[Dixielandjazz] Re: Ted Lewis & Woody Herman

[Jazzjerry at aol.com]

In a message dated 31/10/03 2:07:05 pm, barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes:


> if I want to listen to "New Orleans"
> clarinetists, I put on records by the sources, not the copycats. For me, 
> everything
> he does has been done better by the likes of Albert Nicholas, Sidney Bechet, 
> Alphonse
> Picou, George Lewis, Albert Burbank and many others so why waste time 
> listening?
> 

Steve,

I have always found this to be a particularly strange argument particularly 
from musicians. Taking the suggestion to a logical conclusion then one would 
never go a gig or buy a CD by any musician who is not seeking to find a new 
avenue for jazz to proceed. Your band plays loosely in the 'Chicago Dixieland' 
style I would say from what I have heard so why should I bother to either turn 
out on a wet night to hear you or lash out my heard earned cash in buying your 
CD when I could stay at home in front of a roaring log fire listening to some 
Eddie Condon on the CD player? 

Tonight I am promoting a concert by an Australian singer called Trudy Kerr 
who is performing a concert of songs associated with Chet Baker. Her backing 
musicians include top flight musicians with Dick Pearce 'playing' the Baker 
trumpet and Alan Barnes doing his Mulligan thing on baritone. Should I tell the 
punters as they arrive that they should really be at home listening to the real 
Baker and Mulligan on record rather than paying their £10 admission to hear 
copyists?

Incidentally for the first time I can announce that some of the musicians 
playing tonight are strongly featured on a CD which has this week entered the 
main UK pop album charts at number 22! Bassist Geoff Gascoyne, drummer Sebastiaan 
de Krom and sax player Alan Barnes all are part of the support band behind 
Britain's latest singing sensation, piano/vocalist Jamie Cullum who has just 
released a new album which is destined for great things!

Further interesting (or useless) information is that all the 'jazz' clarinet 
and saxophone playing on the soundtrack of the recent film, 'Cabaret' is by 
Alan Barnes. 

Wow - who says the top jazz artists don't come to Norwich!!

Cheers,

Jerry,
Norwich,
U.K.