[Dixielandjazz] 1920s "detritus"

[confit at isp.com]

David Dustin wrote...
"?Detritus?
was meant to characterize obscurantist song selections that no one has heard
of and which were justly relegated to the bottom shelf of musical history."

David, just who do mean by "no one?" I could list a hundred GOOD tunes
from the 1920s that were NOT popular, by any means, and probably would fit
into your "bottom shelf" category. Yet they are worthwhile numbers and
there are people who know them AND PLAY THEM. To give you an example,
songwriter Willard Robison wrote two very well-known numbers: "A Cottage
for Sale," and "Old Folks." Yet he wrote many other tunes that were
"relegated to the bottom shelf" until someone took the time to dig them up
and make recordings of them, like Jack Teagarden's 50s recording "Think
Well of Me." A similar point could be made for many other popular
songwriters.

I could just as easily say that "Big Bear Stomp" is detritus because I
personally don't think it's as good a number as "Body and Soul." That
doesn't change the fact that people like it and want to hear it bands
enjoy playing it.

I suggest everyone take a gander at "Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories
1890-1954: The History of American Popular Music," which lists the most
popular numbers based on record and sheet music sales including the 1920s.
I bet there are a substantial number of tunes that many people, even those
into OKOM, have never heard of yet were big hits. But then there are
likely people who do know them and might even play them.

I'd also recommend for anyone who wishes to dismiss offhand "obscure"
popular music from either the 1920s or 1930s, that they listen to the
comments made by cornetist Ruby Braff from this interview conducted on
July 4, 2000, supposedly Louis Armstrong's 100 birthday.
http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2000/07/20000704_a_main.asp

Cheers,
Chris Buch




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