[Dixielandjazz] Chords and all that!

[Bigbuttbnd at aol.com]

I've always used the similarities of tunes as a memory aid. In fact, my good 
friend Bill Rutan, master dixie banjoist and a guy who knows ALL (including 
the verses) used to tell me, when I would ask how he remembered so many tunes: 
"Just remember how tunes are DIFFERENT from each other... you won't have to 
remember as much"

Dave in Dallas wrote: "...Bourbon Street Parade. It has some common Dixieland 
progresions. The pattern also works over Washington & Lee Swing, Bill Bailey, 
Second Line and probably a few other tunes." 

I don't think Second Line fits the same chord pattern. "Tiger Rag" would. So 
would "Hey, Engineer." Second Line is a close companion of Rock Around The 
Clock... just a simple 1-4-5 blues pattern.

Five Foot Two and The Charleston have a lot in common. Alabamy Bound and 
Limehouse Blues are closely related. Then there's the tunes that START on the 4 
and the tunes that START on the 5... ah, well...

~Rocky Ball
banjo - Atlanta