[Dixielandjazz] Learning The Lyrics

[Steve Barbone]

Some musicians do and some don't.

How about an example of why the lyrics help? e.g. "After You've Gone."

This is a SAD song, with a beautiful verse, that if one studies the lyrics,
is obviously going to be played slowly and with much feeling. It begs for
coloration, bent notes, slow bluesy feel. After all, it is about someone who
has just jilted his/her lover.

On the other hand, if you are cold and without feeling, (like Benny Goodman
might have been) you can up the tempo to as fast as you can play it and it
will work well, just like his version does. Many have copied his tempo for
the song.

Which is better? That's up to the individual player or listener to decide.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone