[Dixielandjazz] The Great Jazz Revival

[Robert Smith]

Dan

For me it all began in Birmingham, England 1947. I and my fellow 15-year olds frequented a local youth club every Saturday night where the local vicar presided. He was a great believer in encouraging local talent and we sat through innumerable spots by magicians, tap-dancers, pianists etc. Then one unforgettable Saturday night a local trad. band played. I was transfixed - I'd never heard anything like it. Not long after I went to a concert by George Webb's Dixielanders. Then we started buying records by Bunk Johnson, Kid Ory, and even started our own band.
Reading your letter certainly brings back some happy memories, like seeing Kid Ory, George Lewis, Eddie Condon, and Louis Armstrong live. We also saw a lot of trad. bands - Humphrey Lyttelton, Mick Mulligan, The Yorkshire Jazz Band, Crane River Jazz Band, and Graeme Bell from 'down under'. Ken Colyer and Chris Barber came later.
The thing that amazes me is that there are bands over the whole world still playing this music.
I think the reason for the great revival not being identified is that the big record companies at that time did not cotton on to the potential buying public, believing, as far as I can remember, in the revival of ballads as their future market.

Cheers

Bob Smith