Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2017-08-25 02:13
Thanks for the info on NOCCA!! I hadn't realized the Marsalis connection.
I find that many of the trad musicians I like the most can play across a wide spectrum of musical styles/eras. However, I've had a tough time finding those schooled first in modern jazz, to be able to play convincing early styles. It does, indeed, happen - but it seems much rarer than the other way around. (At least this is my perception.)
Up here in the high plains and front range...Even the "trad" bands sound "modern-trying-to-play-trad" compared with their coastal contemporaries. So much so, that I nearly put them into their own genre. I admire and support their efforts, but it just isn't quite the same music.
It must take a lot of talent to be able to lock one's own ear into a specific style, and then keep it in that style. Evan Christopher can do it. James Evans can do it. Yet - there's a totally different character (like Tim Laughlin, Connie Jones...maybe even Jack Teagarden) who can/could play their own true style, and have it fit within any spectrum they choose/chose without much varying. I really enjoy listening to those folks. ;^)>>>
Most really good jazz musicians seem to move freely from one style to another (at least within jazz). Some do it willingly between sets, some simply change and grow out of/into other styles over their lifetime. I remember someone on YouTube getting mad at me for saying Pete Fountain played great "trad" jazz. It was quickly pointed out that the other poster would "...never classify Pete as a player of trad or dixie!" I think the truth is that he was a player who could play trad, he could also play hokum, pop tunes, and a stylized contemporary jazz. Listening to the Basin Street Six, I just can't come to the conclusion he didn't play great "trad". To me, it seems that Pete could play whatever he wanted to play at any time - and that's what he spent his life doing - playing what he wanted to play, and to what audiences wanted to hear. As corny as "Candy Clarinet" is - that album is now my favorite Christmas album! I hear a lot of condescension (from time to time) aimed at Pete - but I have never felt it was warranted. ;^)>>>
I didn't know much about Al Hirt until I started following Pete's music back in high school. Al and Pete each seemed to ride on the pop music wave for a while...was that just the fashion of the 60s-70s era - for jazz musicians to play pop tunes?
(I didn't know that Al gave Wynton his first trumpet - what a hoot! Thanks for that tidbit!)
Fuzzy
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