[Dixielandjazz] Definitive "Panama" record?

[dwlit at cpcug.org]

Hi Dan--the guy Bob referred to is ME. I can't for the life of me document
the source(s) of my "Dixieland Fake Book Vol. 1" sheet, but in listening
to upwards of 20s recordings of "Panama", I can document all 5 sections of
my sheet, as well as the main melody notes (there's considerable variation
of the rest) and the chords. I haven't yet found the sheet music, nor the
original stock chart.

The one possible section I omitted, judging from several records (but not
the majority of them), is a solo section:
Db///   ////   Ab///   ////
Eb7///   ////   Ab///   ////
Db///   ////   Ab///   ////
Eb7///   ////   Ab///   ////

Also, only 2-3 records have the last 2 sections in Eb rather than Ab
(Lyttleton's is one).

I'll do some more listening and select possible recordings for learners use.

To Bill Haesler: The original records aren't reliable for learners,
especially NORK's 1922. More on this later.

Cheers!
--Sheik
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dan Levinson" <danlevinson at aol.com>
> To: "Bob Ringwald" <rsr at ringwald.com>
> Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 4:21 PM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Definitive "Panama" record?
>
>> Not to argue, but the "greatest recording" is not necessarily the
>> "definitive recording," which is what the fellow asked for. Plus,
>> "greatest" is a subjective term.
>>
>> When I wanted to learn this tune (which I remember was 22 years ago), I
>> asked the same question and looked for a definitive version. If you want
>> to learn "Struttin' with Some Barbecue," you listen to Louis; if you
>> want to learn "Davenport Blues," you listen to Bix. The sheet music is
>> only marginally helpful in these cases, because the tunes were played
>> before they were written down.
>>
>> Not so in the case of "Panama.". Everyone plays it differently, playing
>> the strains in different sequential order, though there does seem to be
>> a standard sequence, at least in the bands I've played in.
>>
>> If I were going to learn the tune all over again, I'd get myself a copy
>> of the sheet music.
>>
>> Dan Levinson
>>
>> ------Original Message------
>> From: Bob Ringwald
>> To: Dan Levinson
>> Sent: Oct 2, 2009 7:10 PM
>> Subject: Fw: [Dixielandjazz] Definitive "Panama" record?
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jack Mitchell" <fjmitch at westnet.com.au>
>>> The greatest recording of PANAMA is by Wild Bill Davison and his
>>> Commodores
>>> from 1943. End of story.

>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: <dwlit at cpcug.org>
>>>> Hi Gang. Question: What is the "definitive" recording of "Panama"
>>>> for someone who wants to learn the complete tune from a record, rather
>>>> than from music (eg. my sheet in "Dixieland Fake Book Vol. 1")
>>>>
>>>> As with too many recordings, the lead horn on very often doesn't
>>>> provide
>>>> even a reasonably a straight melody line--I keep wanting to yell: "if
>>>> you
>>>> ain't gonna play PANAMA, call it Tegucigalpa or something!!!"
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.
>>>>
>>>> --Sheik