[Dixielandjazz] Keeping Time was stylistic differences

[Stephen G Barbone]

> "Larry Walton  <larrys.bands at charter.net> wrote (polite snip)
>
> ...snip to
> Rushing the tempo is a universal problem as I see it and it is the  
> most
> wonderful thing if you have a rock solid rhythm section who is  
> laying down
> the foundation for the upper instruments no matter what technique  
> they use.
> ... snip to
>
> Rushing and holding tempo are actually complex problems that most  
> musicians
> have to work at especially if they have learned bad habits.  I think  
> most
> just don't think about it, or care and just continue doing it  
> forever and
> ever causing no end of heartburn to band leaders and teachers.

Amen Larry:

IMO dragging is even worse than rushing. Barbone Street changed  
drummers last year because of tempo problems. (dragging) Our current  
drummer, Mike Piper, is rock steady at all tempos. Makes a huge  
difference.

In our band, the drummer is in charge of the time and it is up to us  
to work with him. Some of us solo ahead of the beat, some on the beat  
and some behind the beat. Makes no difference to him because he plays  
on what some call "the front edge of the beat" all the time.

Other drummers we have worked with would slow down if a guy played  
behind the beat, or speed up if he played ahead of the beat.

Bless the drummers who anchor the rhythm section. Makes it easy for  
the others to create, play around the beat and swing. And if we don't  
use a drummer, bless the bass who then performs the time keeping  
function.

The rhythm section is key to swinging as far as I'm concerned. We  
horns then forget  the mechanics of swing, like triplets, or dotted  
8th notes or whatever, that might clutter up our minds. We can just  
relax, hear the groove and swing along with it.

Cheers,

Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband