[Dixielandjazz] That elusive definition of jazz

[Marek Boym]

You are so right!
And you haven't even mentioned Jelly Roll Morton!
All th Creole mysicians from New Orleans were reading musicians.
As to white musicians - Bix might not be a great reader, but Frank
Trumbauer, sadly underestimated nowadays, was.

On 17 August 2010 23:55, Bert Brandsma <mister_bertje at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Quote :
> "Jazz was the province of players who were rambunctious rebels at heart, had "big ears," didn't read music very well, loved "hot" music, changed and embellished the melody, chords and tempos as they felt at the moment, and loved the "jazz lifestyle."

Nick LaRocca might and might not have been a reader (he claimed he was
not), but as far as "jazz lifestyle" goes, he does not fit here - he
was a teetotaller.  and Bud Freeman was not for his drinking ability
either.

Cheers


> There may be some truth in this, but only partly since:
> - Coleman Hawkins was an excellent reader
> - Benny Carter was a well-trained musician, also a very good reader. Did not live the jazz lifestyle really. When he was in Holland in the 1930's he was here with his wife, didn't smoke, didn't drink alcohol.

> - Benny Goodman had a lucrative career as a studio musician before he became worldfamous. There you had (and still have) to be a very good flexible and versatile player. Of course Benny was also hot soloist in these performances, but he was in such high demand since he was a good reader and able to produce the modern music of that time as well.He himself did not really believe in a pro career as a jazz musician. John Hammond had to push him all the time in that direction.

And how about the Dorseys?

The West Coast revivalists, too, were skilled musicians, even if some
of us (myself included) were led by th anti jazz press to believe they
were amateurs.  Lu Watters was an arranger; Turk Murphy played with
big bands.  And so on and so on.
Cheers