[Dixielandjazz] Dukes and Stuff

[Steve Voce]

Sorry about the discouraging word. It was mine. Perhaps I should, trying to
be polite and restrained, explain.
When I saw that this was a 'Dixieland' group I thought oh good, I can join
and discuss the music I know and love as Dixieland (Muggsy Spanier, Jack Teagarden,
Eddie Condon, Bob Crosby, the Rampart Street Paraders, Louis, Ruby Braff, Buck Clayton
and Humphrey Lyttelton - the last three longtime personal friends of mine,
with like-minded people.
Before I'd had the chance to double click my mouse I found that this group seems
to be largely populated by banjo players of one kind or another.
Close friends that I grew up with included members of the Merseysippi Jazz Band.
My friendships there began in 1949. The band still bases its style on that of the
Lu Watters band - I went to hear them last week when the admirable Tony Davis
and Judy Eame were guests .
However, I don't like Watters because of what I regard as the heavy rhythm
section. I like light rhythm sections that give lift to a band and give the improvisers
help, rather than, as I see it, bogging them down. I'm sure you're familiar with the recordings that Bob
Scobey's band made with Albert Nicholas? That's the way that I feel traditional jazz should have developed
- including technically gifted soloists able to express themselves articulately.
Apart from odd occasions (Teagarden/Abe Lincoln on Capitol springs to mind), people like Teagarden,
Louis, Condon and their associates - even Johnny Dodds, distanced themselves from the banjo as soon as they
could in favour of rhythm guitar. This seems like a natural and sensible maturing to me and, as I have mentioned
before, I only enjoy the banjo in its classic settings with early Ellington, the Washboard Rhythm Kings,
Johnny Dodds etc. Elsewhere it seems to assume too much prominence (the recently-cited
Youtube video of Chris Barber playing 'Jungle Nights In Harlem' is a good example of this over-emphasis).
That philosophy is what has inspired some of my recent comments that have so much annoyed some of you.
I've put my cards on the table. If most of you want me to leave the group then I will.
If I stay I may upset you again. But then, surely you don't want a discussion group where everyone thinks alike?

Steve Voce


On 22/03/2011 03:14, James Mullins wrote:

> I was really enjoying the discussion and feedback on the Dukes until a
> discouraging word was said about Lu Watters.  Oh well, everyone is entitled
> to their own opinion.
>