[Dixielandjazz] Big Four in New Orleans drumming.

[Stephen G Barbone]

> David Richoux <tubaman at tubatoast.com> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> This question came up over on the TubeNet list and no really
> satisfactory answers have been found, so I thought I would ask the
> experts!
>
> Wynton Marsalis seems to give two very different meanings to the term
> - in this video clip: http://jazz.learnhub.com/lesson/10127-what-is-the-big-four-beat
>  he is talking about the Buddy Bolden Band synchopated bass line
> through a song,
>
> but in this lesson he seems to be talking just about the 1 2 3 4 beat
> of the bass drum as part of the roll-off to a song:
> http://www.weboschools.org/webo/staff/hiseyba/generalmusic/lesson1.pdf
>
> Any other ideas or references, anybody? Not a lot turning up on web
> searches nor in my New Orleans Brass Band / New Orleans Jazz reference
> books (although I have not done an extensive study yet...)

Hi Dave:

Here is what Wynton Marsalis quoting Danny Barker said about "big  
four" when interviewed by Dr. Billy Taylor  on one of Taylor's NPR  
programs . . . Billy Taylor's Jazz.

Dr. Taylor inquires about the importance of the famous New Orleans  
bass drum beat as the foundation of the local style. Marsalis shares a  
lesson from Barker, who explained, "Now, this bass drum is the key to  
our whole music". He emphasized the "conversation" between the  
drumbeat and responding cymbal crash on the first three beats. On the  
fourth beat (known as the "big four"), the two are hit together.  
According to Barker, "when they 'talk' together, that's the most  
important point".

For the rest of the article, see:
http://www.npr.org/programs/btaylor/archive/marsalis_w.html

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband