[Dixielandjazz] Turk's Fast Staccato Trombone

[Steve Barbone]

> "Fr M J (Mike) Logsdon" <mjl at ix.netcom.com> wrote

> I find it strange that anyone (and apparently only the few, thankfully) would
> necessarily hear a fast/staccato passage and assume valve.  The staccato
> passages in "Trombone Rag" never made me think, "Hey, Turk switched to
> valve!".

Maybe so, Mike, but there is a world of difference between Turk and J.J.'s
approach to playing trombone. And a world of difference in Turk's fast
staccato passages and J.J.'s fast, staccato, harmonically difficult, bebop
passages. Bebop is much more complicated. They are so dissimilar that the
logic in trying to connect the two would be flawed. As good as Turk was, he
was certainly no J.J. Johnson.

Suggestions to all those who doubt what has been said about J.J.

1) Listen to some of his recordings with the be-boppers and later.

2) Google search for J. J. Johnson + trombone. Read what those sources say
   even if you want to discount 50% of it.

3) Read some of the books about him and the era.

4) Ask any old fart like me who was there at the time.

If then, you are still unconvinced, or doubting, analyze whether your
conclusion is based upon factual information, or unsupported opinion.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone