[Dixielandjazz] Mention of Rex Harris

[Marek Boym]

Books seem to have life and whims of their own.
I had Rex Harris' "Jazz," but it has mysteriously disappeared.  But I
have his The Story of Jazz," which is but an abbreviated version of
"Jazz."
Since, by the time I first read it, I had already been a long-time
(for my age, anyway) fan of the King (of swing), I did not take it too
seriously, but I loved it anyway.  And to me, what passes as jazz
nowadays is not jazz at all, even if this raises the wrath of some
listmates, in whose opinion I live "in denial."  But it is like
calling a swan duck, or vice versa.
Cheers

On 6 February 2011 22:08, James Mullins <abejim7 at gmail.com> wrote:
> The mention of Rex Harris name brought on some nostalgia to me also.  When I
> was stationed at Eielson AFB in Alaska from 1957 to 1959 I was gifted a copy
> of Rex Harris book entitled JAZZ.  A meteorologist who knew I liked OKOM
> gave me the book and I still have it.  It is a Pelican Book with a copyright
> of 1956, Fourth Edition.  Rex Harris was a staunch supporter of OKOM and he
> wanted to redefine Jazz as traditional and not what we called modern or
> contemporary jazz at that time.  I considered the book JAZZ as gospel at
> that time although the passing of time has modified some of my views.
> Louis, Ray Charles, and Johny Cash always said there were only two kinds of
> music - good and bad.  I still like OKOM best and I guess Rex Harris was one
> of my first examples of a "moldy fig or even mouldy figge".
>
> Jim Mullins
> Bend OR
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