[Dixielandjazz] Fake Books

[Jim Allen]

I am completely overwhelmed with the responses I have gotten to my Intro.  Wowzers!

If nothing else, I have months of pleasant work to look forward to, evaluating, comparing, trying all the various possibilities.  For some reason, I imagined this was going to be a grind it out project, perhaps because in a former life as a dance band musician, ~50 years ago or so, compiling a fake book was a deep dark secret, maybe like having a loathsome disease, only your very closest buddies would share.  Getting the materials was almost a CIA mission, lots of time, some stealthiness, etc.  I remember having one, a small note book to which I slowly added pages as I found suitable additions.  For one thing, it was hard to get access to the melody lines and chords, from tuba or string bass parts which were all I saw.  I didn't then, and don't now, have the talent or education to just put pen to paper after hearing a melody a few or many times, and copy machines were quite rare in those days.  The idea of owning one's own computer was right up there with going to the moon, and few had ever seen one.

Many thanks to all who responded.  I can tell I'm going to like this.

Best

Jim Allen
Coronado, CA
LHB Sousies 64-67