[Dixielandjazz] From Swing to Bop + Bixing

[Stephen G Barbone]

Andy Ling wrote about the possibility of bop developing from swing  
musicians who were bored at playing swing dances. Therefore they tried  
something new.


Dear Andy:

Anything is possible. Your speculation does open up a can of worms. We  
could have a great discussion about Bixing the origins of Bop. So many  
stories, so many myths or half truths. Who knows where the real truth  
is? Especially since jazz bands or swing bands had been playing for  
dancers since about 1900.

And like Ken M said, the energy the dancers impart, feeds back to the  
band, which feeds back to the dancers and on and on. Or at least it  
should. If it doesn't, either the band or the dancers suck. IMO, of  
course.

Here are facts or myths for Bixing speculation. My take in ( ).  VBG

1. Bop started in the early 1940s at Mintons Playhouse in Harlem. The  
main instigators were Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke,  
Dizzy Gillespie and other black players  (maybe mostly true)

2. Bop started because the black jazz musicians were pissed that the  
white jazz musicians got the credit for all forms of jazz/swing so  
they started a new genre. You had to be a virtuoso on your axe in  
order to play the music which included difficult intervals played at  
lightening speed with 16th or 32nd notes. Whitey, they reasoned,  
couldn't  do that. (maybe mostly false)

3. Most swing musicians couldn't play Bop and when those bands broke  
up, switched to the simpler Dixieland. (maybe mostly true)

4) Black boppers excluded white boppers from their bands and vice  
versa. (Maybe mostly false)

5) Charlie Parker said about Dixieland and Bop, that he liked  
Dixieland, but didn't play it because he heard music differently and  
played what folks called Bop because that is the way he heard the  
music. (absolutely true)

6) The flatted fifth was not unique as a foundation of bop. Bix and  
Pee Wee Russell routinely flatted fifths in the 1920s with Dixieland.  
(absolutely true)

Etc., etc., etc.

IMO, Bop started like Dixieland. Because a few musicians heard the  
music a little differently. Listened also to the rhythm that the tap  
dancers were putting down and started experimenting with the rhythm  
and harmonics. Or something like that. (maybe mostly true)

Its all food for Bixing.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband