[Dixielandjazz] Marsalis and Clapton play Ice Cream

[Rick Campbell]

This is a puzzling CD (Marsalis & Clapton Play the Blues) that I  
received as a Christmas gift last week. Should be great, but has many  
problematic issues for the jazz lover.

No doubt about the players, but a few cuts have woefully out of tune  
clarinet. How could that have happened? At times, it seems to be  
written, and not so fluid.

Some cuts have a nice NOLA feel. Almost early jazz.

So why is there Ice Cream, an indifferent pop tune that George Lewis  
revived in the late 40s. Not exactly Milenburg Joys or Mabel's Dream.  
Just a crude artifact of the jazz revival. Too bad.

Could it be that NOLA jazz players defaulted to simpler material pop  
in the 1930s and 40s when they were out of favor? I mean, "we have a  
club gig to fill four hours, so we default to Bourbon Street Parade  
and Ice Cream?" Could happen. Order the girls another Hurricane.

Are we making a tribute to early NOLA jazz, or making fun of it?

We jazz lovers don't understand Clapton's role, via the British Blues  
invasion of the late 60s. Totally a student of Mississippi Delta  
Blues, only marginally connected to New Orleans jazz.

Yes, it is fusion, but anyone who has been to Memphis, Yazoo City or  
Clarksville, and to New Orleans, knows the difference in style and  
culture. We jazz fans side with New Orleans, the blues fans side with  
Yazoo City, and they are a very large and enthusiastic audience who  
will buy this CD.

(I must admit, I have Clapton's autobiography, in which he comes off  
as a drug-induced hypocrite, working-class-fellow turned fly-fisher- 
prig, but still a great guitar player.)

Just like a big turkey dinner, the CD is good in its own way, but it  
lays ill on my tummy.

Merry Christmas to all!


Rick Campbell
Milneburg Social Aid and Pleasure Society Jazz Band
Portland, Oregon USA
503-701-7356
ricksax at comcast.net