[Dixielandjazz] From a semi-lurker

[David Richoux]

Steve and all,

While listening to Prairie Home Companion this last weekend (surprised  
to hear my old band-mate Norton Buffalo!) I was thinking there are a  
lot of songs that are considered to be Country & Western or  
"Americana" that would make great OKOM music. The chord structure and  
arrangement of these songs are not much different, the melodies are  
solid, and the lyrics can be OK (sometimes.)

I have a few LPs from the 1950s and 60s that have Dixieband versions  
of hit C&W songs from back then, but there have been very few bands  
regularly doing this sort of thing (that I know of) since then.  
Tuleburg JB used to do "Elvira" and I remember hearing a few bands at  
various Sacramento festivals doing one or two as novelty songs, but  
there are certainly many fine songs to chose from that could be played  
"straight."

(And while The California Repercussions does covers of Britney Spears  
and such, I don't think a lot of "modern rock" hits would make it in  
OKOM arrangements ;-)

Dave Richoux

On Jun 23, 2009, at 8:36 AM, Steve Heist wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> You know, I posted the notice about the Montreal Jazz Festival up  
> here in Montreal, because although it, for the most part, is a more  
> modern jazz festival (and by the way, the world's largest jazz  
> festival), that many might like to listen to and/or expand their  
> interest in the music.
>
> I have always felt it doesn't hurt to listen to something new  
> (unless it's at a painful volume - ha ha)
>
> I remember when I was young and just starting out in trad jazz, how  
> we used to take "modern" songs - Hello Dolly, Alley Cat, Washington  
> Square, Bonnie and Clyde, (remember that from the 60's???) etc. etc.  
> and "make them our own" and make some really incredible arrangements  
> out of them.  Even now, I have found a wealth of modern songs of  
> THIS era - and turned them into GREAT dixieland pieces.
>
> Currently, the one I'm working on, is very exciting and I'd like to  
> turn some of the band leaders on to the song, "Woke Up This  
> Morning",  by a group (I believe) is called Alabama 3...  To those  
> immediately unknowing of this song, it is the theme song of The  
> Sopranos!!!
> (Woke up this morning, got myself a gun, Mama always said I'd be  
> the, chosen one...)
> If you get a chance listen to it and I think you'll see it has a lot  
> going on in it - chord structure is simplistic to the max - as I've  
> been listening to it, it just seems to go back and forth from the  
> minor to the 7th (Dm to A7, over and over)  This kind of simplistic  
> chord flow is great to improvise on...  I would really love to hear  
> a jazz band work this one up!  First, it's VERY recognizable and I  
> think would appeal to all ages.  Anyway, feel free to work it up  
> and, as always,
> ALL the Best,
> Steve "Stubby" Heist
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Smith" <robert.smith at tele2.no 
> >
> To: "Steve Heist" <steveheist at earthlink.net>
> Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 4:29 PM
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] From a semi-lurker
>
>
>> At Ginny's request I'm going to offer an opinion on MKOM. I'm not  
>> often stinulated to offer a musical opinion because I don't feel  
>> that I have the necessary knowledge or anything new on my favourite  
>> records. However, I've just received a CD by a female vocalist who  
>> calls herself Judy D. In my opinion she carries on the tradition of  
>> Sarah, Billie , and Ella, especially Ella. If these singers are  
>> YKOM, then I strongly urge you to buy this CD (available on CDBaby  
>> where you can hear snippets). It's worth the money just for her  
>> rendition of "All Of Me". Her vocalising on this track is in the  
>> best Ella tradition.