[Dixielandjazz] JAZZ WAX ARTICLE - The death trap of early jazz.

[Stephen G Barbone]

Often we "purists" complain that the general public would only listen  
to early jazz they would get hooked. And we bemoan the fact that most  
young folks think jazz started after WW 2. The below article by Marc  
Myers describes a mindset with which many of us might disagree. Does  
early jazz turn newcomers off?

Credit for digging up this article goes to list mate Norman Vickers,  
who said in part:

"We all have our own opinions about recommendations when someone asks  
“Where can I learn something about jazz?” My recommendations used to  
be The Smithsonian Collection of Classic jazz.  It began at the  
beginning, had 5 hours of listening along with a booklet.  I  
recommended that  they read the booklet—listen 30 minutes at a time.   
So that amounted to “ten easy lessons.”  Unfortunately, it is out of  
print."

Like Norm, I love the Smithsonian Collection and booklet. One of the  
few albums I still possess. Now, I would recommend the Ken Burns DVD  
and accompanying booklet. You can go the JazzWax.com to see the  
original blog and many other articles about jazz.

Cheers,

Steve Barbone

www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband

 From JazzWax - By Marc Myers

Last week a friend asked me to recommend a jazz compilation for  
someone new to jazz. I resisted, telling him that they're all death  
traps. First, they're loaded with old things (pre-World War II) that  
are great later but certainly would turn off a newcomer. Second,  
compilation song choices often stink.

Instead, I urged him simply to buy 10 albums that would win over a  
newcomer and put him or her firmly on the road to discovery. "But  
choosing 10 is impossible," he protested.

Not so. Here are 10 albums I would play or buy for a beginner who's  
curious about the music. And I'd do so in the following order, to draw  
in the person little by little (all are available as downloads):

Bill Evans—How My Heart Sings (1962)
Oscar Peterson—Plays the Jerome Kern Songbook (1956)
Dave Brubeck—Jazz Impressions of Eurasia (1958)
Miles Davis—Musings of Miles (1955)
Sonny Rollins—Newk's Time (1957)
Lee Morgan—Lee-Way (1960)
Red Garland—It's a Blue World (1958)
Coleman Hawkins—Night Hawk (1960)
John Coltrane—Stardust (1958)
Jack McDuff—The Honeydripper (1961)