[Dixielandjazz] The State of Jazz, circa 1953

[Stephen G Barbone]

For an interesting, but long, dissertation on the state of jazz  
recordings and live jazz circa 1953, see the below website. It is by  
poet and talking head Whitney Balliett and was published in Atlantic  
Monthly Magazine, November 1953. In the last 3 paragraphs, he has an  
interesting take on the Lawson-Haggart band and the state of mind of  
the jazz musicians at that time.

The "heavy drinking has always been a problem" he mentions was evident  
among most of the Dixieland jazz musicians I spoke to, knew, or played  
with at that time. The boppers had other problems. Both groups were  
night people and it was a way of life along with the music.

That's about when I learned to switch to Scotch because it was easier  
on one's stomach than bourbon.

He also says that live jazz "is being played in limited quantities  
today". I disagree, at least as far as the New York City area was  
concerned. There were many jazz clubs still going strong at the time  
of the article. Bop on Broadway, Dixieland in Greenwich Village, plus  
Jimmy Ryan's and the Hickory House were still going strong on 52nd  
Street and bop was moving to Cooper Square and the East Village, and  
other Village spots like the Vanguard and The Village Gate. To say  
nothing of Harlem, Long Island and nearby New Jersey.

He was just a little ahead of time, the "Limited quantity" became true  
a decade later..

http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/jazz/balliett.htm

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband