[Dixielandjazz] Ambassador Satch - Faithful Hussar

[Craig I. Johnson]

Steve Barbone wrote: (again)

> Because they're to damn busy playing sissified OKOM like "My Canary's Got
> Circles Under His Eyes" and other obscure tunes that are obscure today
> because they weren't any good the first time around either.
>
> All in order to fool the aging audience that this is indeed, "Artistic
> Dixieland." Yessir, play that tune that nobody's ever heard before. You'll
> get a rep for brilliance

Siissified?

And, aside from that, sometimes it's fun to break the monotony of one more
repeat of Bill Bailey, China Boy, Indiana, Tin Roof Blues, Saint James Infirmary
Hello Dolly and The Saints. Speaking both as a musician and a fan, even a nice tune like
Wonderful World (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star) can get cloying after
hearing/playing it every gig. Sometimes it's nice to hear "When I Leave the World Behind" 
in its place. Not all of those "unknown" tunes 'are crap and were crap before'. Some probably 
just didn't  make the top 20/40 for some other reason - the band that recorded them, the music 
publisher's or radio station's/recording studio's bias or because the competition 
among the new tunes was great that week/month, whatever.

Steve, You seem really hung up on this issue. It's a real put-down to fans or musos
who enjoy discovering a little known tune once in a while that "breaks it up."
I feel that I'm being told that I'm an idiot for enjoying what I enjoy.
I like listening to Ernie Carson or Leon Redbone for just this reason.
I tend to like bands that mix up the obscure with the more familiar
and sometimes banal old favorites. i.e. mixing the money makers with the
interesting little "gems." Louis must have felt the same way or he never
would have recorded "Huzzer Kazzar". Eddie Condon recorded a few
rather obscure things too.

I'll admit that the dictum  "only play tunes that the audience can
hum or whistle" has its place ($$), but not all the time.
And I'll admit it depends on the audience at the time.
---and the band as well: "Red Man Blues" never became a big hit,
but the New Black Eagles rendition of it really turned me on
when I heard it years ago. Their recreation was better
than the original. I think it had to do with the Black Eagles' "drive".
-- and at the time they were not playing to an "aging audience - 
it was a pretty young bunch of folks.)

Craig Johnson
Cornet - Maine Street Paraders.