[Dixielandjazz] OKOM (does a funny turn)

[Marek Boym]

Harry James denied playing schmaltz, although he did, a lot - he either
really liked it or needed the dough.
But listening to Lunceford uncovers some schmaltz, too - and Willie Smith
was with his band.  Besides - why is this worse than Latin music so many
swing musicians had to play in later years?
Cheers

On 19 September 2017 at 20:48, ROBERT R. CALDER <serapion at btinternet.com>
wrote:

> OM of course means Order of Merit, one of the highest exclusive honours or
> honors available (though only to a dozen people, including Henry James, not
> to be confused with a brilliant jazz trumpeter who must have had a hide two
> elephants thick to stand in front of a band playing the superslithery
> Schmalz I suffered when sifting out -- for ace Williesmithophile Dick Lee
> -- some brilliant solos. Poor Willie, that his last years came so early and
> he was in a band playing THAT!).
>
> 'tis fifty years this 2017 year since the great altosaxophonist Willie
> Smith departed, among other wonders perhaps the final influence on Benny
> Carter's alto playing -- a point which might be argued, though the hunt for
> evidence through all those recordings ought to keep people if not their
> music rooms quiet, if interested in the possible influence of WS on BC.  A
> cat can influence a King.
>
> And it's a century and a year since the mordant comment was passed around
> London literary circles that Henry James was still alive only because
> resolutely, stubbornly waiting to be preceded -- aloft, says the old song
> Tom Bowling -- by the member of the Order of Merit whose exit from this
> vale of tears rendered available the letters OM to follow the name Henry
> James on his tombstone.
> And sixteen days after the departure of Henry, Harry was born and given
> his famous decaffeinated middle name.
>
> If you want some rubbish of even less worth than the above -- but it's
> always worth reminding people of Willie Smith, and the marvel that is her
> performance on Jimmy Lunceford's UPTOWN BLUES -- I am happily not planning
> to produce some Goonery on the topic of Henry James's
> philosopher-psychologist brother William, and the 1930s blues guitarist
> Willie B. James, greatly accomplished as Willie B. was.
> Anyway I've mentioned why OM is appropriate.
>
> OK?
>
> In that wonderful genre OKOM
> the drummer did not drop the bomb
> and the chords weren't daft --
> fifths were properly quaffed ...
> and, dear Bill Haesler, cheers! says this Pom.
> (phew!)
>
>
>
>
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