[Dixielandjazz] Funky & Kenny Davern

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/7/04 10:14:06 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
johnpetters at tiscali.co.uk writes:

> By and large, most American drummers that I have heard get it right and 
> most
> Europeans get it wrong. Hence over this side of the pond many bands sound
> rhythmically lumpy.
> 
Now that John, I totally agree with, and again I think it relates back to the 
live exposure to the music for long enough times to "Feel it."  That is 
certainly how I learned to play Traditional gospel, Blues, Rock & Roll, Rock, Surf, 
Funk, R&B, and then Jazz in that order.

When I first started I grew up in White Baptist & Holiness churches (which 
allowed NO DANCING and they preached against Jazzing up the Lord's music) and 
all the music was lumpy and lifeless, about as lively as it got was "Bringing in 
the Sheeves," or "Just Over in the Glory Land"  with the congregation 
awkwardly clapping their hands on the one and three beat.  When I went to my first 
Black church I discovered a whole new world of rhythm and freedom to express it 
and play it.

I found exactly the same situation when I played Country and Western music 
with a White band and then one day played it with a Black one like Ray Charles 
music.  Suddenly Country music had soul and you could FEEL IT.

People often ask:
Why do I play with a Black Band?  Because I can is my reply, and because I 
like to swing no matter what kind of music we want to play.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins