[Dixielandjazz] Performance "Order" of St. Louis Blues

[Gluetje1 at aol.com]

Hi Mike and Thanks Scott!  Our little local challenge is about "why"  the 
entire B section is getting played first by so many groups today.  I  don't know, 
and am seeing how close I can come to "why".  Using Scott's  info and 
counting bars, you find that when Handy first recorded it in 1922, and  in the 3 
Louis Armstrong versions at the link below, the "tango" Intro is 8  bars, then the 
"I hate to see" A section.  So they are NOT doing the full  sixteen bar B 
section as is so commonly heard today prior to the A.
LInk to Handy's recording:
 
>_http://www.redhotjazz.com/handymbb.html_ 
(http://www.redhotjazz.com/handymbb.html) <
 
 
LInk to Armstrong  recordings: >_http://www.redhotjazz.com/lao.html_ 
(http://www.redhotjazz.com/lao.html) <
 

 
And here is the link  to a Bessie Smith film clip of fifteen minutes that I 
hadn't spotted  before.  The quality is pretty bad, but I sill really enjoyed 
begin able to  see/hear it at all these many years later.  
_>http://www.redhotjazz.com/stlouisblues.html_ (http://www.redhotjazz.com/stlouisblues.html) < 
(Click on the still of  the film to activate the clip.)


Ginny
 
In a message dated 10/9/2007 12:27:00 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
mike at railroadstjazzwest.com writes:

My  college group, and every other group I've played in, plays 
the B section  first(The most recognizable melody of the tune), 
Followed by 'A' the Latin  Section and followed by C.

It's been done so many different ways that  you could pretty much 
do it anyway you  want.

Mike








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