[Dixielandjazz] Listen to this

[Stephen G Barbone]

The Bill Haesler  moldy fig types who down Miles et al on Green  
Dolphin Street absolutely crack me up.

First one gets the sequence mixed up. Then Bill, tongue in cheek,  
compares it to American Coffee.

Boy here are the moldy figs displaying elitism in it's worst form.  
Comparing things that as Kash says, should not be compared because  
they are so unlike.
IMO Kash makes sense while the others just exhibit narrow musical  
vision.

In my ears there is tremendous musical excitement in Green Dolphin  
Street. It is apparent on the musically logical solos of each  
performer. No BS, in Eb anywhere in that version. And if you listen to  
Cannonball's solo and are not excited by it, I would fault you for not  
understanding music. The man is improvising on the melody by creating  
a new one, while many Dixieland players simply embellish the melody,  
or improvise on the chords. And many fans don't know the difference.

On the other hand, in Dixieland, there is a lot of repetition by bands  
and soloists playing the same things,over and over. eg. The High  
Society Clarinet Solo. I've heard it by Bechet, Dodds, Picou et all so  
why would I want to hear it again and again by even such wonderful  
players as Buchmann or Edgerton?

Personally, I would rather listen to Cannonball on Green Dolphin  
Street, or Monk on almost anything he did, over and over because I  
will hear something new each time. That just doesn't usually happen in  
Dixieland.

Yes, Buchmann is a fine reed player, even great, but to state that  
"there is no finer reed man living that Jim Buchmann" is of course  
another lost elitist argument. And though I cannot speak for him,  I'm  
absolutely sure Jim would agree with me.

Cheers
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband