[Dixielandjazz] if it's hot....

[Jim Kashishian]

I'm still trying to get my thoughts around why anyone would slam Al Hirt for
his style.  Alright, there were some commercial things he put out, but so
did Armstrong!   I never got to hear him live, as others on the list did
(envy, envy!).  His recordings displayed hot Dixie at its best.
 
The comment was made that he didn't play with feeling or heart, or something
like that.  That probably comes from the listener not being able to get past
the tremendous amount of notes, and realize that those notes were all hot.
There was drive in Al's playing.  That drive would be felt by others in the
band, and the collective drive creates "hot jazz", where fun things happen
'cause people are playing on the extremes of their talent....overreaching.  
 
Richard Shook just wrote on djml:  An older friend of mine....never liked Al
Hirt, precisely because what he was playing "departed" too much from the
traditional style.
 
Aha!  There might be the reason for the different opinions.  I have never
felt the need to hold back on where the music is going.  Departure =
creativity.  My only criteria is:  is it hot?  Yes!....Good.  No!.....not
good.
 
Jim