[Dixielandjazz] Wild Bill Davidson

[Bill Haesler]

> 
> Charles Suhor <csuhor at zebra.net> wrote to my comment:
>> Bill (Davison) was his own man who came up listening to Louis (as 'they' all did), Bix and Louis Panico.
> Thus is the first time I've seen Louis Panico named in the same sentence with Armstrong and Bix. Can he really have been much of an influence on Wild Bill and his generation? The YouTube pieces by Panico's band don't show a lot that sounds like a jazz pioneer—more like a precursor of the Mickey Mouse bands that persisted for decades in hotels playing "businessman's bounce" tempos for old guys with trophy wives.

Dear Charlie,
You have to put it in the right context.
Bill Davidson came to cornet playing, and jazz, listening to Louis Panico on the the early Isham Jones records.
As Hal Willard put it succinctly, "Bill's mentor-by-record...".
In 1922 Panico, when Bill was improving his playing, was one of the first popular trumpet players.
Play some of the Isham Jones tunes from the early 20s on YouTube, and you will hear why others (like young Louis and Bix) listened and learnt.
"Wabash Blues" is a good example.
Cheers,
Bill.