[Dixielandjazz] Fletcher Henderson's "Wrappin It Up"

[rorel at aol.com]

 Paul is exactly right about Henderson's use of instrumental choirs. I've transcribed a good number of Henderson's charts and IMHO, this actually did evolve over time and many of those pre-1930 charts are very much influenced by the small-group style. Think of TOZO - a fabulous chart with a dixielandish trombone counterpoint to the opening chorus; I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS, another trombone counterpoint in the opening and closing choruses; HOP OFF, features a wonderful group improvisation section at the end. STOCKHOLM STOMP and other charts like it have the clarinet soloist riding high over the ensemble during the out-chorus.
 
 As always, nothing just happens, it evolves over time and Fletcher's swing charts were the culmination of at least a decade of experience with those arrangements that ushered in the swing era being a distillation of the styles of what was then the past and the present. It was his innovations, and those of Duke et al, that helped define the future of 'big band' jazz.
 
 Respectfully submitted,
 
 Ray Osnato
    
 -----Original Message-----
 From: paul.edgerton at eds.com
 To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
 Sent: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 3:53 PM
 Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Fletcher Henderson's "Wrappin It Up"
 
  Robert Smith wrote:
> I have to admit to a predilection for 7-piece bands (and smaller). I
don't know
> why this should be. It could be due to my inability to separate the
individual
> instruments in larger bands.

Why would you want to separate out the individual instruments?  The
whole point of Fletcher Henderson's then-innovative arranging style was
the contrast of instrumental choirs.  Rather than simply soloist against
ensemble, he would write for saxophone section against brass section in
a call-and-response style.  BG did these charts with more precision and
just as much swing as Fletcher's own band at its best.

Interestingly, BG himself often said he preferred smaller horn sections
because they swung harder.  He could have had a sixteen-piece band if
he'd wanted, but he stuck with the small configuration.  Even after that
became the norm.

-- Paul Edgerton

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