[Dixielandjazz] Re: Playing Blue Notes

[Bill Gunter]

Dan (and all):

I wrote:

>. It's  possible that I can produce a "blue" note on my washboard.

To which you replied:

>Some of the Youngstown,  post WW II (washboard) models, of course, have 
>often been used on pre-fifties jazz  recordings simply
>because of their inexhastable hollow fall out, (closely  resembling a 
>flatted
>note sound). Please, please do your research a bit more  carefully before
>challenging this illustrious group of professional  musicians the way you 
>did.

Now - accepting that some of your post may have been a bit "tongue in cheek" 
- I would like to point out that I did qualify my statement by using the 
words "It is possible . . . "

But no matter - to further the discussion in a serious vein (as we serious 
musicians are prone to do) may I say that the idea of a "blue" note is a 
contextual thing which is calculated to evoke a certain sort of 'feeling' in 
the listener. It is the 'feeling' which makes the note blue - not the note 
itself.

Therefore, if a washboard can produce a sound - a rhythmic expression - 
which evokes similar feelings in the hearer it is conceivable (to me anyway) 
that the washboard can indeed produce a "blue" note. A certain delay in the 
production of the note or a certain emphasis placed on the note may well 
perform this function.

Respectfully submitted,

Bill "Thimbles" Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com