[Dixielandjazz] Dogfight???

[Jim O'Briant]

Rick Jolley wrote:

> When I went to the first San Diego Trad Jazz Workshop, 
> Bob Shultz taught me about the "Dogfight." That's the 
> last chorus (or two) after the front line has finished their 
> solos, and maybe some solos from the rhythm guys 
> like me.

In American marches, the term "Dogfight" has a different meaning. It refers
to a interlude in the TRIO section, often characterized by a "call and
response" -- 4 measures in the bass instruments, with an answer from treble
instruments, the same again (often in a different relative key), and then a
few measures leading into the reprise of the TRIO section. 

> The leader holds up his fight and shouts "Dogfight" and 
> it's every man for himself!!  Of course, they know what 
> part they play, and they play that.  

This is where Phil Wilking's statement ... 

>> Trad jazz is a job for a team, not a gaggle of individualist 
>> would-be stars.

...really becomes important. If it's really :every man for himself," that
implies chaos, at least to me. Instead, I think it ought to be everyone
playing an improvised line, but while carefully listening to everyone else
so that the result is aurally pleasing and makes musical sense. 

This is where taste and restraint can really pay off, musically, instead of
the tendency for everyone to play too many notes, too high, too loud and too
fast. If everyone is trying to out-do and out-play everyone else, the result
can be a mish-mash of musical garbage. But if each player leaves enough
spaces between phrases for everyone else to be heard, and plays so as to
complement what his/her colleagues are playing, and all within the role of
each instrument, that can be very exciting. 

As a tuba player, I generally play a more simple 2-beat line in these
ensemble choruses, so as to be sure to keep the beat steady, telegraph
changes to the audience, and stay out of the way of the front line.

> You can hear it in most good band's last chorus or two, and 
> it's always very exciting to me.

I agree that it's exciting if done as a team and not as a bunch of
individuals.

I'm fortunate that the other players in the Zinfandel Stompers are very good
listeners, very good at playing a complementary line behind someone else's
lead line or solo. When I need to hire a "sub," there are always several
options; given the choice, I'll call the better ensemble player first.

Jim O'Briant
Gilroy, CA
Tuba & Leader, The Zinfandel Stompers