[Dixielandjazz] Jim Beebe's commnts on Louis and Jack Teagarden

[Harold Smith]

Amen, Amen, I say unto you, Jim Beebe.

Both of those magnificent gentlemen didn't need to "sing" the blues,
they carried it in their souls.

Jack Teagarden's poignant-wistful-melancholy vocal style was such that
he could have sung "Mairzy Doats" and made it sound like hurtful
yearning, even with Jan Garber's Orchestra, yet!

And we don't need lectures from contemporary activists on the meaning of
the Black Experience, when we can turn to Louis singing "Black and
Blue".  Sure, it's not a "blues", but it generates the same empathetic
feeling.

I'll also add that when these half-hillbilly, half-rock & roller blues
singers at today's Yuppie "Blues Clubs" can come close to the great
Jimmy Rushing and Joe Williams  in jazz/blues expressiveness,  that's
when I, for one, will pay them some attention.

Well, Stanley, that's one fine mess you've gottenyourself into this
time.  But, honestly, I meant well, Ollie.

Harold Smith

        -----"Opinions only matter when 
               you're bitching"