[Dixielandjazz] When Trombone has Melody

[Steve barbone]

"Mike C." <mike at michaelcryer.com> asks
 
> What role does the trumpet play? Tailgate? Countermelody? The clarinet
> does what he or she usually does. Am I correct?

Trumpet and clarinet can play anything they like that fits. And a heck of a
lot of harmony fits. Doesn't have to be a trumpet tailgate any more than the
trombone has always to play tailgate. (E.G. Teagarden played what he heard,
not necessarily tailgate)

Listen to Ellington's famous arrangement of; "Mood Indigo". Trombone pitched
high, trumpet in middle, clarinet pitched low. Broke "The Rules" didn't it?
Beautiful arrangement whereby trombone and clarinet switched roles.

There is no "formula" that MUST be adhered to in order to satisfy some
pedantic notion of what Jazz is, or what Dixieland is, or what Small Band
Jazz is., etc. The music takes care of itself. What we hear from 1927 is
simply what occurred in that frozen segment of time. What we play now does
not have to slavishly copy that moment.

Ask Bill Haesler about Bob Wilber's answer as to why he left Condon circa
1960 or so. Something like; "The music had become too predictable, too
formulaic. I need to move on because it was boring."

We may agree or disagree about it what Wilber likes, or what he said,
however the fact remains that GENERALLY SPEAKING (folks, don't write about
the exceptions), the less "rules" one has in Jazz, the better the jazz is.

Don't anyone say trombone can't play melody, or that it is more awkward than
any other instrument. Tommy Dorsey disproved that a long time ago, played
lots of melodies, and even influenced Frank Sinatra's phrasing.

And having seen/heard McGarity, Cutshall, Mole, Gowans, Gifford, Kai, J.J.,
Fuller, Liston and a whole bunch of great trombonists LIVE, I can attest to
the fact that they were all GREAT.

Forget the records that were probably made at 6 AM, after a full night of
gigging, drinking, smoking and chasing women. How could they be at their
best then? Many recordings were made at weird hours and circumstances
because that was the only time you could get the musos together. There is
GENERALLY SPEAKING, nothing on record that comes close to what these guys
did live.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone