[Dixielandjazz] By Ned, we invented the genre

[Dave Gannett]

Hah!  A worthy observation.  Steve, if you'd spent a couple weeks touring 
with The Black Dogs, you would'a thought you were back in the '30's for 
sure!  One of the reasons the band was so wildly popular was that we brought 
to our performances the LIFESTYLE of that era's jazz musician, which spilled 
out all over our stage presentation, the music and the overall time traveler 
vibe.  Each of us felt in the deepest part of our souls that we were born 
20-30 years too late and that somehow, we could go back to the time where we 
belonged.  Someday I will write a book about our incredible adventures. 
Suffice to say, our performances were just the tip of the iceberg.  Thanks 
for your insights...

Dave "Da Viper" Gannett

> What a fun thread, and now one is flaming. That wonderful in itself.
>
> Here are a few "American" ideas in support of Dave G.
>
> When jazz was first played here in the USA, the jazz musicians were  fully 
> concentrating on being jazz musicians. It became a lifestyle, if  you 
> will, not just playing the notes. There was a certain hepness (or  hipness 
> in today speak) that tied the cats together and differentiated  them from 
> the squares.
>
> Nowadays, IMO, throughout the world, that hepness no longer exists  among 
> most Dixieland (all inclusive definition) jazz musicians. Being  a 
> Dixieland jazz musician is no longer the "lifestyle" it was. That's  one 
> possible reason the music is not as exciting now, as it was then.  There 
> are more part timers now who think that playing the notes,  equates to 
> exciting jazz. There is less boozing, less pot smoking,  less liberal 
> lifestyle etc., among the musos. I think too, that many  of the remaining 
> fans and old fart bands are further to the right than  Atilla The Hun. 
> They look down on such things as wine, women, pot and  both lifestyle and 
> musical freedom. And that rigidity affects their  musical output.
>
> So when some of us say that American Bands play Dixieland better we  are 
> injecting another dimension, besides musicianship, that of life 
> experiences and cultural differences.
>
> And within the various styles, I do indeed think that musicians from  New 
> Orleans (neighborhoods) played better New Orleans Jazz (style)  than 
> musicians from other parts of the USA and/or world.
>
> And then there is the subject of how different people in different  parts 
> of the world hear jazz, and/or music. <grin>
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
> www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband
>
>
>
>
>
>
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