjoying a 
great resurgence in live performing opportunities to play this great music.  
Perhaps this time we won't blow it.

I have personally worked with many good musicians that I hated on a personal 
level, but I would not deny them their opinions.  After all That is pretty 
much what Jazz is all about anyway, opinions, musically and otherwise.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins