[Dixielandjazz] learning to play jazz

[Cebuisle2 at aol.com]

I got my start when I discovered the Firehouse Five while in high school.  
Used to save my lunch money to buy their 78's, and pestered the shop owner in  
hopes he had some new releases.
 
I acquired an old King U.S. Army cornet, and began playing along with the  
recordings. Of course, I copied the style of the Firehouse cornetist at the  
time, Danny Alguire. Learned all their tunes, or at least those they recorded.  
Years later when I played a long standing roadhouse gig, the trombonist, a much 
 older guy who had recorded 78's in his day exclaimed, ":This guy is Bix  
re-incarnated!"  I didn't even know who Bix was at the time, but obviously  the 
Firehouse cornetist had been a fan of his and in copying his style I had  
picked up Bix's distinctive playing, straight ahead mid range cornet, no  vibrato, 
fill-in-the-gaps style.  
 
No doubt many of the list musicians began this way also-and knowingly or  
not, perpetuated the style of some long gone jazz musician they never  knew.
 
                                                                              
            Ted     ( whose hero was Ward  Kimball)