[Dixielandjazz] Parents, children, and OKOM

[Laurence Swain]

Larry Walton wrote:

	Teens have for years been in their parents (sic) face (sic) 
		over music. It's almost a classic rebellion thing.  If 
the 		parents don't like it then it's "in".

Funny thing.  My father (not a muso) used to call me, in the 40's, 
into the kitchen in our Braintree, MA home, where the radio was, to 
listen to broadcasts of Benny Goodman and his trio, quartet, 
septet, etc., as I was taking piano lessons from George Abel, whose 
credentials were that he came to the house for an hour a week (for 
$1.25), would hear me struggle through the previous week's 
assignment, then sit and write out, in pencil, a lead sheet with 
melody notes and chords, for the tune that would be my assignment 
for the following week. 

Thus did I learn about OKOM (because the broadcasts included lots 
of OKOM, and so did George's assignments, which he would often 
perform for me, he being the guy who played in the local movie 
theater to accompany silent films), so I've been playing it since 
the late 40's, and loving listening to the good bands that can play 
it today, (still doing it, as the backup pianner player of last 
resort for a few Boston-area bands).

The break-away conflict that Larry W wrote about is one that I do 
not understand. Something is different now.  Somehow our OKOM 
values are not being passed down.  I have to believe it's because 
parent and child do not listen together, nor do they have a 
relationship that encourages same. 

But my newest daughter-in-law has asked me to give her lots of 
stuff about OKOM, even though she is (among othings) a rock 
musician. And she loves the stuff I've been giving her!

Larry Swain