[Dixielandjazz] Play along (was Oh Holy Night)

[Bill Haesler]

billsharp wrote [snipped]:
> ..........a male and female singer.......from a club where they 
> perform Karaoke......what I've noticed about both of them . . . they 
> never land on the first beat of a measure! !  , , and thus are always 
> just a little "off" of where they should be,  which is slightly 
> disconcerting...............My theory is that they have spent so much 
> time reading monitors where the words pop up for them to sing, that 
> when they don't have the monitors, their brains are constantly lagging 
> behind as they wait for the words to appear............

Dear Bill,
Well put.
For many years, (some of) our musician DJMLers from the US regularly 
advocate learning OKOM by playing along with records.
Up until now I have refrained from comment.
Here Down-Under our early mentors (the older jazzmen) discouraged 
'playing along'.
A big no-no!
For the very reason you so succinctly put regarding karaoke singers.
Rhythm instruments in particular must hit each beat spot on, not laid 
back (as some of our local, misguided, New Orleans revivalists seem to 
advocate).
The task is to maintain the set tempo, not wait for it to happen.
[And, dare I say it, washboard players are the worst offenders.]
I've also noticed this when playing with some of our Aussie brass and 
reed men.
That awful dragging mini-second behind-the-beat feeling.
I will be on 'vacation mode' later today so please don't savage me too 
mercilessly during my absence.
I will be checking the Archives on our return on New Year's day.
8>)
Kind regards,
Bill.