[Dixielandjazz] Bird Songs in OKOM

[Don Kirkman]

On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 13:03:53 -0400, dingle at baldwin-net.com wrote:

>Bix was a big fan of Impressionist music, and was keen on Frederick 
>Delius as much as Debussy and Ravel. My dad, who worked with the 
>Goldkette band, mentioned that Bix had a windup record player and some 
>Delius recordings that has just come out.
>What turned dad onto the same composer was hearign Delius' On Hearing 
>the First Cuccoo of Spring (sp?) and I 'll admit my own like for this 
>wonderful tone poem in music Hoagy was right on when he wrote what many 
>have dubbed..."Bix Licks," or "Skylark,". Based on some Bix warm up 
>phrases often played.
>Mt Meadowlark, Berkley Square (nightingale), and other tunes took 
>inspiration if not actually bird notes in the music or lyrics. It is 
>clear that for many composers, birds indeed gave inspiration.
>Not musical? I would say more birds sounds than you think are not just 
>musical but  worth a good listen. When I hand feed the little chickadees 
>that frequent my feeders all winter, eating the seed out of my hand in 
>their tameness, they give me a soft serenade in return. The notes are as 
>musical as one could ask for. It just takes the time to listen, and 
>analyze the sounds.
>Like people, some birds are very musical vocally. Other are more like 
>the early outs on the American Idol try outs. But listen to a cardinal 
>sing to its mate and you will become a believer.
>Yeah, I know. I'm for the birds!  Damn right, that!

Ah, memories.  And bird songs even before OKOM, maybe.

James Scott, "Ragtime Oriole," 1911
Joseph Lamb, "Ragtime Nightingale," 1914

Has either one been recorded as a jazz number?
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