[Dixielandjazz] Dixieland v. Trad Jazz

[Marek Boym]

The way I remember, in the States it was "Dixieland," "Traditional" or "New
Orleans," whereas the term "Trad" was reserved for the British revival.  A
"trad" band typically had a double bass rather than brass bass (there were
exceptions), a piano (even though, because of the fame and quality of
Barber, typical British trad band is NOT expected to have a piano) and a
banjo. v Actually, the lesser ones sometimes sound like banjos with
instrumental accompaniment.
There wer exceptions.  Freddy Randall's and Alex Welsh's bands were
considered "Dixieland," and played more Chicago-oriented music.  Even after
the personnel and stylistic changes (after John Barnes and later Roy
Williams replaced ARchie Semple and Roy Crimmins, respectively, givin the
band a different character), I was still often referred to as "Dixieland"
rather than "trad" band (trad it never was, but then it had already become
much more what in the UK was referred to as "mainstream," and in the States
- "swing."

I personally believe that the distinction is quite meaningless.
Cheers


On 8 February 2014 17:53, Roy Taylor <budtuba at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dixieland vs Traditional Jazz (or Jass)
>
> Years ago, in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, Dixieland bands were prolific all
> over the United States and Canada.  This style was a tour de force of
> blistering tempos and complex front line interaction and solos.  At the
> same time there were bands often referring to themselves and their
> followings as "moldy figs" because they concentrated on the earliest styles
> of bands with tempos matching the 78 rpm records they learned the songs
> from.  If a band had clever musicians who could transcribe the records,
> THAT was the source of their arrangements.  Dixieland bands tended to  take
> their style into later songs and even pop music of the day using fake books
> as it was released.  These fake books were sold on the music black
> market..  They also learned the tunes from each other in pickup gigs and
> they expected the musicians to develop a "good ear" to recognize chord
> progressions and learn the "evergreens" as the repertory developed.
>
> Turk Murphy was the epitome of revival bands and often collected by Trad
> bands as a goal of presentation.  He demanded his musicians have good ears,
> but once they created a head arrangement they liked, tended to play it the
> same way every time.  Other bands, such as the Boll Weevils, the Queen City
> JB (of Cinncinnati AND Denver), Happy Jazz Band of San Antonio (Cullum),
> the New Black Eagle Band of Boston, became the standards of traditional
> jazz that you can find and study to understand Trad Jazz.  Dixieland bands
> tended to follow the bands recorded on Commodore records by Wild Bill
> Davison, Eddie Condon, and other commercial bands in New York City and
> Chicago.  Jack Mahue's Salt City bands also come to mind.  New Orleans
> bands were very traditional incorporated blues and even folk songs and
> hymns, and trips there were memorable events in trad musicians experience.
> Check out the Hall Brothers and Bill Evans bands as NO influenced.   There
> was no hip hop or fusion bands in New Orleans at that time to confuse the
> listener as to its identification.  They were mainly old black musicians
> and some white musicians who learned at their heels (such as Harry Connick,
> Jr).
>
> As the music went further in the 1980s on, the lines between Trad Jazz and
> Dixieland became blurred.  Our band has therefore billed itself as
> Traditional Dixieland Jazz.  Audiences respond to faster tempos, but we
> just don't reach the tempos typical of the older Dixieland bands.  I hope
> that gives some more insight into the differences.
>
>
> On Fri, Feb 7, 2014 at 7:11 PM, Jim Allen <jim.allen at longhornband.net
> >wrote:
>
> > I had occasion to get in a conversation with another community bandsman
> > recently after he overheard me mentioning something about Dixieland.
> >
> > He wanted to know if I was really into Dixieland or more trad jazz, Turk
> > Murphy,  a style he mentioned, etc.
> >
> > Before this I had considered these terms virtual synonyms, never worried
> > about any difference.  A google search turns up discussion but no clear
> > demarcation, to me anyway.
> >
> > Is there?  What constitutes Dixieland as opposed or contrasted to Trad
> > jazz, if there is a difference?
> >
> > Best
> >
> > Jim Allen
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>
>
> --
> Roy (Bud) Taylor
> Smugtown Stompers Jazz Band
> Rochester, New York
> Traditional Jazz since 1958
> "we ain't just whistling dixie!"
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