[Dixielandjazz] Drummers Unite

[Marek Boym]

>
> There is a world of difference between the two types. Musicians who
> happened to play the drums would include people like Zutty, Big Sid
> Catlett, Osie Johnson, Dave Tough, Philly Jo Jones, Billy Higgins, Ed
> Blackwell among many others. Their common characteristic was that they all
> played for the band and all were careful about dynamics. Jake Hanna was a
> classic example: he could play like a powerhouse with a big band or swing a
> trio just as hard with a pair of brushes and a snare drum and it was always
> appropriate to what the band or soloist was playing...


> We all know examples of the other kind of drummer: heavy handed, heavy
> footed, overbearing and often inappropriate.


I remember Art Blakey, either drunk or doped, drowning out Kay Winding's
solo at a Tel-Aviv concert.   I attended two, and at the second one his
playing was exemplary.





>
> I'm well aware from my own experience that drummers generally tend to play
> louder nowadays than they did when I was starting out in the late 1950s.
> The advent of the bass amp pushed up the onstage volume level and the
> drummer started to compensate. Then the pianist became amplified and the
> banjoist too, so rhythm sections got louder and louder, which meant that
> the horn players had to be mic'ed up too. I'm very fortunate that the guys
> in my Classic Jazz Orchestra prefer to play accoustically wherever possible
> so that we're always in control of dynamics. If we have to use PA in larger
> spaces, we always soundcheck without onstage fallback amplification so that
> we can judge our own levels and we'll generally play the gig without any
> onstage amplification too.



I wish other bands did that!


> the wonderful trumpeter and my old pal John McLevy,
>

John McLavy!  Do you bring back memories!
John McLeavy soloed with the last GREAT band Benny Goodman too on the
road.  I have the Stockholm recording (dounle album) - soujds like a dream,
after hears and years of rather mediocre bands.
I don't believe I have ever seen a trumpeter getting as red in the face as
he did when he was turning out those magical solos!

Cheers (if you have a chance, try La Chouffe and McChouffe (a bit on the
stron side - 8% abv)



>
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