[Dixielandjazz] Re: Soul and feeling in solos

[dingle at baldwin-net.com]

Loerchen2 at aol.com wrote:

> 
> 
>In a message dated 4/3/2005 11:20:40 AM Central Standard Time,  
>cellblk7 at comcast.net writes:
>
>I would be  interested in asking the whole list, who, among all of the great  
>cornet/clarinet/trombone/piano players, put the most FEELING into their  
>solos, with the fewest number of notes????
>Romans, in  Lodi
>
>
>Leon Roppolo gets my vote --  Tin Roof Blues and She's Crying for Me  are 
>prime examples.
> 
>Sue
>
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>  
>
I think that thee were two players who always conveyed feeling in their 
solos. Eddie Miller's work on tenor sax (and I'd also the Prez in this 
same instrument), and Matty Matlock. When you heard them play you heard 
their in life persona -- gentle and friendly, smooth and inventive, and 
always soaring when playing hot.

Venuti with his early work with Eddie Lang et al was another who put his 
feeling into his playing. If happy, it showed, if p.o'd at the time, 
that emotion could come tthrough. Joe suffered no fools.

I would say that two pianists always made me happy to hear them, and 
they were Ralph Sutton  and James P. Johnson. To this day I get the 
warmest feeling when sitting back with a day's work done, god single 
malt on the rocks in my hand and the players rending Sutton playing 
Willy the Lion's Echoes of Spring, and James P. playing Snowy Morning 
Blues (and Lordy we get enough of them up here in the Michigan north 
woods.). Stanly Wrightsman should be on that list as well -- and Fats -- 
well anything he played conveyed his pixie humor and romping spirit.

Jack Jenny's solo on Stardust with Artie Shaw set the mark for slide 
horns. Big T playing Mighty Lak A Rose -- rarely heard -- was a surprise 
but so tasty.
Cornets - well, Bix of course, Hackett as well -- especially the 
wonderful solo obligato against the Glenn Miller sax voicing on the 
recording of "From One Love to Another," a soft, hat muted solo weaving 
of delicate and tasty harmonics against the straight melody. Surprising 
that this recording has long languished Anthe ..."I forgot about that 
one.." file. Also the rare but warm solos by Rico Vallese, a man who is 
rarely mentioned these days but even with his admittedly weak chops made 
some important sides in the 40's 50's  on Jump and a few other small 
labels. Tasty and in the mold of Hackett.

So many names to list, so little time to do it. There is just so much 
good playing out thee that expresses the artist's feel and sensitivity 
to the material.

For Starters get the Miller and Matlock material out and listen close to 
the tone and the feel of each -- nothing mechanical, always inventive, 
and conveying the spirit of the players. Two nicer, sharing players ever 
lived and that is expressed in their playing.

Now to sit back see what shakes out of your tree.
Don Ingle