[Dixielandjazz] Draw The Line / Eddie Condon's take

[Steve Barbone]

Bob Ringwald, we should draw the line at 500. :-) VBG.

Those who knew Condon will recall him bitching mightily at audiences 
that wanted to hear the war-horse tunes again and again. He always 
wanted to play newer tunes, and as mate Haesler pointed out, did record 
some of the newer stuff.

Unfortunately, the jazz police/critics of that time panned those 
efforts. :-) VBG.

Reminds me of the time we had played "If I Were A Bell" (Guys and Dolls) 
and a blue haired matron came up to me, sniffed haughtily and said; 
"Humpf, I didn't know that tune was jazz."
Cracked me up and I couldn't help laughing.

BTW, we play Michelle, and Blue Monk too and they work just fine in 
polyphonic counterpoint. I'm with Louis Lince on that.

Dan Hardie, careful with asking about "Dixieland". By the late 1930s, it 
had become a word for music played only by White Bands, first by the 
trade press and then by the public.  So says Richard Sudhalter in "Lost 
Chords" see the examples on page 279.

I think that holds true today. There are very few non white "Dixieland" 
bands, but lots of non-white bands that play "New Orleans Jazz" go 
figure. Sudhalter's take on Dixieland in Chapter 12 does an excellent 
job of discussing that issue.

Much of today's Dixieland seems to me to be pop music of the 1930s 
played in a kind ersatz jazzy style. Sort of like what Kenny G does with 
smooth jazz vs. jazz. As I hear it, there are only a few bands today 
that are as visceral as the originals.

And Dan Spink, look around NYC. There are at least 12 Dixieland/OKOM 
Bands working regularly in the city. There is no need for a Dixieland 
Festival in NYC because the music is readily available in public venues. 
Check the Mississippi Rag for listings. And Guilford the sticks? At 
about 60 miles or so from NYC, its equal to a normal Los Angeles 
California daily commute. Certainly no big deal if the bands are worth 
hearing.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone