[Dixielandjazz] FW: Jazz Article

[Paul Gorelick]

If one wanted to describe jazz to someone unacquainted with the genre, we could use this quote by Leonard Bernstein who said “…jazz is real play.” Its penchant for variety and heartfelt expression and improvisation is why so many of us enjoy it so much.
Jazz is one of my favorites, especially traditional and Dixieland.  So I was delighted to have some rare, out-of-print old albums of mine digitized into mp3 this past year.

The Epsilon Jass Band was a collection of fine jazz musicians who played in and around the Traverse City, MI, area—a place I frequented in the 1970’s.

Their album, Volume Two, has a variety of favorites—in different forms.  Traditional jazz, rags, blues, swing, etc.  The swinging “Hard Hearted Hanna” has a distinct blues feel, earthy vocals courtesy of Jeannie Harrison.  Gig Stewart’s vocals on the well-known standard, “Mack the Knife” sounds reminiscent of Louie Armstrong.  Satchmo and Bobby Darin would be proud.

There are a host of other pieces as well—“Sugar,” “Tin Roof Blues,” “’Tain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do” just to name a few.  Front and center with this recording is the outstanding horn work.  As well, banjo is central to Dixieland jazz—an instrument special to me, as I played banjo for many years. There’s nice banjo work on “Tin Roof Blues.” There is variety on this album, now out of print—slow tempos and sprightly, at times in-your-face meters.  The dynamics on this record are outstanding.

Are any of you or the listmates familiar with the Epsilon Jass Band?

Papa French and his New Orleans Jazz Band (formerly the Papa Celestin Band) made their home and mark in New Orleans.  Headed by frontman Albert “Papa” French on banjo, this is “Dixieland jazz at its best.”
 
A Night At Dixieland Hall Vol. 1--which I believe was recorded in 1967--opens with the very full, brassy reading of “Rampart Street Parade.”  Joseph “Cornbread” Thomas handles the vocals with heart and guts on cuts like “Marie Laveau,” “Shine,” and the iconic “Mack the Knife.”  Classical guitarist Andrés Segovia has said, “When the music is loved, it lives.”  Playing music well, especially jazz, means it must come from the inside, the heart.  There can be no compromise and this music demands your attention because of its passion.

Jazz, to be effective, has to have a strong rhythm section.  As someone has said regarding their own ensemble, “This only proves that when your rhythm section is very good (as this band is) you don’t even know they are there. You just float on the cushion of a solid beat with the right chords. So it is easy to see how you could forget Scott, a fine player, always in the pocket.”  

These records embody Gershwin’s phrase “I got rhythm.”

These two albums have special value to me because they were all signed by the musicians who made them.  You can see this in the picture at the head of this post.
Jazz is play and fun.  I have other favorites—among them Dave Wierbach and Pete Fountain. But the larger point in this post is this: Share what you love with those you love.  I’ve been privileged to share this music with my family and friends as they are far more familiar with names like Michael Bublé, Dave Brubeck, Kenny G and Tony Bennett.
You should do the same.