[Dixielandjazz] jazz 1900-1940's

[EDWIN COLTRIN]

Steve, I was weaned on Lu Watters and his YBJB when they were practicing at the BIG BEAR INN up Redwood CAnyon Road, circa 1941 and followed them to the DAWN CLUB in San Fransicko until the war took part of the band and then greeted them on their return to the Dawn Club and on over to Hambone Kellys.
   
  I basically was referring to the people who supported the display of chops, fingering length to hold a note. the lack of a rythym that could be danced to or hummed after you left the club. 
   
  As a veteran of WW II, dancing at the USO or at different canteens in Europe, or an occasional dance at the field house in camps was a pleasure and with the revival of the West Coast Jazz in 1940's where dancing to the YBJB  plus just listening. 
   
  I remember a rather onerous detail at one of the camps was made easy by my ability to recall many of Bessie's tunes whistle many of the Watters' repertoire, and forget the crap that I was assigned .
   
  I know there were many revivalist throughout the US after the war and many still continue today,  Howevah, to be hip or current at the time, you had to follow the crowd.
  Ergo, Bebop and the rest. True there was some excellent musical content but until Disco, Elvis and the R&B, there was no dancing, at least in the general public, I can recall going to a black club and watching the patrons dance in the fifties but a as rule most of the white clubs sat and thought they were hearing the REAL JAZZ..
   
  The purveyors of OKOM have always been around, but not in force. Festivals such as Sacto, on the west coast as opposed to the Monterey Jazz scene, which had a large attendance , was supported by a bunch of eventually Blue haired Ladies and balding, paunchy old men. Who are trying to re-live their youth.
   
  Most of the Festival patrons are made up from the above, but there is also a growing contingent of baby boomers who make up a good part of the audience, many don't know how to dance to the beat, and would love to have some one teach them. My late lady friend was a product of the 60's/70/s and had never learned to dance ballroom or swing and after many nights caressing the kitchen floor dancing to TD,BG, and others she was able to swing on the floor like a 30/40s hep-cat. What a great time
   
  Larry, I know that OKOM was live and doing well in the Mid-USA, it's just that when there are great voids in the US where OKOM/MKOM is not listened to as a rule, then  it is hard to reconcile  everything
   
  Slainte
   
  An Olde Mouldy Fygge
   
  Ed Coltrin
  WA6FWU