[Dixielandjazz] FW: Disavowing our Dixieland Roots

[frank selman]

From: frank_selman at live.nl
To: jim.allen at longhornband.net
Subject: RE: [Dixielandjazz] Disavowing our Dixieland Roots
Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:06:42 +0100






I  think Jim Allen hit the right note on a never ending 
discussion:

Enjoy it, preserve it while we can and be glad.

I approached  Bob Helm on the same subject in 1995 in Bradenton, 
during the fabulous Festivals organised by Robin Wetterau
in Florida: *
Here is the opinion of Bob Helm:
"The music will die its own rightful death". 
He is right but I still resist.

Frank Selman.
joy it, preserve it while we can and be glad.
> Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2013 09:31:25 -0800
> From: jim.allen at longhornband.net
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Disavowing our Dixieland Roots
> CC: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> To: frank_selman at live.nl
> 
> Now we know how Frankie Avalon and Pat Boone must have felt when they saw
> Elvis, how Ricky Nelson and Elvis must have felt when they saw the Beatles
> and the Stones, and how they felt when they saw KISS and Twisted Sister,
> and , etc.  The style of music they played, and likely loved, lost the
> attention of the fickle masses, always attracted by "something new."  Their
> dollars go with them, unfortunately
> 
> Many of us enjoy, prefer, the old ways.  I can tell from the messages on
> this list, you guys love this stuff, as I do, and more besides.  After a
> lifetime of playing, I prefer Dixieland above all other styles.  Nothing
> keeps your toes tapping like Dixieland!
> 
> I worked my way through high school and college playing tuba in polka bands
> in the German-settled towns across Texas, a long, long time ago.  There
> were quite a few bands.  All of us stayed pretty busy, playing the American
> Legion halls, Fairground pavilions, SPJST halls from Dallas to Laredo,
> Houston to San Antonio, filling the halls with big crowds every Saturday
> night.  Polka bands from Wisconsin and Minnesota would tour during the
> summer, drawing big crowds even on weeknights.  It is diminished over the
> last 40 years or so to almost nothing, as the old time crowd passed on.
> Their kids and grandkids have moved on to other more contemporary pursuits.
> 
> The Festivals have enjoyed a long run.  The purists want to keep things as
> they were, but that attracts fewer and fewer ticket sales.  Change is
> tempting, to keep the activity going, fill hotel rooms, t-shirts, CDs, etc.
> 
> The hey-day is behind us, and very little can reverse it.
> 
> Enjoy it, preserve it while we can and be glad.
> 
> Best
> 
> Jim Allen
> Coronado, CA
> 
> 
> On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 5:52 AM, Rick Campbell <ricksax at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> > Re: performing early dixieland classics vs pop tunes.
> >
> > I can happily report that the JazzSea Festival at Sea has featured plenty
> > of early jazz classics the past two weeks. For example, Stevedore Stomp
> > (Grand Dominion in this case) and Mabel's Dream and Blue Bell (Buck Creek).
> >
> > Alas, these complex compositions take planning and practice-- much more
> > difficult than jamming on pop tunes like Avalon, as so many bands are prone
> > to do these days. But they are musically interesting, and far more
> > entertaining than the endless versions of Bourbon Street Parade, Lady Be
> > Good, etcetera.
> >
> > By the way, perhaps the finest early classic was performed last night by
> > your moderator, Bob Ringwald, who knocked us out with a solo piano version
> > of Sidewalk Blues. Jelly Roll Morton lives!
> >
> > Bottom line: The multi-strain warhorses like South Rampart Street Parade
> > take a great deal of work to prepare and perform. If we want to preserve
> > the form, we players have to sit down and work them out, and present them
> > with style and impact.
> >
> > This music will hold its own if well-performed.
> >
> > Rick Campbell
> > Onboard the Maasdam
> > 503-701-7356
> > ricksax at comcast.net
> >
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> >
> >
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> >
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