[Dixielandjazz] Willie & Wynton

[Stephen G Barbone]

Ron and Larry are discussing the 3 you tubes and whether they musos  
are reading or not.

IMO, Wynton and The sax player are reading when they do harmony back  
up and certain in chorus harmonic passages which would require some  
long rehearsals to memorize. And maybe the drummer is even reading  
some of Caldonia.

However, as I see it on full screen, the horns are definitely not  
reading their solos. Easiest way to verify that is look at the sax  
solo on Caldonia. He is not reading it.

Overall, IMO the in chorus and back up harmony is superb and reading  
them makes it so.

Lets face it, these are BLUES tunes  (Bucket, Caldonia & Tain't  
Nobody's Business) There is absolutely no reason why any jazz  
musicians of their caliber would have to read the solos or changes and  
I don't think they are.

However, the harmony riffs, and/or the drum breaks in Caldonia . . .  
Thats another matter and what they have written out and are playing in  
them in their backing of Willie Nelson is, IMO superb. It is precise  
and it swings.

Reminds me a little bit of the John Kirby Sextet when Charlie Shavers  
wrote for the band. Clean, and swinging.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband