[Dixielandjazz] What music to listen to

[Brian Towers]

Tony,
Great to see you posting....

I very much doubt that is the case about Colyer only listening to N.O. jazz.
His favourite cornet was "Wild Bill" and of course he had an extensive feel
and understanding of the blues, as evidenced by his skiffle group, where he
led on guitar - nothing to do with New Orleans Jazz there.

He loved adapting the old pop songs to his band - tunes like "Over the
Rainbow" , "Cheek to Cheek" "Poor Butterfly" to name but a few.  He did not
get these from New Orleans musicians..     Then he must also have listened
to a great deal of Ragtime music - remember all the great rags by Joplin etc
that he included in his repertoire and recorded, putting his own unique
style and stamp upon them, with his own arrangements.

I would postulate that he had much broader listening tastes than just New
Orleans jazz, though of course he did have a superb grasp of that idiom too.

Cheers,
Brian Towers
(Hot Five Jazzmakers, Toronto)
>
> Years ago someone told me that Ken Colyer only listened to New
> Orleans jazz and that was what one should do.
> Tony Pringle
> (Black Eagle Jazz Band)