[Dixielandjazz] Re: Stardust/Hoagy/Bix

[dingle at baldwin-net.com]

In all cases, go to the source. In the case of Hoagy's Stardust, try his 
own autobiographys. The first, "Stardust Road," and the later revision 
titled, "Sometime's I Wonder."
Incidently, in the first, he wrote of coming back up form Florida to 
attend a party at his frat house when the Goldkette band was playing a 
date on campus.
In a party afterward he wrote about Bix and others there for a jam, and 
also wrote about a funny number done by Red Ingle (mon pere), who was on 
tour with the Goldkette Band at this time. Dad often told of the funny 
business with Bix and Hoagy, both well lubricated. Hoagy asked Bix to 
play something on the piano, and when he did, Hoagy would pretend to 
swoon. Then Hoagy would play a little and Bix would do the same swoon 
bit, As the laughs got louder, the amount of piano played by each in 
turn got shorter, until finally Bix and Hoagy were laying on the floor 
under the piano, and one would reach up and hit on key and the other 
would "swoon" then reach up and hit a key and the other would "swoon."  
That others were equally lubricated, it was  pretty well understandable 
that this sillyness was being enjoyed by all.
That Hoagy was the number one fan of Bix is clear in his composing  in 
later years when little bits o Bixian runs would appear -- none more so 
than Skylark. Done as a ballad it is lovely and almost haunting -- but 
play the meoldy at an up tempo and you will hear pure "Bix licks." 
Especially bar 6. And again on last half of the bridge.
Played up tempo these hints of Bix's influence become vidily apparent.
Don Ingle