[Dixielandjazz] Jon Erik Kellso

[Robert Ringwald]

Marek wrote regarding Jon-Erik Kellso:

Dear Bob,
> I'm not sure "typecast" is the right word in the context.


Dear Marek,

Perhaps there is a language barrier here.  By type-cast I mean that when someone (let's refer to him as A:) is a good musician and (listener non-musician, let's refer to him as B:) here's A: Play a lot playing one type of style, B: begins to think that A: cannot play any other style.  

A: would be type-cast by B:.  

I have had this happen when someone wanted to hire me to play a certain type of music.  He or she comes to hear me play on a gig playing another style of music.  The person, not being a musician and not realizing that I can play different styles of music, is leery about hiring me for his gig.  

    
> Kellso is a very sophisticated musician; I have heard his playing with
> Giordano, with Dixieland bands and with swing bands, and he fit in
> very well.  The Yerba Buena style is another matter.


By "Yerba Buena style" I presume you mean the 2-trumpet, banjo, tuba Waters SF style?  
 
Do you mean to say that playing the "Yerba Buena" style is not "sophisticated?"
 
Marek, it takes just as much musical talent or sophistication to play the "Yerba Buena" style well, as it does to play any other style of Jazz.  The key word here is "well."  

There are a lot of musicians who, because of the lack of musical knowledge of the general public, are playing music, badly and the audience doesn't know the difference between bad music and good music.  
 

> But perhaps you are right - Leon Oakley had been a West Coast (style,
not area) player to me until I heard the Wild Bill Centennial.


>> Difficult to conceive of Kellso in a West Coast context.


> As with actors, sometimes musicians get type-cast. Someone hears them play in a particular style and don't realize that they can play other styles.
>
> A true pro can often play different styles, depending on what the job calls for. J-E is one of those true professionals.


> Wasn't Davison a true professional?  But have you ever heard him (or
> Ruby Braff) play West Coast?  


Yes, both were true professionals and both were perfectly capable of playing the West Coast style if they had wanted to.  I knew both of them and have played and recorded with Bill.  

Just because a musician prefers to play a particular style, doesn't mean that he can't play another style if he wants to.  

As an example, Listen to Bill playing with Condon, and then listen to his recordings with strings.  

 
> I, for instance, feel equally at home playing several different styles of music. I made my living doing this. One night I would perhaps be playing soft, background cocktail type music for a dinner crowd. The next night I might be playing Dixieland in a 6 or 7-piece Jazz Band.
>
> The next night I may be playing in a straight-ahead Jazz trio or quartet situation.

> I don't understand the term "staitght-ahead jazz."  


No, not "staitght-ahead jazz."  I said "Straight ahead Jazz."  Meaning sort of a 1950s Jazz, sort of modern but not too modern.  

  
> Sounds
> meaningless.  To me it spells "stay away."  I may be wrong, of course,
> since a ragtime and trad player (these things somehow go together,
especially insofar as pianists are concerned) 


Not necessarily.  Ragtime is sort of an early stride style and a lot of Trad pianists do not play stride, thus they do not play Ragtime.  

Best,

--Bob Ringwald