[Dixielandjazz] Dogfights, Hand Signals

[Gluetje1 at aol.com]

My first experience with the "dogfight" as a musical term occurred in high  
school marching and concert bands when the director used it to give 
directions  at rehearsal as to the spot where he wanted the band to begin in 
reviewing  some material.
 
I have promoted Sheik's Dixieland Fake Book in the past and will do so  
once again.  In the front of his book he has a very helpful page map where  he 
defines the various terms used in the music.  He defines dogfight  as "an 
intro to a key change with chord changes that get you smoothly to the  next 
key".
 
MOST trad or OKUM tunes do not contain a dog fight, but when they are  
there, Sheik has the spots labeled.  The first tune I spotted in this fake  book 
was "Jazz Me Blues".  In that instance it is 'the  interlude' between the 
verse and chorus.  Littlefield's book also maps  the usual order of play on 
many of the tunes including this one.  In fact  his is the most helpful fake 
book I know to inform the novice on the  common or standard approaches to 
the tunes.
 
Along the way I have also obtained his Volume 2 and several of his chord  
books which are small and very portable.  Here's a shopping link if I've  
sold another one for him:
(_http://americanmusiccaravan.com/_ (http://americanmusiccaravan.com/) )   
Link through to books.
 
I learned something by reading the discussion on hand signals since I  
"assumed" that fingers up meant go up (sharps). 
 
Ginny