[Dixielandjazz] FW: Free Jazz and its New Orleans Jazz Roots

[Jim Kashishian]

>(free jazz)but then we called it "warming up!'"

I had the opportunity (for lack of any other way of describing it!) of
dabbling in free jazz during the years that I was playing 7 nites a week, 12
months a year with a house band.  Our Dixie band played one nite a week when
the house band rested...but, I played every nite.  Anyway, the house band,
with top notch musicians, did go into free on occassions (this would have
been late '60's/early '70's.

It was interesting, to say the least.  The most enjoyable moment was when
the whole band, without signals & without any particular reason, would
suddenly "come together" again & drive together.  Thrilling, since it just
"happened", which means that there really was some kind of togetherness all
through the free period.  A feeling, I guess you could call it.  There
certainly was a necesity to keep in touch mentally with the rest of the
band, although it would seem from outside that there was no connection at
all.

A connection with NO jazz?  Dunno about that, although I was able to do it,
with all my experience in earlier jazz.

Jim