[Dixielandjazz] Saint Louis Blues ?

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

Of course the comment on YouTube was worded in a way which sounded like the guy was saying there was an influence from Rock'n'R...etc  in the performance. 

I would suspect an earlier version didn't swing -- and might even have been a work-song, or even African. As I recall Handy picked up the rhythm of St. Louis Blues -- and maybe even more -- on his travels. According to Little Brother Montgomery DIPPERMOUTH BLUES was copied from a pianist called Bob Morton, though his accent seems to have inclined people (beginning with Paul Oliver) to record it and get the name wrong, as Bob Martin (name of a tonic for dogs!).  Brother always played it with a Spanish tinge, a somewhat more Latin rhythm than Yank Lawson used when he recorded an LP of Dixieland with a Latin accent long ago, with Chico Hamilton on drums. 
I would suspect that for purposes of swing (though there might be another name for the same musical characteristic among Dixielanders) the discovery of swing led to some toning down of the more elaborate cross-rhythms -- the melodic and harmonic displacing too narrowly rhythmic preoccupations. 


And for those ebcouraged by report of veterans:

 I did a big write-up on the boxed set of Chico Hamilton's new recordings to mark his 85th birthday some years ago, probably five years ago since another batch of advertising for his latest anniversary came in recently. 
Alas he could no longer have the excellent services of Jimmy Cheatham, much featured in the trombone rich 85 years set. 


Robert R. Calder













>________________________________
> From: domitype <domitype at gmail.com>
>To: ROBERT R. CALDER <serapion at btinternet.com> 
>Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com> 
>Sent: Sunday, 6 May 2012, 23:47
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Saint Louis Blues ?
> 
>A lot of people call "Joe Avery's Piece" (or "Second Line," or by many other titles) the original Rock and Roll tune. It certainly can be heard in "Rock Around the Clock" and bits of other classic rocking songs. 
>
>I think It is well over 100 years old, or close to it!
>
>Dave Richoux
>
>On May 6, 2012, at 2:26 PM, "ROBERT R. CALDER" <serapion at btinternet.com> wrote:
>
>> I note a comment appended to the pre-1920 St. Louis Blues on YouTube:
>> 
>> 
>> 'Is it just me or do I hear "rock n roll" influences in a lot of these real old songs.'
>> 
>> 
>> Got the HG Wells Blues, and a Ragtime Time Machine ???? 
>> 
>> Heard a man called Little Richard and went back to 1917   ?  
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Robert 
>
>
>