[Dixielandjazz] Tiger Rag was songs we hate

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

Three minute songs ?????

I never played one in my life !!

In Saint Gabriel's we call that THE INTRODUCTION,  takes longer than 
that for folks to loosen up their dancing joints :))

Besides do you have any idea how many 3 minute songs you would need to 
do a three mile parade ?

Me neither, We once did a three miler and will never do it again if I 
can help it :))  Learned a quick trick however switch tunes about every 
four blocks :))  Doing three minute tunes in a parade with an 
improvisational band just won't cut it  take the trombone players 
longer than that just to clear the spit valves from drooling at all the 
pretty girls along the street.  And if you get stuck in the terrible 
position behind the scantily clad Samba Dancers it is a killer on the 
drummers, especially when all the horn players quit playing to oogle 
the girls.   :))    SAME THING HAPPENS  every time we play along a 
beach in Spain or Italy where the girls often wear no tops on their 
bikinis, amazing to watch old men make fools of themselves as if they 
have never seen any before. :))

Ahhh  the good life!

Ya Seen one ya wanna see em all!

Cheers,

Leering Tom ( turn the beat around and go the other way, One more time) 
 :))    Wiggins

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Sent: Sun, 29 Jan 2006 12:09:39 -0500
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Tiger Rag  was songs we hate

    "Jim Kashishian" <jim at kashprod.com> wrote (polite snip) about Tiger 
Rag

> have several recordings from top
> bands that play it even faster than we do (& that's saying 
something!), and
> they are all marvelous.
>
> Tiger Rag is a rip roaring, fun way to end a gig.  Always gets 
applause, and
> a demand for "more", or as they say here "bis, bis".  That means it's 
a good
> tune, in my opinion.

Amen. Lest we all forget that "Tiger Rag" was the tune that the Gene
Goldkette band played circa 1926 in their famous battle of the bands 
with
The Fletcher Henderson orchestra at Roseland in NYC.

Goldkette Reed player Don Murray reportedly said: "Lets give it to them 
with
both barrels." The band went into Tiger Rag and blew the place apart.

Afterwards, Henderson's Rex Stewart said: "Those little tight-ass white 
boys
creamed us . . . cut us to ribbons . . ."

Many years later, Ben Webster responding to a question as to whether the
Goldkette Band had been as good as some said it was that night said: " 
Good,
hell! They were frightening."

BTW, before the Goldkette band dissolved they had one more cutting 
session
with Henderson's band. It was declared a draw.

Tiger Rag, great tune. All those war horse tunes are, Panama, 
Copenhagen,
Muscrat Ramble, Dixieland One Step, etc., etc. Same goes for the tunes
people recognize like "Indiana", or "Bill Bailey". Play what the 
audience
likes, with high energy and perhaps we'll find that there are no tunes 
to
dislike. (Indiana especially beloved by all them redneck race car fans 
is
played at the Indy 500 just before "Gentlemen Start Your Engines")

All those old time recordings of those tunes are less than 3 minutes. 
Fine
as a guide perhaps, but if you can believe the anecdotal evidence, not
anything like how these tunes were played live. To rely solely on 
recordings
as an exact form of any jazz tune is myopic. Too bad that extended 
Roseland
version of Tiger Rag was not recorded.

Cheers,
Steve




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