[Dixielandjazz] Dixieland Styles - Uptown, Downtown etc.

[Steve Barbone]

jazzchops at isp.com wrote (polite snip)

 > All of that "Uptown" and "Downtown" stuff is, IMO, ridiculous, because
> viewed under the scrutiny of what really was going on in New Orleans it
> doesn't make any sense at all. It doesn't make geographic sense and it
> doesn't make stylistic sense, either.
> 
> For example, King Oliver lived Uptown but he played downtown, but then
> sometimes he played uptown. Sometimes he played with Johnny Dodds, who was
> an Uptown musician, but he played "Downtown" style. But then sometimes he
> played with Jimmie Noone, who lived Downtown, but played "Uptown" style.
> The whole concept was someone's misguided attempt to quantify something
> that is basically too complex to be easily pigeon-holed.

I am sure you are not alone in your opinion, Chris.

I think the style classifications came about in an effort to explain the
various forms of Dixieland and some of their differences to people learning
about Dixieland Jazz.

I certainly agree that the subject of Dixieland styles is too complex to be
easily pigeonholed, but how then, would we explain Dixieland styles? As as
in any generalization, there are going to be exceptions. For example, Dave
Robinson of the TJEN (Trad Jazz Educators Network) opines that Noone was a
"Downtown" style player.

There is a an explanation of styles, written by Dave, on the Potomac River
Jazz Club's website. Surely some disagree with it, but I find it more useful
than anything else available. Be that as it may, no doubt the original
musicians didn't think much about the styles they were playing. I think to
them, as now to many of us, it was just music. The site is:  at:

http://www.prjc.org/tjen/styleguide.htm

Cheers,
Steve Barbone