[Dixielandjazz] Al Grey playing Dixieland

[Stephen G Barbone]

Trumpeter is Mike Vax on that clip. I agree that sitting in with a  
Dixieland Band may not necessarily mean playing Dixieland, but then  
what would you call what Al Grey (and Mike Vax) are playing with  
Benko. And what is Benko Dixieland Band playing?

Then too, I saw/heard Al Grey playing Dixieland in NYC, just like Roy  
Eldridge and Coleman Hawkins and many others not necessarily thought  
of as Dixieland musicians did, when their big band jobs evaporated.

Eldridge once had the following conversation with a trad fan who heard  
him at Jimmy Ryan's  joint in the 1970s.

Fan:  "Hey Roy, sounds great. I didn't know you were a Dixieland  
player."

Roy: "I've been playing what you call Dixieland all my life."

Some media types categorized the music that he played at Ryan's as  
that which" fell between swing and Dixieland". His group there was Joe  
Muranyi, reeds; Bobby Pratt, trombone; Dick Katz, piano; Major Holley,  
Bass; and Eddie Locke, drums. Sure as hell sounded like Dixieland to  
me every time I  visited. And, I never  could figure out just what the  
hell music "between Swing and Dixieland" could possibly be.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone



On Jun 29, 2008, at 5:04 PM, Marek Boym wrote:

> Thanks, Steve.
> What Al Grey plays is hardly Dixieland, but definitely MKOM.  The
> boppish trumpet - less so, whoever it is.  Sitting in with a Dixieland
> band, especially in Europe, does not necessarily mean playing
> dixieland.
> Very enjoyable nyway.
> Cheers
>
> On 25/06/2008, Stephen G Barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net> wrote:
>> For a listen to Al Grey (and Mike Vax) playing Dixieland with Benko  
>> Jazz
>> Band see:
>> (CAUTION) Maybe too modern for some. <grin>)
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqOwzYN2kaE