[Dixielandjazz] Question about Banjos for Trad Jazz

[Gluetje1 at aol.com]

Yes, there are those jammers who think if they know the tune they should  
play it.  :?)
 
Dick asks banjo players who are new to sitting in with his Jammers to  
simply do straight chordal strums down on the beat without a strum  back up on 
the & of the count.  No kidding, I have had banjo players  tell me that they 
understand that's what he wants, but "they can't play that  way".  So they 
"chuck-a-luck-a" (his term) on every beat of every  number.  Things like that 
help me understand why many hate banjos in trad  jazz since I hate that 
constant noisy commotion myself. Many banjo players  who "sign-up" for this and 
other learning groups have only ever played with  other banjo players, etc. 
 They're pretty limited in getting dynamics,  nuance, even listening and 
responding in kind.  I also know banjo  band players who may have been with a 
banjo club for years, but are unable to  playon only 2 & 4.
 
This is not to imply that the banjoist in Dick Williams  Jammers can't work 
with the jammer rhythm section and do  stop-time choruses, two-beat, extra 
strokes in a change-up etc.  When he's  comfortable that he has a good 
working rhythm section, he will let them do  their thing.  ( He also sometimes 
does that because he has given up.   LOL)  He will  generally always give the 
banjos their turn at a solo  chorus.
 
It's amazing how well Dick pulls off the Jammers since he always has  
newcomers.  There may be problems at any turn, drummers and/or bass  instruments 
who can't keep time, pianists who have never learned their role  in trad 
jazz, horns who have never improvised.  So it's a big help if the  banjo can 
keep a steady four beat AND play the correct chord.  At the same  time a 
surprising number of very competent jammers are always aboard.  Many  sets end up 
surprisingly tight and lots of good music gets played.  Dick is  also very 
good at communicating what he wants if you pay attention to him.
 
Personal story.  My first set on my first Jammer's Cruise.  I was  as 
nervous as the cat on the hot tin roof.  Dick was using 3  banjos in the set 
because everyone who signs on gets turns.  I knew the guy  on my right was very 
competent.  He had already been giving me some email  tips prior to the 
cruise.  I was using your chord book.  As we finish  the first number the 
competent guy gets up out of his chair and I can tell he's  agitated.  I don't 
know if he's leaving or what.  But he walks out  around me and says to the guy 
on my left, "Listen to the drummer!"  Goes  back to his chair.  We continue. 
 I was so relieved that message was  not for me!
 
Ginny
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 12/26/2011 11:57:06 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
dwlit at cpcug.org writes:

Hi  Ginny. Please expand, if you can, on these comments. I suspect part of
the  banjoists' negative reaction to Dick's ideas is a desire to do more
than  play straight rhythm.