[Dixielandjazz] Authentic Dixieland Bands was to read or not to read

[Steve barbone]

> "LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing" <sign.guy at charter.net> wrote (polite
> snip)

> The problem for Traditional Jazz is several fold.
> 
> 1.  improvising musicians are becoming rarer.  At least ones that can play
> anything that remotely sounds like a Dixie solo.  The ones that I know are all
> over 50 with most being over 60.  Young people just don't seem to be
> interested in traditional jazz.

Yep, a big problem. To interest working musicians in Dixieland, we have to
make it profitable for them. In order to eat, professional musicians have to
follow the money trail. 9 year old Jonathan Russell comes down from NYC to
play in my group from time to time. (120 miles away). Because we PAY him.
How many other Dixieland Bands get paying gigs for young people? Hey, he can
spend the time sitting in with Ed Polcer and others in NYC any time he
wants, but there is nothing like a paying gig for a person his age.

In the Boston to Washington DC corridor there is a plethora of fine
Dixieland musicians who improvise extremely well and take great solos. At
least 200. I do not list them because I don't want to leave anyone out and
be called on it. 

> 2. Almost everyone I know plays in multiple groups that covers a big range of
> styles.  They have to, to keep the chops up.

Yep, another problem. But if you develop a "working" Dixieland Band, you can
become a major employer of some great Dixieland musicians. Barbone Street is
the primary musical income source for our regular guys. So, they'll make 95%
of all the gigs we book. Occasionally when we need a sub (vacations and/or
unusually lucrative other gigs which I encourage them to take) I only need
make one phone call for a replacement. Check my web site for "public" gig
schedule and multiply by two to include "private gigs.
<http://www.barbonestreet.com> Also check the bios of the first call guys.
Fine professional musicians all.
 
> 3. I call it St. Louis style Dixie but you can insert your town's name.  This
> consists of Play the head hopefully in a Dixie style.  Everyone takes a  solo,
> usually in some fixed rotation,  then the head is played and if we are lucky
> and have a good cornet player we end together.  The problem with this is that
> all sorts of different styles creep in and the harmonic style is lost.  For
> 95% of the audiences, who cares,  they think it's great and after all those
> choruses you only do about 10 - 12  tunes an hour.  For the uninitiated all
> you have to do is look at the drummers kit.  Does he use a ride cymbal? (Great
> for swing but not really used in traditional")  Does he have a bass drum
> smaller than 30" ( cocktail,  swing sets and R&Roll tuning just don't make it
> )  Does he have a cow bell and wood blocks?  Is the cornet player actually
> playing cornet or is it a trumpet?  Most audiences frankly don't give a rip.

Tony Spargo (Sparbaro of ODJB fame circa 1917-1925) used a lot of ride
cymbal when he was gigging at Nick's in NYC in the 1950s. So too did the
drummers at Condon's joint. I think swinging drumming has a place in
Dixieland same as press rolls. Depends upon what style you are playing.
 
> The reason for the latter is that no one less than 95 years old ever played in
> an authentic Dixie band.  There are some guys that have listened to records
> and do well with the style but unfortunately there aren't a whole lot of them.

I disagree. Kenny Davern at 69 played with LOTS of authentic Dixieland
Bands, including The World's Greatest Jazz Band with Haggart & Lawson. So
did Bob Wilber, now only in his 70s. Gosh, he even played with both Sidney
Bechet and Bunk Johnson, (circa 1947) plus a host of Condon groups etc. And
you might check list mate Don Ingle's bio, and Tommy Saunders who played in
Wild Bill Davison fronted groups, among others. And  former list mate Jim
Beebe who passed away last week played with Bob Scobey. He was in his 60s I
believe. These are all authentic Dixieland Bands as far as I'm concerned, as
is Jim Cullum's band today, though they are like Ellington, beyond category.
And I would classify John Petters Band in the UK as an authentic Dixieland
band also and no doubt, many list mates probably classify their bands as
"authentic".

Before I lost the hard drive on my computer, I had a list of Jazz musicians
with whom list mates had performed. The results were astounding. Bechet,
Bunk Johnson, Haggart, Lawson, Erwin, Napoleon, Maxted, Mole, Yaged,
Davison, Butterfield Sparbaro, Teagarden, Scobey, Watters, Armstrong,
Eldridge, Pee Wee Russell and MANY others. If these guys didn't front or
play in authentic Dixieland Bands, who did?

And, oh yes, don't forget list mate Warren Vache SR. He played with just
about everybody on the New York City Dixieland Scene in the 1940s, 50s and
60s. Including some of the black swing players who reverted to Dixieland in
the 1950s, because their swing gigs dried up and Dixieland was thriving.
Guys like Herbie Hall, Charlie Shavers, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Vic
Dickenson, Jonah Jones, and a whole bunch of others. He is a bit older, but
still not yet 95. ;-) VBG

No cards or letters Warren. :-) VBG

There are places and bands where Dixieland is thriving. For a look at a
"working" band schedule, Google search for Barbary Coast Dixieland Band
(Minnesota). Yep, I didn't count them, but I bet 150 to 200 gigs a year is
not far off. Their Sep-Oct Schedule is also in Mississippi Rag.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone