[Dixielandjazz] sharps & flats + fake books

[Ken Gates]

Thanks to all who responded to my question of horn fingering on sharps
and flats.  I now have some understanding of the difficulty.

I have 4 or 5 fake books with mostly tunes of the 20's and 30's of the
swing or dixieland genre.  I haven't compiled statistics, but I'm sure
most are in the keys of  C,  Eb,  F,  Bb  Ab,  G.  I had assumed that
the reason for this partiality was deference to Bb and Eb instruments.

I'm wondering--why this deference?  Is the "standard" key established
by the composer?  By the first recording that sold well?  If the later,
and it was by a major swing band,  wouldn't sharp keys likely
to be used by swing band arrangers to accommodate singers range? 
Also, most players in those bands were very good readers who
could readily read and play in any key.  

What a great list!  I expect the answer will be presented.

Ken Gates