[Dixielandjazz] Sop Sax vs. Clarinet in Dixieland Bands

[Stephen Barbone]

>
> From: "Mark Bauer" <jazz-trombone at earthlink.net>
>
> In my dixieland band that I play in, The reed player does play some
> clarinet(almost none really) but mostly he plays soprano sax. Soprano sax in
> a dixieland band completely changes the timbre in my opinion. He does play
> clarinet on the tunes he has to, but my question is this: How much saxophone
> is too much for a traditional dixieland jazz group? In other words should he
> be at least playing clarinet on 2/3rds of the tunes or should the soprano be
> broken out just once and awhile? Any help and advice you guys could give
> would be helpful.

It's a personal choice. Sidney Bechet played Sop Sax almost all the time in a Dixieland setting from 1935
onward. Some folks thought it was great, some thought it sucked. No hard and fast rules other than your own
and the audience ears.

Dixieland is Jazz. Jazz is (or should be) as creative as the musician wants to be. Personal choice is just
that, personal. Best advice? Separate your personal choice from the equation. What do the folks who pay their
money to hear the band think?

Cheers,
Steve Barbone