[Dixielandjazz] Washboards - Novelty Instruments?

[Steve barbone]

Oops, I stand corrected. But not by the published treatises who invoked the
great washboard players in comparatively little known bands.

Yes indeed, Like Baby Dodds is not revered in the jazz world for his
washboard, but rather for his drumming. Ditto for the other doublers
mentioned.

And as good as they are, South Frisco JB, Uptown Lowdown etc., are not what
I would call well known bands. Nor are/were their washboard players.

And there is a world of difference between Coleman Hawkins and what he did
for Saxophone compared to what The Great White Hope will ever do with a
washboard.

Washboards have been around for about 100 years and have not made much of a
dent in the jazz world, other than to clean clothes.

HOWEVER, THAT BEING SAID

List mate Janie McCue Lynch rightly reminded me off list that there is
indeed a virtuoso washboard player on the small and  ever decreasing OKOM
jazz scene. AND HE IS AN MAJOR INTEGRAL PART OF A JAZZ BAND.

Gerald Bogot of "Paris Washboard". Those of you who have seen him live in
performance were no doubt impressed by his musicianship. Sadly for the jazz
world, there are few others, if any, that even come close.

Meanwhile, I stick by what I said. Given the choice in a Dixieland Band of a
drummer like George Wettling or a washboard player, even of Bogot's talent,
I'll take GW. Same thing with Dodds, he used washboard only when the novelty
mood struck him.

And if folks think washboards swing, they don't know what swinging is, which
is perhaps why OKOM is stuck in the mud.

Cheers,
Steve (ducking for cover) Barbone