[Dixielandjazz] FW: Recorded Tempos

[Paul Kurtz Jr]

Marek, it’s interesting what you mention about the incredibly fast tempos and dancing. My mother, in spite of being a lifelong smoker, was in incredible shape and used to mention the fun of going to dances before and during the war. I think you’re right about the fast tempos. In her case, she walked miles to work and back every day, worked during WWII for an aircraft facility doing wheel well work in aircraft, and at over 70 years of age, showed my kids how to stand on her head. I can tell you, without doubt or equivocation, that the faster and more vigorous the dancing, the more she would’ve loved it.

Paul Kurtz Jacksonville, FL
On Dec 7, 2013, at 9:59 AM, Marek Boym <marekboym at gmail.com> wrote:

> Gee, How this thread has developed!
> It started from the incredibly fast tempoes of Alphonso Trent's recordings
> on a Historical LP, but seems to have developed int something much more
> significant.
> I often notice that numbers played slowly on old records have developed
> into fast ones when played by revivalist bands.
> As to dancing, it's true that dancing extremely fast is very difficult and
> tiring.  Still, I heard Panama Francis with his New Savoy Sultans in the
> Hague, and, before playing an incredibly fast number, he said that we would
> be surprised how fast people danced in the old days!  Unlike most of us, he
> was there and played with a late version of the original Sultans, so he
> knew wahat he was talking about!
> Cheers
> 
> 
> On 7 December 2013 13:15, Jim Kashishian <jim at kashprod.com> wrote:
> 
>> Bill wrote:
>>> Why do all revivalist bands insist on playing "Blues My Naughty Sweetie
>> Gives to Me" at breakneck speed when Jimmie Noone laid down the near
>> perfect
>> tempo in 1928?
>> 
>> Interesting...this thread on tempos.  I thoroughly agree with Ken, whom I
>> believe started the thread, that a recording reflects the "tempo decided on
>> for that day" idea.  Little did the greats know that years later people
>> would be discussing what is correct or not correct.
>> 
>> Although some songs sort of dictate the tempo, by the words or the melody
>> notes involved, many songs can be performed at sometimes wildly different
>> tempos to create a different mood...as Jimmy Noone has done with Blues My
>> Naughtie Sweetie in the recording offered up by Bill.
>> 
>> We tend to play it at a romping speed, but I may just try that slow beat
>> once for the fun of it.  I tend to think, though, that that particular song
>> will "push ahead" slightly as displayed by the guitarist's intentions in
>> the
>> JN recording.
>> 
>> We often change our tempos, just to introduce a new feeling into a song.
>> Ja-da is one that is great when played really slow & laid back...but, is
>> equally fun at an up-tempo.  If at least one table of young ladies don't
>> start to make believe that they are peeling off long gloves & stockings
>> while we are playing the slow version, I don't feel we have the tempo
>> right!
>> 
>> The list could go on & on.... Back Home..in Indiana is another that can be
>> played at breakneck speed or as a light swing...Sweet Georgia Brown...
>> 
>> What's good for one band might be awful for another.
>> 
>> Jim
>> 
>> 
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