[Dixielandjazz] 4/4 Rhythm

[Stephen Barbone]

>  csuhor at zebra.net Charles Suhor wrote: (polite snip)
>
> To get back to the main question, I'd like to hear more about inroads of
> 4/4 in early jazz, i.e., before the revivals that were surely polluted,
> enriched, or simply affected (depending on your point of view) by the pulse
> of the swing years.

I am a bit surprised that mention of Louis Armstrong has eluded this discussion so far.
He is quoted early in career after joining King Oliver in Chicago in the early 1920s as
saying on his first night at Lincoln Gardens with the band:

"I particularly enjoyed Lil that night, with that four (4) beats to the bar-for a woman I
thought she was really wonderful" (Page 50, "Louis Armstrong, In His Own Words" edited by
Thomas Brothers - Oxford University Press.)

There are many other quotes of Louis in various places at various times from the 1920s
referring to, in his words, "That good ol New Orleans 4 beat."

I hear 4 beats to the bar from bands Louis played with. That's plus Louis' words on the
subject is good enough for me to think that 2 beat banjo tuba came after New Orleans 4
beat with its guitar, double bass rhythm. And that N. O. 4 beat preceded swing as well as
"Dixieland", as most of us white folks categorize it. And, of course, occurred well
before the "revival".

Hey, could it be that banjo - tuba 2 beat polluted the original New Orleans Jazz Form?
;-) VBG.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone