[Dixielandjazz] Preservation Hall Players

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

I completely understand what they are trying to do at the PH but there are 
some musical things that just aren't good for example ignoring if you are in 
tune or not.  A second one would be sounding like each guy was in a 
different room rhythmically.  Authenticity is great and I don't mind 
reproductions at all but there are some basics that seemed to be ignored.  I 
can defer to people who have heard the band more than three times.  It's 
quite possible that I hit them on a bad day.

I think making money is great for anyone and I don't envy or begrudge a cent 
that any musician makes.  My comments are more to the sloppy musicianship 
that I heard out of them.  It seemed to me that it was a retirement gig for 
guys that had long ago gone over the hill.  Personally I hope that I am 
wrong but my opinion seems to be backed up by others, at least to some 
extent.

I don't think that musicians 100 years ago were that bad but on the contrary 
most were pretty good.  Last time I was there I heard a kick ass group 
playing in a restaurant near the French market that blew away the PH guys 
and I thought they were pretty authentic.  Authentic shouldn't  mean bad.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Haesler" <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au>
To: "James Butler" <jbutler6 at twcny.rr.com>; "Dan Augustine" 
<ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu>
Cc: "dixieland jazz mail list" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 4:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Preservation Hall Players


> Dan Augustine said: "......most of the Preservation Hall bands i've heard
> are very very poor musically, very dated."
> Steve Barbone half-heartedly defended the band with: "Hey, don't be 
> knocking
> those guys. They are deliberately playing like that" but redeemed himself
> with "But to then attempt to transfer a personal like/dislike to the 
> general
> audience at large, well, that's just plain wrong."
> Father Mike offered Dan his support with: ".........it doesn't ignite."
> However, Brian Harvey courageously summed it up as a "ridiculous 
> statement."
> Now Jim Butler agrees with Dan "100%"
> Why is it that so many Americans appear to have so little appreciation of
> 'their' home-grown music from New Orleans?
> Where are Butch Thompson, Louis Lince, the Dutch and the Canadians on the
> list?
> And the Australians including the other Father Mike, Anton and Phil O'R.
> Come on. Brian needs SOME support.
> Seconds out. Let the battle commence and no hitting below the belt.
> 8>)
> Kind regards,
> Bill.
>
>
>
>
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