[Dixielandjazz] remembering the lyrics

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

But in that case the words are pretty much the music and the instruments 
purely background and in that case phrasing and other musical considerations 
are totally back seat to the words.  This kind of music is often performed 
with a single guitar simply strumming a beat with chords in the background.

The original premise that you need lyrics to phrase properly is still weak. 
I think your third paragraph is pretty much right on.

I ran across a street musician in New Orleans singing quaintly enough "The 
City of New Orleans" with just a guitar.  This guy really had it all nailed 
together.  Great everything, his guitar was even in tune.
Larry
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Bogen" <bobbogen at hotmail.com>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 1:28 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] remembering the lyrics




To Steve, Larry, Pat , Mike et al,

 Of course the lyrics and vocal interpretations can help with phrasing and 
feeling!  But Brother, Can You Spare a Dime, the unique face-the-facts 
anthem of the Great Depression was music that hardly needed Yip Harburg's 
unforgettable lyrics [Once I built a railroad, made it run.....] to make 
your eyes go wet, but Harburg's words 'sure didn't hoyt' as my friends in 
Brooklyn used to say.  The music itself cries out to be cried.  And even 
Bing Crosby couldn't ruin the lyrics when he made it a hit after the 1932 
review Americana opened.]

Some tunes never had a poet to write lyrics, or the words were written 
after, out of, the music, just as many ballets and some film sequences start 
with the music itself.  But where would Bob Dylan be with just his guitar 
but without his historic poetry as lyrics?

When I represented the New York Musicians Club I learned, what I simply 
guessed as a brass player, from students of Horowitz and Heifetz that 
phrasing is the beginning, and 'line' is the larger test of musicianship, 
the next order of expression, you might say the phrasing of phrasing. 
Musicians, the Second Line, and other listeners know, even without the help 
of a poet’s particular verbal interpretation , [and other poets, writers may 
add their OWN improvisation, interpretation, or more verses later]…. they 
know, even without words, if the interpretation of the player evokes new 
energy and feelings, in a word, truly swings.
Bob K. Bogen

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