[Dixielandjazz] Lu Watters front line

[Jim Kashishian]

This discussion of putting the rhythm in the front is interesting.  In my
opinion, the melody instruments make sense being up front, and being
"pushed/driven" by the rhythm section behind.
I have seen the opposite, and also played that way.  Feels weird.  Perhaps,
it is an attempt to get the melody guys to try to blend in with the rhythm
people.

If the leader/announcer is part of the front line, he will have a barrier
between himself and the audience (a whole front line of instruments) which
can be distracting.  (People's attention being drawn to the guitarist
fiddling with strings, etc.)  

In one case I played in the reverse order was in a band led by the
drummer....modern jazz gig.  All it did was give the drummer the floodlight,
and the band was there to accompany him!  Basically a drag.

In some recording sessions (back when the brass session musicians all came
in as a large group and played together), we sat up sometimes with reeds
behind the trumpets & bones.  Did that on live gigs, also, with Liza Minelli
on a tour.  The idea was to keep the horns out of the reed's mics.  Maybe it
was okay as far as balance for the audience (as the reed mics could be
turned up to balance the more present horns), but the on-stage balance was
all out.

Nope!  Give me the rhythm behind, and I want the drummer right behind me
hitting me with his rhythm stick (as the lyrics to a song went awhile back).
:>

Jim