[Dixielandjazz] Re: Landing Anecdotes

[Don Mopsick]

Butch Thompson wrote:

> "Do you know anything by John Coltrane?" I
> explained that no, we don't play any modern jazz. "You're kidding,
> right?" was his incredulous reply.

<<What  year did this request come in?  Coltrane's most revolutionary music
is
older now, in 2003, than Jelly Roll Morton's was when I first heard it in
the late 50s.>>

Butch, the request came this year. Here is what I wrote for our FAQ (meant
for the general, non-jazz public) on our website at www.riverwalk.org:
_________________________________________
Q. I've never heard jazz like this before.  How would you classify it?
Dixieland?
A. We prefer to use broader, more inclusive terms such as "Classic" or
"Vintage" jazz.  Here is a page describing our music in more detail:
http://www.landing.com/music.htm.  In general, the focus is on the hot jazz
of small groups from before WWII.  If you would imagine yourself at Nick's
in Greenwich Village in the 30s or 40s, or at Eddie Condon's nightclub, you
wouldn't be far off.

Q. Why do you choose to play older jazz styles?
A. To us, the older jazz feels more vital, pure, noble, authentic, etc.
Plus, it's fun to play, listen, and dance to.  You don't need any special
knowledge about jazz or music to enjoy older jazz, you just simply let that
rhythm take over your body. Fats Waller said, "You get that right-tickin'
rhythm, and man, it's on!"

By the way, what's "old" these days anyway? The style of jazz called
"modern," "progressive," etc. began in the 1940s and reached its zenith in
the 1960s. Many younger contemporary "modern" jazz musicians reach back to
this era (before they were born) for their models. From our point of view,
all good jazz is vital, but it's all old now and will only get older as time
goes on. We constantly seek out that which is noble and enduring in jazz,
transcending the ephemeral declarations of "what is hip" by each generation.

In the early 1930s, Louis Armstrong's music was considered extremely chic,
even avant-garde by sophisticated Americans and Europeans. An entire
generation of youngsters in the 1920s couldn't get enough Charleston dancing
to the jazz of Bix Beiderbecke. For us, Louis, Bix, and others of their
generation are still right there at the cutting edge.

Q. How do I know which jazz is the enduring, worthwhile kind?
A. Good jazz played in many different styles is timeless. Good jazz makes
you feel good with a happy, infectious beat, or makes you feel low-down with
a wailing, bluesy moan. Louis Armstrong said, "Jazz is played from the
heart." Bad jazz doesn't have much feeling at all, and in fact leaves you
feeling hollow, empty. Other kinds of bad jazz leave you with the impression
that you've just been given an intelligence test.

Very bad jazz can be irritating, abrasive, and can kill your houseplants or
upset your digestion. You'd be surprised at how many otherwise
discriminating, intelligent people claim to like this stuff. Whatever. The
important thing is, don't buy into the idea that somehow you're not "hip" if
you don't like it.

_________________________________

Here are two Landing anecdotes that didn't make it into the Jazz Me News:

In the course of playing live at the Landing, musical emergencies sometimes
arise-guitar or bass strings break, etc. While the player frantically
struggles to replaced the string, Jim kills time by auctioning off the
broken item to the highest bidder. The bids typically start at a quarter,
then 50 cents, and so on until the item sells for as much as $5.00, and the
winning bidder goes home happy with a genuine souvenir of his night at the
Landing. By the time the auction is over, the instrument is fixed, and the
band continues on playing.



One night, Eddie Torres broke his snare drum head. Jim held up the broken
head. "What am I bid for this genuine drum head played by Ed Torres?" The
bidding began as usual at around 50 cents, then a dollar, then 2 dollars.



A young couple was making their way toward the exit. Suddenly, the young
woman shouted out "A [sexual expletive deleted], I'll give a [sexual
expletive deleted]!"  They both then quickly ducked out the exit to the
Riverwalk patio.



Everyone, including Jim and the band, was at first stunned into dumbfounded
silence, then the show stopped for at least 5 minutes while everyone lost
it. Jim gave up on the auction and stomped off the next tune.



_________________________________________________



An inebriated guy and his wife had been sitting directly in front of the
band for about two hours, shouting drunkenly at Jim and the rest of the band
and generally behaving badly. At the conclusion of the set, he stood up and
offered his business card to the band members. As we filed off the
bandstand, each one of the band members politely declined his offer.  The
poor guy was left standing alone, holding his card in his outstretched hand.
As I passed by, I could make out only one word: "ORCHESTRA." The guy was a
bandleader.


mopo