[Dixielandjazz] Dogfight

[John McClernan]

On Dec 28, 2011, at 11:18 AM, Jim O'Briant wrote:

Just to point up another difference.; leaders in the UK to indicate the 
> key show fingers `down` for flats` and `up` for sharps`. I understand 
> that it is the other way round in the US ?

I think it's the same in the US as in the UK. I've always been told that
since flats lower the pitch, two fingers down means go to the key of Bb; two
fingers up would mean to go to the key of D.

Some bands have their own conventions. I once saw Chet Jaeger, leader of the
Night Blooming Jazzmen, give a "four fingers up" sign to his band just
before a modulation. But they modulated to Ab, or so I thought from watching
Dick Doner's trombone slide positions. So I asked Chet about it after the
set. He said that the band knew he meant Ab, since the band never plays in
E, and since it's easier to point four fingers up than down.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Quite right, Jim..........only New Yorkers do it in reverse - flats up.............maybe it was an old 802 rule to confuse out-of-towners looking for work.
Always the contrarian, when I have a New Yorker on the bandstand I use two hands and signal 3 down and 2 up for the key of "F major". Two down and two up is, of course, the people's key.

We don't "reverse" in our band because we DO play in E major...........and B Major, and C# major, and A Major, and F# major, and D major, etc. etc., as well as all the flat keys, and F double sharp minor.  (What does a key matter anyway? Follow your ears.)
Cheers,
John
Atlantic City Jazz Band
Atlantic City, NJ