[Dixielandjazz] Clarinet solo -- who was first?

[David Richoux]

And current bands that play the song are usually berated by "Trad  
Nazis" if the clarinet player does not "do the Picou" exactly as  
Picou recorded it!

So much for improvisation...

Dave Richoux
(and King Oliver did record it as "High Society Rag," if the Library  
of Congress is correct ;-)

On Aug 2, 2007, at 7:15 PM, Phil O'Rourke wrote:

>> Listening to the 2-CD set by Off The Record: The Complete 1923 (King
> Oliver) 1923 Jazz
>> Band Recordings, I was struck by the clarinet solo by Johnny Dodds to
> close "High Society
>> Rag".  I have been hearing that same clarinet solo on performance  
>> after
> performance of
>> "High Society" by different bands in the 60 years or so I've been
> listening to this music,
>> usually note-for-note the same as Dodds' performance in 1923.
>>
>> Question: Did Dodds originate this particular solo, or was it someone
> else?
>>
>
> Alphonse Picou is the person that originated this solo for High  
> Society
> (notice no rag).
> He was supposed to convert the piccolo solo from the march to the  
> clarinet.
> Back in those days the majority of clarinets were Albert system  
> instruments
> and the fingering for this solo was said to be difficult. If a  
> player could
> play the "Picou High Society" he had a good grasp of the instrument.
>
>
> Phil O'Rourke
> Australia