[Dixielandjazz] Edinburgh Jazz Festival's Tubaramas

[Ken Mathieson]

Hi Tim,

I agree: a tuba or banjo in the hands of someone with music in his/her 
soul will be a delight to play with and listen to. It's the others who 
are the problem and, in the one I played on, Eli Newberger, for it was 
he, was the exception who proved the rule, just as Don Vappie was/is 
with the banjo.

Cheers,

Ken


On 27/01/2020 23:15, Shaw, Tim wrote:
> Greetings, Ken, Robert et al.,
> In Oz, we've gone one step further - complementing Banjorama & Tubarama with a Washboard "orchestra" which has been assembled for performing at the annual Australian Jazz Convention for many years.  The results are what you'd expect/were probably intended - (sometimes even entertaining) - chaos, cacophony, rarely coherent & uncertain whether intended as irony, parody, dada, anarchy, farce - or just harmless fun - usually included token harmony/melody instruments that defined the designated "tunes" & were almost completely submerged in the noise.
> Regardless, I believe that a washboard (with its many variations & playing styles) can function as a real rhythmic asset when played by a washboard "virtuoso".
> Here in Oz, we're lucky to have/have had  quite a few world class washboard virtuosi - mostly primarily drummers/percussionists (eg the late Len Barnard, Cal Duffy, Rick Opat, Ken Farmer, John Hilf) but several mainly play(ed ) lead instruments (eg Roger Bell, Ian Smith).
>
> Re the (un)musical crime of the "Tubarama" concept, the results don't necessarily have to be as lugubrious as we might assume.
> The late, great Harvey Phillips (for example https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130732198)
> assembled an ensemble of technically brilliant "tubists" that produced some lovely things that sometimes "swung".
> - & lots of great bands of every genre  ( including - eg Miles Davis classic  "birth of the cool" recording band)   integrated tuba into their sound as a melodic as well as bass/rhythm instrument.
> Again, here in Oz we are blessed by punching above our (population) weight by having produced lots of world class tuba players - but, sadly, not enough jobs to keep them all employed - several have departed in search of better work prospect overseas.
> Likewise,
> "Happy Days"
> tim
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