[Dixielandjazz] Syncopation & Liberties With The Melody

[Steve Barbone]

RICK KNITTEL <knittelsportland at juno.com> wrote
> 
> I don't believe either Louis or Johnny Hodges EVER played a melody
> straight. All the recordings I have heard of them have their individual
> take on the melody. Each was syncopated and took liberties with the
> melody line. To me that is jazz.

Hey Rick:

Good to hear from you.

Since you are the listener, I agree. <grin>

But then rappers and rockers syncopate and take liberties with the melody
line and that doesn't make them jazzers . . . or does it?

Then again, Duke Ellington said more than once in the 1960s that rock & roll
was the most updated form of jazz. And since, IMO, jazz is in the ears of
the listener, I have to agree with him too. <grin>

See you in October?

Cheers,
Steve Barbone