[Dixielandjazz] Just Jazz and The Song for Me

[TBW504 at aol.com]

A recent letter the British jazz magazine "Just Jazz" reads:

........ The contents are always of great interest, not least  Geoff 
Gilbert's column "New Orleans, News and Views". I am pleased to see him  writing about 
a lesser-known figure, Elmer Talbert. I note that he credits "New  Orleans 
Jazz - A Family Album", the delightful book compiled by Al Rose and Dr.  Edmond 
Souchon, for his information. Another useful source would be Tom  Bethell's 
biography of George Lewis. However, this was published 30 years ago,  while the 
third and final edition of the former has not been revised since 1978.  Using 
as a reference tool material of such a vintage is rather like a yachtsman  
going to sea with 30-year-old tide tables!
I would like to direct Geoff to  the gargantuan reference work, compiled by 
Brian Wood, called "The Song for Me -  A Glossary of New Orleans Musicians and 
others of that Ilk" which has the  advantage of regular updating and 
availability as a CD-Rom. It is obtainable  from the author at _TBW504 at aol.com_ 
(mailto:TBW504 at aol.com) .
It is  highly comprehensive, to the extent that Geoff will be surprised to 
find a  lengthy and flattering entry devoted to himself.
Horace Meunier Harris.
 
(Horace Harris is a widely-respected authority. A record collector and  
discographer since 1942, Horace can be numbered among the many studious devotees  
of jazz who are the largely unsung backbone of jazz research and criticism. He  
has contributed many articles on jazz that have been published world-wide in  
periodicals too numerous to mention here. An example of his perspicacity and  
sound methodology is his revelation of what is believed to be the first 
mention  in print of Bunk Johnson in modern times in an article in the March, 1935 
issue  of the somewhat obscure Ballroom and Band, contributed by trombonist 
Preston  Jackson who wrote articles on jazz in magazines for over forty  years.)