[Dixielandjazz] Dogfight

[Stephen G Barbone]

>  John McClernan <mcclernan1 at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>
> On Dec 25, 2011, at 8:43 PM, Jim O'Briant wrote:
>
> 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....
>
>
> And since a quantity of dixieland standards transmogrified from  
> marches (and quadrilles, et alia), Jim's parallel is spot on.
> My ?.02

I'm with John & Jim on this one.

In listening to the Frisco Jazz Band on youtube what I heard at the  
end was the "Out Chorus", and not a dogfight. And a wonderful out  
chorus it was.

For a coherent discussion of "dogfight" and how it is structured (not  
much improv usually) in Dixieland see:

http://www.youtu.be/watch?v=EXrJ6E7SKhQ&feature=related

Or consider this from "Jazz: America's Classical Music" By Grover  
Sales which explains where the "dogfight" in ragtime came from during  
the late 19th Century It follows that the dogfight carried over into  
Dixieland shortly thereafter in the early 20th century. (page 51)

"The most dominant flavor of ragtime, aside from its infectious  
rhythm, was the black adaptation of German and Italian marching band  
music . . . Certain conventions of marching band music carried over  
into piano ragtime like the 'dogfight', a chromatic (key changing  
interlude) interlude and teaser that prefaced the all-out grand climax  
of favorites like Sousa's 'The Stars and Stripes Forever'. You can  
hear a dogfight in the first rag ever published, 'Mississippi Rag' by  
W.H. Krell . . . 'The Maple Leaf Rag' even bore the indication 'Tempo  
di Marcia'. The 'front line' instruments of early dixieland jazz came  
out of the marching band: the cornet playing the lead, the clarinet  
playing trills in the treble (perhaps in imitation of the piccolo),  
and the trombone playing a vamp bass line."

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband