[Dixielandjazz] Under the Radar

[Dan Augustine]

DJMLers--
     Shades of Eddie Condon!  Here in the musical-outback of Austin, 
Texas, tonight at The Elephant Room i heard a local jazz band--the 
Giant City Jazz Band (http://www.giantcityjazz.com/)--play, and i 
could almost put myself back into the 1940's, sitting in a dimly lit 
bar in the basement of a downtown store, listening to unamplified 
(except faintly, for the guitar and vocals) band, with few (but 
enthusiastic) listeners.
     The band (a sextet, with trumpet, clarinet, guitar, piano, bass, 
and drums) opened with "Ballin' the Jack", went to "Blues My Naughty 
Sweetie Gave to Me", and continued with songs from the jazz repertory 
of the 1930's and 1940's.  Solos were short and harked back to the 
main melody, and nobody applauded after each solo.  Almost nobody in 
the audience was over 50 (except yours truly and a few others), and 
few over 40. The guest artist was Stanley Smith on clarinet, who 
heads the usual Wednesday-night gig of The Jazz Pharohs, and his 
expert solos displayed an intimate knowledge and appreciation for 
this style of music.
	The band's style reminds one of the early Condon groups, 
especially since the guitar/banjo player calls out instructions as to 
pairings, accompaniments, and formats much like Eddie Condon did (and 
in an impromptu style similar to that of Tex Wyndham and his Rent 
Party Revellers).
	Upon being pressed for an explanation of how he came to be 
the one calling out the changes, the band's guitar-player (J. D. 
Pendley) merely said that he'd been listening to some of the Hot 5 
and Hot 7 and similar recordings, and just called out changes of 
players that he thought might be different and attract the attention 
of the audience.  He said he hasn't heard that many recordings of 
Eddie Condon and his various groups, even though he seems to be 
following a similar path to the one they trod 60+ years ago.
	Maybe all is not lost in central Texas for jazz of the 
pre-bop era.  (I hesitate now to call it "traditional jazz", a term 
that i think Turk Murphy was one of the first to use.  How about 
instead 'PIJ': Polyphonic Improvised Jazz?  This would obviously be a 
subset of OKOM, and would by that designation not include 
non-polyphonic, non-improvised jazz like 'swing' or ragtime or later 
developments.)
	This music is of course so far below the radar of the current 
media (print, TV, and internet) that it's gopher-music, but all the 
sweeter for that.  Imagine being in San Francisco in 1940 and hearing 
Lu Watters' band for the first time, or in Chicago during the 1930's 
(or New York in the 1940's) and hearing someone play the drums by 
pounding on an empty suitcase.  Would be a curiosity, no?, until this 
style of music became wildly popular and a nationwide fad and 
enthusiasm.
	Is it time for another revival?  Are there similar bands in 
YOUR city also below the radar doing the same thing?  How would you 
know unless you go out on a weeknight and take a listen to a new 
band, one you've never heard of, one you think in advance might be 
antagonistically punk or rap or worse?  (How could it be worse?) 
There was the traditional open instrument-case on the bandstand, 
salted with a few preliminary dollars, and it was obvious that this 
band wasn't playing anything more than respect, usually grudgingly 
doled out.
	Come on, give a listen.  As i think Roger Sessions said, what 
the contemporary composer (or band, in this case) most wants is "a 
willing ear".

     Dan
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**  Dan Augustine     Austin, Texas     ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu  **
**      "Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?"      **
**            -- Charlie McCarthy  (Edgar Bergen, 1903-1978)          **
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