[Dixielandjazz] The Chant is not dixieland

[Rick Campbell]

Marvin Ipswich notes: ["Dixieland" is a term used to describe a  
*performance*, not a song. If a band records Rachminoff's Prelude in  
C# minor (Wilbur DeParis), it doesn't make it a dixieland tune. It is  
a classical piece played in dixieland style.]

You are technically correct.

But in the real world of performance today, the audiences who come to  
hear our "dixieland" group would prefer to hear King Oliver's "Mabel's  
Dream" as part of the retro package, rather than Karen Carpenter's  
"We've Only Just Begun", even if both were played on banjo and clarinet.

As a commercial trio we can switch from clarinet/banjo/string bass to  
tenor sax/guitar/string bass, and we've tried crossing tunes and  
genres, sometimes with surprising results. But it always feels better  
to us to play old tunes (1900-1930) with the retro acoustic  
instrumentation and swing and pop tunes (1930-present) with the  
electric guitar and tenor or soprano sax.

The word "dixieland" has been so abused over the past 80 years, and  
has so many definitions and connotations, that we try never to use it  
to decribe what we do. Maybe it should be retired?

"Early New Orleans jazz" fits our repertoire and style better, and we  
seem to get more respect when we say it.

Rick Campbell
Milneburg Jazz Band and Quiet Nights Trio
Portland, Oregon USA
(503) 234-9440
ricksax at comcast.net