[Dixielandjazz] Small groups - (was F.H. "Wrappin' it Up")

[charles coleman]

Hi Listees,
    Robert Smith wrote:  "I 
can't really explain what it is that attracts me to small groups. One of my 
great thrills is listening to Johnny Dodds' low register obbligato on the 
Hot Seven's "That's When I'll Come Back To You". I'm glad this wasn't done 
by a clarinet trio. " (polite snip)
    Don't know why I find this true for me also, but when I started hunting jazz records in the early 40's (no live jazz in our area), I quickly found that the small groups (Goodman et. al.) were more interesting to my fourteen year old mind than the big bands.      In retrospect, I think I was 'hearing' conversations between individual musicians rather than an overall sound.   Still have that preference that continued through the 'cool' West Coast jazz of the 1950's (Mullingan, Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars, Brubeck, etc.) to the Trad bands currently performing.    (A plug for my favorite - Mike Bezin's  West End Jazz Band who BTW will be performing at the Coon-Sanders Fans bash in Huntington WV May 18 & 19th).   
Regards,    Charlie (Back to Lurking) Coleman