Trad Facts

[jhatpro]

When our band plays a trad gig I like to interject factoids about the tradition of New Orleans-style jazz. It gives the band a few seconds' break and the audiences seem to enjoy it.

In case you'd like to use some of these tid-bits, here they are:

Traditional Jazz

• It was born in New Orleans in the 1890s and featured collective improvisation by musicians playing a rich mix of marches, work songs, gospel music and popular melodies with African rhythms and blues harmonies.

• The first bands used instruments that had been pawned by musicians from Confederate Army marching bands.

• Many people refer to the music as Dixieland, a reference that bothers some because it is reminiscent of the slave era.

• The term Dixie is thought to have originated as a mispronunciation of the French word for “ten” that appeared on some New Orleans bank notes in the 1800s.

• What we call “jazz” today was originally spelled “jass.” In fact, the first traditional jazz recording was made in 1917 by the Original Dixieland Jass Band.

• The name was eventually changed because vandals had become fond of scratching out the “J” on the band’s posters, thus turning the group’s name into the Original Dixieland Ass Band.

• The first New Orleans trad bands played with a front line of cornet, clarinet and trombone with tuba and banjo providing accompaniment. The emphasis was on ensemble playing with infrequent solos.

• Bands played in saloons, dance halls, on river boats and on “ad wagons” – which merchants used to advertise their products and services.

• The trombone player on an ad wagon was known as a “tailgater” because space was limited, and the trombonist had to sit on the tailgate in order to operate his slide.

• By 1920 musicians like Louis Armstrong had migrated to Chicago and the style became more solo oriented with guitar and string bass replacing banjo and tuba. The trumpet replaced the cornet in many bands because it was louder.

• Chicago-style jazz became America’s most popular music throughout the 1920s.

• By the 1930s the center of the jazz world shifted to New York where the style changed once more, emphasizing the big band dance music of the swing era.
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Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

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[solo soprano]

"Dixieland is Jazz in it's purest form."

Warren W. Vache Sr.

Mr. Vache was a jazz musician (string bass), charter Board member of the New Jersey Jazz Society, jazz writer, and the father of two world-class musicians, Warren Vache, Jr. and Allen Vache.
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[Brad361]

Cool info!

Brad
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[brassmusician]

Thanks for that info. I play in a dixieland group and it is one of the most pleasurable gigs I do. There is something so joyful and lively about the music, even the slower tunes.
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[jhatpro]

Thanks, guys! I love to play trade too, although making sure everyone understands the roadmaps can be a challenge. That’s why I keep asking for tips on the best ways to communicate with one another on the stand.
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[Oncewasaplayer]

Thanks for these items. i do think it's helpful to tell the audience about the genre and also about some of the tunes. You can search on a tune's title, on the composer's name and often find some interesting factoids to throw into your introductions. I'll introduce a tune as the hit song of 1923 or I'll talk about people who recorded it over the years (Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Linda Ronstadt...). Nothing to long but just a bit to give the tune some context in its time and ours.
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[brassmusician]

.....and the great thing about doing a bit of talking in between numbers is it allows some blood to creep back into your chops
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[Comeback]

Great thread, Jim. Thanks!

Jim

[mm55]

Rather than "factoids" (non-factual stories that are believed to be facts because they are presented as facts), why not actual facts about trad music? Is the truth really so boring?
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[Richard III]

[Oncewasaplayer]

Sure, a dance gig requires music for dancing and little talking. However in a concert setting, you have an opportunity to help people understand and enjoy the music with just a few sentences. Trad music requires not only fluency in playing the music but also a bit of effort to be entertainers.
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[brassmusician]

Once had a very successful dixie gig in which I strung the titles of all the songs we were playing into an on going story about a missing band members girlfriend, audience found it funny. Must have been inspired that day because I haven't be able to repeat it since.
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[Richard III]

[jazz_trpt]

I usually talk about the tune itself, when possible.
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Jeff Helgesen
Free jazz solo transcriptions!

[JetJaguar]

Eubie Blake refused to use the word "jazz" because it was a synonym for the F word. He referred to what others called jazz as Ragtime. I had a literature professor who concurred on the original meaning of Jazz as well.
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[BeboppinFool]

I led a gig once (2004 or so) and a lady came up to me afterward and thanked me for not trying to turn a concert into a jazz education seminar. She said "We already know the history, just play the music for us." Ever since then I have not tried to "educate" any audience.
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Puttin’ On The Ritz

[jhatpro]

I'm sorry to hear that, Rich. I'm sure you know a ton about jazz and I'll bet the rest of the audience enjoyed what you had to say. It's too bad you've stopped sharing your knowledge because of one egotistical listener.
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[Turkle]

I love talking about the music and the audience loves it as well!

"This is an old tune by Bob Haggart, Dexter Gordon used to play this one about as smooth as it can be done"

"Harry James made this one popular in the '40s, please enjoy"

"When Dinah Washington sang this, you knew she truly had been both in and out of the money. We're gonna try to play this one like we're out of the money."

"Here's one Ellington wrote to showcase the talents of (Cat Anderson / Johnny Hodges / etc.). I'm going to play this one about two octaves lower than Cat played it."

Little anecdotes and jokes like that make people feel like they're part of a jazz tradition. Not trying to "educate" them like it's a lecture! Just sharing tidbits about the music and the history and keeping it light.
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[Billy B]

I personally do not want to listen to a Jazz history lesson.

Interacting with the audience is fine, just leave the Jazz 101 lecture out of it.
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Bill Bergren

[loplop]

IMO, @turkle has the right approach here. That is an interactive, interesting way to engage with an audience.

I heard a very similar approach on Dave Douglas’ tour to support his Dada People album. In that case, he was helping to tie together the Music with the art that inspired it. It was a great addition that increased my enjoyment and understanding of the music, even though I knew the album well.

Jazz 101 is not that, IMO.