Author: John Morton
Date: 2013-11-28 17:45
Here it is, more than you ever wanted to hear about it:
The clarinet was prominent in jazz from the very beginning (~1900 or so) up until the end of WW II. "Swing" ruled American popular music from the mid-1930's, an era which saw some of the most important bands led by clarinet players. However that's a small part of the story.
Here's how it breaks down for me (strictly one man's opinions):
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Cherry Poppin' Daddies etc. are focused on the late swing era and the jump blues craze that followed. Louis Jordan represented that trend - no clarinet, a rocking R & B sound, but with a beat that encourages jitterbugging. Big bands like the Blasters are included.
Modern "dixieland" bands (Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, Dukes of Dixieland, Firehouse Five, Jim Cullum Band) stem from what is usually called the Dixieland Revival of the 40's, continuing a repertoire of pre-swing standards combined with swing chestnuts favored by dancers. These bands hold sway on the dixieland festival circuit, but their audience is older and I see it melting away. The Sacramento Jazz Jubilee was the biggest one, and the changes in their roster reflect this trend.
There are bands who specialize in the time of swing's peak popularity, e.g. Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Dorsey Bros., Bob Crosby, Basie. Those artists' arrangements require big payrolls, so look for them at big city New Year's Eve gigs. Much of the same repertoire is great for small combos, and to my mind that's some of the best jazz being played today. Howard Alden, Scott Hamilton, Warren and Allen Vache, Ken Peplowski, Dan Barrett, Becky Kilgore - anything connected with those guys. Lots of improv solo time for them, not like a big band where you get 8 bars.
My personal favorite is something else, usually called Hot Jazz, Classic Jazz, Trad Jazz. There is much argument over these labels. It stems mostly from the 20's, a time before "jazz", "swing", "blues" and "dixieland" became separate things. A standard bearer of this approach is Vince Giordano and His Nighthawks, who have endured to see it spread to young players all over. Influences here would be Jimmie Noone, Earl Hines, Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Fletcher Henderson, early Ellington, Bennie Moten, the Bix Beiderbecke combos, and the early blues artists. These folks had mostly adopted "swing" in the mid-20's, meaning the swing feel for eighth notes.
For this last item, here's a good piece about the trend:
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2013/08/hot-jazz-new-york
Also, check out any recent YouTubes from Tuba Skinny, Little Big Horns, Loose Marbles - all young New Orleans street bands.
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The Clarinet BBoard
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