[Dixielandjazz] Worms & Bands

[Steve Barbone]

Cees opined that European Bands are better than American Bands.

Good for you Cees. Speak your mind and ignore the smaller ones that would
accuse you of all sorts of things from put downs to musical necrophilia.
Especially those coming from the paragons of negativity who in their
ignorance would rather smear you than debate the issue.

Personally, I don't know whose bands are better because like Tom Wiggins, I
have neither heard most European Jazz Band nor most American Jazz Bands to
any great extent. As Paul E said, we don't get to hear the good stuff. I
suspect that is true for most on the List.

However, I do know this. Two very fine American Bands which have made CDs in
the past year are: Ed Metz's Bob Cats (self produced) and Randy Reinhart's
group on "As Long As I Live." on Arbors. Randy's group, for those who do not
have the CD includes such luminaries as Kenny Davern, Dan Barrett, James
Chirillo, Frank Tate, John Sheridan and Tony DiNicola. This is not a working
band, but IMO they outplay just about everybody on the OKOM planet.

Perhaps most of the good stuff is produced sporadically by similar groups of
very talented musicians. As professionals, they get together infrequently
because they are too busy making a living across the broad musical spectrum
to fool around exclusively on the low paying OKOM scene in the USA. Who, for
example, can pay BobCats or Randy's Group what they are really worth . . .
what they make free-lancing or playing Society Parties?

Without having heard European Bands of similar musicianship, I would stack
these two bands against anything on your side of the pond.

And didn't a band with Jon Erik Kellso and Dan Barrett win the "best Band"
vote at Ascona last year? That Festival includes many good European Bands as
I understand it. I think though, Kellso/Barrett had an Italian drummer.

Bottom line; Wouldn't it be fun to have an International Jazz Festival
inviting the top bands (no small minded political bullshit in the way) from
around the world to compete. Like an "International Idol" contest. Yep, I'd
pay money to see that.

Who's better? I don't know, does anyone? But I love the idea of a cutting
contest to find the answer.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone