[Dixielandjazz] Playing Loudly is wrong and other Dogma.

[Steve barbone]

Lester Young (Pres) had a distinctive soft swinging sound. No doubt that it
was right for him.

But consider how he struggled to keep that sound.

Bean (Coleman Hawkins) defined the Tenor Saxophone as a jazz instrument.
Prior to him there was not much tenor going on in jazz. He honed that raspy
style with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, influenced, some say by the
Armstrong presence in that band.

Then, like Louis, he left the band

Pres replaced Bean in Henderson's band, much to the dismay of most of the
others in that band . . . and members of Hawkin's family. He was put under
enormous pressure to play like Bean. From everybody but Henderson. Everybody
else told him he was playing "wrong" However Young resisted all that
pressure and insisted on doing HIS thing.

Then everybody put pressure on Henderson to fire Pres. And Henderson, not
being the strongest of personalities succumbed to the pressure. He announced
to the band that the was bowing to their wishes adding that Pres could play
rings around all of them.

Imagine if Pres had switched styles because of the Dogma that the Tenor must
be played as Bean played it. Imagine too what if Henderson was a bit more
secure himself and kept Pres.

Loud, soft? They are just opinions. Bottom line? Do it YOUR way. The
opinions of one or two others, no matter how brilliant they may be, is just
background noise if your heart, head and ears tell you different.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone