[Dixielandjazz] String Bands & Regions

[Gluetje1 at aol.com]

Steve had a recent post in which he brought up the Mummers String Bands and 
 how they managed to "carry" string basses.  I realize you can call your  
band whatever you want, far be it from me to challenge tratidiontion that  
the Mummers are string bands and have been such forever.  Even if I do  think 
of them as saxophone bands I've long appreciated their spectacle and  wished 
I could see the parade live.
 
However, in the Midwest string band means fiddles, mandolins, guitars,  
string bass, often 5 string banjo.  In other words, string bands are  almost 
always solely strings.  If not that, the strings at least  have the job of 
frequently carrying melody.
 
Ginny