[Dixielandjazz] Fiddler

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

Very nice to see Jonathan Russell and all the others in that ensemblem wirh 
Rossano doing the heavyweight left hand a la Basie. 

Interesting to watch and listen to the young Mr. Russell with Grappelli in mind. 
The obvious difference to me is in the attention to phrasing and the delivery of 
an exceptional finesse which I only really appreciated when I first heard 
Stephane G in a theatre -- actually the Glasgow Theatre Royal, which does have a 
splendid acoustic resonance 

It was obvious to me that J Russell wasn't trying for the same sort of thing, 
which probably has something to do with the fact that jazz musicians born before 
about 1910 grew up with a discipline of phrasing all round them, including in 
the pop music of their youth -- some of which displayed virtues of phrasing and 
finesse and not so much more of any depth. 

Jonathan Russell's not imitating anybody and he's just getting on with doing the 
right things, well above the standard where downright excuses need to be made on 
account of his age. Who needs unfair comparisons? 

I hope he goes on to be musically more surprising. 

Robert