[Dixielandjazz] OKOM generalized chord progressions

[Bill Gunter]

Hi listmates,

A comment of Butch Thompson's reminded me of a further consideration . . .

Butch wrote (quoting Bob Williams who was quoting Gene Berthelsen):

> > "Every Dixieland song is more or less like Tiger Rag."
>
>There's some truth in this kind of generalization, but it's also a good
>idea, whenever possible, to check out the sheet music.  Otherwise, as my
>friend Jim Dapogny has said, pretty soon there will be just one tune.

My friend, Gary Church, has this theory of "Chord Averaging" -- it works 
thusly:

Chords in a song are assigned a number value (I chord, IV chord, V chord 
etc). Gary suggests that rhythm players simply add up the total value of all 
the chords in a song and then divide by the number of chords thurs arriving 
at the "average chord."  Then all one needs to do is simply play that chord 
throughout the entire piece and all will be well.

This is similar to another theory I've heard. It involves the perfect solo. 
The theory holds that the perfect solo can be summated into the one perfect 
note. Thus the accomplished player can show up at the gig prepared to play 
that one perfect note but, since it is the only perfect note and to actually 
play it would be an unnecessary redundancy, the player would simply not play 
it and then collect his gig pay and go home.

See how simple things become when we strive for perfection?

Respectfully submitted,

Bill "Fonk" Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com