[Dixielandjazz] LaRocca & Bix

[Steve Barbone]

Bill Haesler <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au>

> Dear friends,
> This lot (new to me) via my mate Denis King (Australian Dance Band list).
> http://www.kazoolips.com/NICK_LaROCCA.html

Dear Bill:

Thanks for that post. Interesting to hear LaRocca. Regarding Bix, just about
all the talking heads credit LaRocca with enormous influence on Bix. After
all, Bix played along with ODJB records when he learned to play trumpet. And
the first recording under Bix's name on OKEH was a LaRocca tribute via tunes
from the ODJB repertoire.

Regarding La Rocca inventing Jazz in Chicago, well if he wants to follow
that line, he would have to credit both the Johnny Stein and Tom Brown bands
from Dixieland who played jazz in Chicago before ODJB arrived wouldn't he?
(LaRocca played in the Stein Band)

And I think both Jelly Roll Morton and Freddie Keppard played in Chicago
before ODJB but am not sure since I am relying on my memory of jazz history
which may be faulty.

Cheers,
Steve