[Dixielandjazz] no amp

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

Fond memories recur of Kenny Davern doing his slow mic-tease, dismantling the item bit by bit between numbers in the bar down below at the rear of the Learmonth Hotel in Edinburgh, and pointing through the picture windows at the very adjacent little window of what had been his room when he had stayed in the place. 

I also remember that Cootie Williams (as reported by I think Humphrey Lyttelton) did the opposite of amp-ing by having in effect a silencer within his trumpet, so that when doing all the beautiful mute business he was physically at one with the sound but not deafening. 
On the other hand I suspect amplification has been a great boon to the study, by technically equipped performers, of the dynamics and fine tuning of not trying hard enough to play with meaning.  

"Excuse me, son, are you trying to say something or just playing with your volume?"
The little lad can't answer, has he deafened himself physically, or in terms of understanding? 

Then again, when a friend of mine shouted at a plugged OKOM bandleader:
"I can't hear you for the noise of the rhythm section!"
the guy holding the cornet replied 
"I can't hear you for the noise of the rhythm section!"