[Dixielandjazz] Weakest Link

[Kurt]

As a drummer and band leader I must say that the apathetic attitudes
exhibited by musicians on the bandstand are not limited exclusively to
drummers.  The most frustrating thing I experience is when a side man says
(10 minutes into the gig) "How long till we break?"

Thankfully, this doesn't happen to often.  I have experienced it in other
bands too.  I have told some guys (great musicians) to not take the gig if
they don't want to be there in the first place.

And of course there is the famous "side man salute" where all the guys raise
their left arm, rotate their wrist toward them and look at their watch.

Everyone on the stage must share equally in the excitement, musicianship and
entertaining show they put forth to the listening audience.  It is also
everyone's job to keep time (not just the bass and drummer) and find the
groove.

The band (chain) is only as strong or entertaining as it's weakest link.

Kurt

-----Original Message-----
From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
[mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com]On Behalf Of Stephen
Barbone
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 11:21 AM
To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Drummers


>
> From: "john petters" <jpettjazz at btinternet.com>
> .
> Perhaps this is the nub of the original thread that most Dixieland around
> today is polite, lacking drive and conviction. It is mainly a problem
caused
> by drummers.

At the risk of pissing off every drummer in a "polite" Dixieland band, I
wholeheartedly
agree. Many of these guys sit there, looking bored as if they wished they
were someplace
else, playing a soft 2/4 or 4/4 ad nauseum. Why? Because that's what they
heard in that
style. And the band leader, no doubt, thinks that is the way it should be
played.
Personally, I can't stand it either and think it is the root cause of lack
of drive in a
band. (But I would blame it on the leader because that's what he/she wants)

> Someone forwarded my comments to Hal Smith and we have had some
> great fun discussing drumming from a drummers point of view off list. Hal
> sounds the way he does because he understands the jazz drumming tradition.
> That is why his recordings have that ring of authenticity about them that
is
> seldom heard on either side of the pond these days.

Only seldom heard in the UK because you do not have access to hearing all of
the GREAT
current drummers playing Dixieland on the East Coast of the USA. They are
too busy making
money to attend all of those "dead music" OKOM festivals that are fast
disappearing in the
rest of the USA. They (Ascione, Di Nicola, Metz Jr, et al) certainly
understand the
tradition, but put life into bands by adding to it.

See/Hear Joe Ascione at Ascona in Switzerland this year. Not positive, but I
believe he
will be there.

Cheers
Steve Barbone



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