[Dixielandjazz] Harlem Jazz? was Cartoon music of the Bratislava Hot Serenaders

[Steve Barbone]

on 3/12/07 1:40 AM, Jerry Brown at jazzjerry at btinternet.com wrote:

> Hi Steve,
> 
> Thou doest utter from the wrong place. As probably one
> of the few DJMLers to have seen the Bratislava Hot
> Serenaders live (Whitley Bay JF last year) I can say
> that they are one of the best bands in their
> particular field.

Hi Jerry
Re-read what I wrote. That's just about what I said.
 
> To suggest that what they play is not jazz is complete
> nonsense. During the course of their performances they
> play plenty of Dule Ellington material and similar
> arrangements with improvised solos from individual
> band members.

Research for yourself what Duke Ellington himself said about his music and
you will find that he said: "I do not play jazz." Why then, should bands who
play Ellington's music be classified, per se, as jazz bands? And classical
musicians know when they improvise, that they are not playing jazz either.

> Yes they also play 'popular' and 'dance'
> music of the period but with a jazz feel but so did
> the originators. I'm sure the King Oliver Creole Jazz
> band played waltzs for the dancers although maybe they
> did not record them.

Not only conjecture, but irrelevant.

> Certainly the ODJB did record
> waltzs and we know their biggest success in the UK was
> the appearances at the Hammersmith Palais, one of the
> biggest dance halls in London.

Irrelevant.

> You have achieved a landmark in the DJML annals in
> companing Duke Ellington's music with that of Kenny G.
> Wow!

What an astounding leap of logic. You need lessons in reading comprehension.
I neither said nor implied that.

> Maybe it is not the kind of freewheeling music as
> expertly played by Eddie Condon and his associates
> (and attempted by your band) but neither was the music
> of Jelly Roll Morton's RHP, King Oliver's CJB,
> Fletcher Henderson and most other bands of the
> originating period of jazz.

Not sure the above is true but, true or false, it's totally Irrelevant.
 
> I have been very quiet since returning to the DJML but
> really could not these ridiculous remarks go
> unchallenged.

Welcome back Jerry, It is a treat to have someone like you, who cannot
comprehend the written word, back on list throwing bombs. Challenge away,
but for goodness sake, make sense.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone 



> --- Steve Barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net> wrote:
> 
>> "Robert S. Ringwald" <robert at ringwald.com>
>> 
>>> Hey Bill,
>>> 
>>> Please don't call it Cartoon Music.  It is great,
>> Hot Harlem Jazz.
>> 
>> 
>> Hi Bob:
>> 
>> Do you mean Haarlem as in The Netherlands? I can't
>> recall any bands in
>> Harlem NYC playing as Mickey Mouse as that.
>> 
>> Seriously, though, the Bratislave musicians are
>> excellent. The band is well
>> arranged. BUT, Is it jazz?
>> 
>> Guys like Eddie Condon would have said no and
>> reminded us that jazz in the
>> 1920s/30s was popularly associated with Whiteman,
>> Gershwin and Irving
>> Berlin. and that the Bratislava Band was playing
>> popular music.
>> 
>> Perhaps that kind of music in the "jazz age", as
>> compared to the real jazz
>> of the originators, (Oliver, Bolden, Armstrong,
>> Bechet et al) is more like
>> what Kenny G and his clones play today, compared to
>> the real jazz of this
>> and/or any other era?
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> Steve Barbone
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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