[Dixielandjazz] Ten representative dixieland-recordings

Wed Jul 5 11:36:07 PDT 2006

You didn't list the instrumentation which could make a difference.

Personally I would recommend arrangements that they could actually play that 
are fairly representative would be good depending on their playing and 
improvisation ability.  This is a little more hands on approach.  I too 
don't want to start the read vs. arrangement wars but if they are readers 
they might try some good arrangements.

Starting at novice but good readers I would suggest the Hal Leonard Combo 
Pak arrangements.  They have tapes that go along with them and are designed 
to be practiced with.  Almost everything is written out but still have room 
for improv.  They come with fake chart type melody pages for solos for each 
horn.  They are scored for all the usual instruments plus Tenor that can be 
used or not.  The arrangements are a little hard to read The cost is $40 for 
four arrangements with tape.  I think there are 8 or 10 sets available. 
Available locally, but if not they can be ordered from St. Ann Music 
Publications 1-800-235-9714

Any of the Zep Meisner arrangements.  Very well written but not readily 
available.  Not real hard but don't expect to sight read them on a gig.

Also the 50 arrangements available from the Triangle band in Australia are 
very nice arrangements but are a bit confusing ( see Note) They can be used 
at any level of player.  Very cheap, as I recall less than $10 U.S. paid 
with Pay Pal but will take a day to print and tape all parts.  Eric is very 
prompt - I got mine within a week from down under.

Note:  available from Eric Holyroyd on this list.  - The layout of the 
arrangements DC's & DS's, repeats aren't really uniform throughout parts, 
chord symbols are in concert pitch not transposed like in U.S.  Do not sight 
read these on a gig.  Play through them at least once for endings, routine, 
changes etc. especially the piano/banjo parts.  Eric's scoring - repeats - 
rests in the piano parts are a little different than used in the U.S. and 
takes a time or two through.  Adding rehearsal marks would help.  I did 
Band In The Box files on about half of them which are useful for practice 
without a rhythm section. I can e-mail those.  Also one of the Australian 
guys has the Clarinet parts written out a little nicer and is available on 
CD.   It would be fantastic if this collection were available in Sibelius or 
Finale

The Black Swan Band arrangements www.bscjb.com  require a lot of improv to 
fill in the parts.  Some CD's are available for their tunes.  These tunes 
contain large stretches of chord symbols with written intros, endings and do 
not always have melody lines for the novice.  All sound good and while they 
aren't hard readers IMHO aren't for novice players unless there is someone 
to coach them on improv.  I don't think there are any range problems and the 
ranges aren't extreme.  The vocal arrangements are mostly for an Alto female 
voice with fair to good range.   I think the cost is about $15 per 
arrangement but get cheaper if you buy several.  The parts are very nice to 
read and well printed in large enough notes to be seen by us old guys.  The 
only criticism is that the tunes get a little long if every ending is taken 
with all the solos but that's not always a bad thing.

Your list would certainly give them the flavor of Trad.  I think it's a good 
idea to listen to different groups.  There are a lot of good ones out there.

I can get web sites or addresses for these arrangements.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Augustine" <ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2006 11:20 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Ten representative dixieland-recordings

> DJML--
>     I really hate to do this, as i don't want to start more religious 
> wars, but c'mon, as reasonable and experienced musicians and collectors of 
> dixieland, we ought to be able to come up with something.
>     Here's the deal: a friend of mine who plays clarinet in an Austin 
> community concert-band wants a list of 10 or so good dixieland-recordings 
> that he and his equally novice dixieland-band can listen to for pointers 
> on how to play dixieland.  I don't know the other guys and have never 
> heard them play.
>     What this suggests to me is that the recordings ought to be:
>         a) readily available on CD;
>         b) representative of the history of dixieland, back to the 1920s, 
> but with current bands; and
>         c) representative of the main styles of dixleland.
>     So what players and what bands, on what CDs, could these parameters 
> include?
>     Well, first off, you have to have Louis Armstrong, probably from the 
> Hot 5s/Hot 7s recordings (but maybe also some later recordings like at 
> Symphony Hall, etc.).
>     Certainly also you need something by Eddie Condon, preferably with 
> Wild Bill and the other usual suspects.
>     Probably also needed is Turk Murphy (or Lu Watters).
>     And since he and his band are in Austin, he needs something by Jim 
> Cullum.
>     Who else?  Firehouse Five Plus Two, Dukes of Dixieland, Bob Crosby, 
> Pete Fountain, Jack Teagarden?
>     We need some old New Orleans-style stuff too, but who?  George Lewis, 
> Kid Ory, maybe Michael White?  Who else, NORK, Jelly Roll's bands?
>     Should the Dirty Dozen or New Orleans street-bands be included?
>     How about international bands, like those from England, Australia, 
> etc.?
>     This ain't rocket science, so what do you recommend?
>
>     Dan
>
> P. S. I'm going to recommend Dave Robinson's style-guide at 
> http://www.prjc.org/tjen/styleguide.htm.  Are there any other websites 
> that have a good overview of all periods and styles, including the names 
> of bands and recordings?  I should probably also tell my friend about the 
> Jazzology, Worlds Records, and the Jazz by Mail websites.
> -- 
> **--------------------------------------------------------------------**
> ** Dan Augustine  --  Austin, Texas  --  ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu
> **     "I often ask myself how Beethoven would have written a
> **      particular passage if he had wanted it to sound the way
> **      I'm playing it."  --  Robert Shaw when at Cleveland Orchestra
> **--------------------------------------------------------------------**
>
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