[Dixielandjazz] Blind Willie Dunn: Oliver or Dorsey

[Wim Mossel]

Dave Bock wrote

 >I'm still looking for more opinions or information. I think Brian Rust
 >credits King Oliver as the cornet player on Jet Black Blues by Blind Willie
 >Dunn's Gin Bottle Four recorded for Okeh in April 1929. I believe the cornet
 >player is Tommy Dorsey. You can hear the recording here:
 ><http://www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/Lang/jetblack.ram>http://www.redhotjazz.com/Songs/Lang/jetblack.ram

 >For a recording of Tommy Dorsey playing cornet, check out Tiger Rag here:
 ><http://www.redhotjazz.com/tommy.html>http://www.redhotjazz.com/tommy.html

 >What do you think?? King Oliver or Tommy Dorsey??

Well, to me is it clear: King Oliver and not Tommy Dorsey.

"Robert S. Ringwald" wrote
 >I am not that familiar with Oliver's playing in '29.

I am, I have all his recordings and have listened to them seriously.

 >However, the vibrato and tone sound similar to 
the T Dorsey recording of Tiger Rag.

I know the Tiger Rag done by Dorsey. I think he 
tried to imitate Oliver, but did not succeed. (It 
is a pity that Oliver never recorded Tiger Rag). 
But listen to (more or less comparable with Blind 
Willie Dunn) the Dorsey recordings: Tommy Dorsey 
and his Novelty Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey-t/Frank 
Signorelli-p/ Eddie Lang-g/ Stan King-d. New 
York, April 23, 1929. Daddy, Change Your Mind and You Can't Cheat A Cheater.
The Tiger rag you mentioned is from November 10, 
1928. On the same date he made It's Right Here 
For You. In the November session the line up is 
Tommy Dorsey-t/ Eddie Lang-g/ Jimmy Williams-sb/ 
Stan King-d and on It's Right Here For You is added Arthur Schutt-harmonium.
When you hear the way Dorsey uses the quartet 
line up, it is quite different from the Blind 
Willie Dunn's and his sound is far away from the 
Oliver sound. Not near even. Especially the timing.

 >It is possible that, like many of us, we alter 
our style depending on the gig, the style >of the 
band we are playing with and in general, what we 
are told to do when we are a >sideman.

 >Thus, I will say that it is possible that both 
recordings are Dorsey. However, I will >be 
curious to see what some of the experts have to say about it.

I agree completely what "Sante" jazzchops at isp.com says:
 >Oliver had a way of hitting some notes dead square on the beat. Dorsey
 >didn't do that. I think Dorsey's recording of It's Right Here For You may
 >be a bit better example of him playing with the Harmon mute at a closer
 >tempo to Jet Black/Blue Blood.
And by the way also with his last remark:
 >I'm a big fan of Dorsey's trumpet playing. The 
total opposite of his trombone approach.



Kind regards, Vriendelijke groet, Grüße
Wim Mossel

a.k.a. w.p.mossel at orange.nl