[Dixielandjazz] Jazz History

[Shaw, Tim]

Gday Stan et al.

Some people -including me - would argue that the  music that George Lewis, Bunk  Johnson and their bands recorded is hardly anything like 'early NO style' but something quite different.  Thinking that the NO Revivalists represent early NO style(s) does the real thing a huge injustice. - And will reinforce lots of classically oriented listeners' idea that it was amateurish and primitive.

You need to hear Armand Pirons Orchestra, Sam Morgan's and Oscar Celestin's Bands, and the Astoria Hot 8 -  all recorded in the 20s.  There are heaps of others.
And how could you ignore King Oliver's Creole Jazz band (the greatest of all) - and their white counterparts New Orleans Rhthym Kings -  both recorded in the early 20s (in Chicago, but they were NO bands).

- And if you're teaching the history of jazz, surely you should start with the ODJB - the band that started the jazz craze.  They're THE "early NO style" - first to record in 1917.  They're much more frenetic than the 20s NO bands, but their recordings were the original inspiration for Bix and many others.

If you're limited to St Louis Blues  - then why not use one of Bessie Smiths recordings (there's one with Armstrong (1925), and a film soundtrack (1929)

If you listen to any of the above, you'll discover a wealth of variety and vastly superior level of sophistication and musicianship than the revivalists can offer. 

Don't give your audience the wrong impression.

Good luck
Tim
________________________________________
From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com [dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com] On Behalf Of Stan Brager [sbrager at verizon.net]
Sent: 06 May 2012 01:39
To: Shaw, Tim
Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Jazz History

I've been asked to teach the history of jazz as part of a music appreciation
class which concentrates on "Classical Music". The class would last 1 to 1.5
hours. It will be done using "St. Louis Blues" to illustrate the various
stages of jazz. Missing would be the early New Orleans style(s). Would it be
safe to say that Bunk Johnson or George Lewis circa the '40s - '60s would be
appropriate? What about the NO marching bands?



Thanks for your thoughts;



Stan

Stan Brager

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