[Dixielandjazz] Songs

[Ken Mathieson]

Hi all,

Sorry about the delay in responding to Marek's mail of 22 July, but I've just finished an exhausting 10 day involvement in the Edinburgh Jazz Festival, so I'm just working my way through a pile of unread mails in my mailbox.

Marek wrote:
When did you last hear "Swinging Seamus" played live?  Or "I love a
Lassie?" Or "The Old Rustic Bridge by the Mill," "Polly Wolly Doodle," "The
Soldier's Dream," "The Uist Tramping Song,""Scotland the Brave," "Black
Angus," "The Big Man," "Play to Me Gypsy," "Trombones to the Fore,"
"Taboo," or even "The Teddy Bear's Picnic?"  Or Verdi's "Il Trovatore?"
All those are on the Clyde Valley Stompers double CD on Lake.  As is
"Prelude in C Sharp Minor," and I, for one, cannot recall hearing it played
by a trad band.  "Teddy Bear's Picnic" turns up from time to time, but not
too often.

All of the material listed above was recorded initially for Beltona, a small label which specialised in Scottish traditional material, almost all of which was out of copyright, so when the Clyde Valley Stompers recorded for Beltona they were forced to play public domain tunes to avoid royalty payments. Hence the unusual choice of material. It was also recorded fairly early on in the Clydes' history at a time when the wonderfully talented reedman, Maurice Rose, was with the band. Maurice's style, especially on soprano, had been influenced by Bechet, but he was incapable of playing anything the same way twice and developed a unique personal style. He was also a bit eccentric and local musicians in Glasgow still enjoy recounting some of the more outrageous and crazy Maurice anecdotes. Sadly Maurice passed on a couple of years ago and is hugely missed around the local scene.

When the Trad Boom began in the early 1960s, the Clydes started recording for larger record labels which didn't mind paying royalties and the material on their records became more familiar. The band line-up changed too, with Fionna Duncan, Forrie Cairns and others coming in. Records with Maurice Rose on them are as scarce as rocking-horse crap, so I'll need to get after this Lake compilation, so thanks for the heads-up, Marek.

Cheers,

Ken