[Dixielandjazz] listening to OKOM is absolutely essential

[Brian Towers]

Playing "King Oliver" is not necessarily about copying soli, breaks and
arrangements Steve.  I suspect that what John Petters means is that the
"King Oliver" style is about an "approach" to playing jazz and the
instrumentation therein.    When we play "King Oliver"  many of us are
playing ourselves but doing it in the style and with a "feel" which we have
learnt from listening to the way the "King Oliver" band did things. (Or
Morton, or Russell or Hot Five, or ODJB etc)   There is a very important
difference.    An example:  The Lu Watters Band performed their jazz in what
we could call the "King Oliver" style but they still had their very own
distinctive sound.

I am still listening to the dead guys Steve.   For example, everytime I hear
Jelly Roll Morton's "Smoke House Blues" I am knocked out by the relaxation,
impeccable timing, tonal qualities and jazz musicianship.   These are the
qualities I personally seek to absorb, when I listen to the dead guys!

Many years ago, when I started to learn my instrument, I would try to copy
licks, breaks harmonies etc. from the masters.  This was the way I learnt to
play jazz..   I no longer have to do this, I still get great pleasure from
listening to the classics.  Quite often I will hear a "quality" or an
"attribute"  or a way of doing things, which I had perhaps forgotten.

With respect,
Brian Towers,
Toronto.
http://hotfivejazz@tripod,com (band web sites)
> Bottom line is that nobody will ever duplicate Oliver exactly, because we
> humans are all unique. BUT, that does not make "The Music" difficult. King
> Oliver is not "The Music", only a very small part of it. The "music" is
> simple, but the individuals or bands within the music are unique. The only
> way to duplicate them is to clone Oliver, or Presley, or George Lewis, or
> Pee Wee Russell, or Bix, etc., etc., etc.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone