[Dixielandjazz] Let's Get This Dixieland Business Straight - Condon

[Stephen G Barbone]

With thanks to list mate John McClernan who forwarded the article to me.

Excerpted from a Bill Gottlieb  Down Beat interview with Eddie Condon,  
October 7, 1946. Eddie is quoted as saying:

"And lets get this Dixieland business straight", . . . "I've never had  
a Dixieland band, or a Chicago band, or a New Orleans band, or any  
other style band. All I'm aware of is, good jazz and bad jazz. Good  
jazz is improvised music, with each man playing his own particular  
way, maintaining, of course, a certain amount of cooperation with the  
others. That's what we've always played. I never dictate any style or  
say anything to my guys except to name a tune and state the key. They  
have no restrictions other than to be themselves. They not only play  
the way they like, they can wear red suspenders, drink on the stand  
and show up in paper hats, I don't make them wear uniforms."

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband