[Dixielandjazz] ODJB

[Stephen Barbone]

Adaywayne at aol.com wrote:

>    Maybe I spoke too soon, Mike. I haven't got the CD(s) but have
> heard them
> live in NYC and they certainly didn't seem to be copying the ODJB, and
> definitely
> not note for note. Perhaps that album was a one-off? I just can't
> imaging
> either Kellso or Levinson playing the same stuff night in night out.
> When I heard
> them at Birdland they went by the name of "Somebody's (my memory is
> failing)
> Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Centennial Band.

That would have been Dave Ostwald's Gully Low Jazz Band which is in
residence at Birdland once a week on Tuesday nights. They also did a
Muggsy (Spanier) tribute in Somerset NJ last Saturday night.

There is a lot of musician switching in the bands in NYC because the
club dates pay so little. So one night you may hear Kellso and Levinson,
and then the next time you may hear Reinhart and Kellin because Kellso
and Levinson got higher paying gigs at a private party or something. Or
because Kellso was touring in Europe and Levinson was at a festival in
San Diego.

So when folks see Roof Garden, Independence Hall, or Nighthawks, the
personnel in the band on that date depend upon who was available. Most
of us in the East gig with a band made up from groups of 30 or 40 jazz
musicians that we can call to fill a date or dates. Thus the "first
call" sidemen, 2nd call, 3rd call etc.

Barbone Street is the rare exception. For 90% of our gigs over the past
five years, we have gigged with the same 6 musicians. That's about about
540 six piece gigs with the exact same band. It is unmatched for
consistency during that time period as far as I can tell, except for
Cullum and a few other bands like Sorta Dixie.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone