[Dixielandjazz] Long lost letter

[Vachesr at aol.com]

Hi  Listees--I  think brother Bob  has finally  put  me on the right  track,  
so  with  fingers  crossed,  'ere  we  go  again:    
       In regard to the  recent  discussion  about what  tunes  are
jazz   and those that  ain't,  and  the  shortage  thereof,  I  would
like  to  point  out  that  I  have written  a  book  entitled,  "The
Unsung  Songwriters"  (Rutgers   Institute  of Jazz  Studies/
Scarecrow Press),  and  it  offers  hundreds  of  great  tunes  in
the unique  American heritage  of popular  musc,  which  are  available  to  
anybody  with  the ambition  to learn  and  play  them.
             For  example,  on  my Jazzology  CD  (JCD 202)  "Singin'
and Swingin',"  you will hear  two  excellent  jazz  tunes  by  the
late, great   Dick Cary,  "Third  Street,"  and  "The  Albatross,"
and  two more  by  the   amazing  J. Fred Coots,  "Isn't  Love the
Strangest  Thing,"  and "Why  Do  I Lie  to  Myself  About You."
For good measure,  you  hear  the  Rube  Bloom-Elmer  Schoebel  classic, 
"Melancholy Blues,"  and the  anonymous,
"Prof's  Blues,"  a  gem  introduced  on a  bargain LP   by  "The
Dixieland  Dandies."
          The rest of the program  includes  the  seldom-played,
"Happy  Feet,"  "Pete  Kelly's Blues,"  the  World  War  One
weepie, "Till  We  Meet  Again,"  and some quality standards.
             I  think my contention is clear.  We  have a  heritage of great  
jazz   material.  The  only  shortage  is the  one   of  shortsightedness.
Warren  Vache' Sr.