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jhatpro Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Mar 2002 Posts: 10204 Location: The Land Beyond O'Hare
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 9:31 am Post subject: Trad Facts |
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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. _________________ 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
Last edited by jhatpro on Wed Mar 28, 2018 3:36 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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solo soprano Heavyweight Member
Joined: 26 Jan 2012 Posts: 856 Location: Point O' Woods / Old Lyme, Connecticut
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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"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. _________________ Bill Knevitt, who taught me the seven basic physical elements and the ten principles of physical trumpet playing and how to develop them.
https://qpress.ca/product-category/trumpet/?filter_publisher=la-torre-music |
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Brad361 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 7080 Location: Houston, TX.
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Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 11:17 am Post subject: |
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Cool info!
Brad _________________ When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval |
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brassmusician Veteran Member
Joined: 25 Feb 2016 Posts: 273
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Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Cannonball 789RL
Yamaha 635ST
Yamaha 16C4
Wick 2BFL |
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jhatpro Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Mar 2002 Posts: 10204 Location: The Land Beyond O'Hare
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Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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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 |
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Oncewasaplayer Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 974
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Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:02 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Getzen 800DLX cornet
Selmer Sigma trumpet |
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brassmusician Veteran Member
Joined: 25 Feb 2016 Posts: 273
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Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:09 am Post subject: |
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.....and the great thing about doing a bit of talking in between numbers is it allows some blood to creep back into your chops _________________ Cannonball 789RL
Yamaha 635ST
Yamaha 16C4
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Comeback Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 Jun 2011 Posts: 1143
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 3:52 am Post subject: |
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Great thread, Jim. Thanks!
Jim |
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mm55 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1412
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 5:25 am Post subject: |
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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? _________________ '75 Bach Strad 180ML/37
'79 King Silver Flair
'07 Flip Oakes Wild Thing
'42 Selmer US
'90 Yamaha YTR6450S(C)
'12 Eastman ETR-540S (D/Eb)
'10 Carol CPT-300LR pkt
'89 Yamaha YCR2330S crnt
'13 CarolBrass CFL-6200-GSS-BG flg
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Richard III Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 2654 Location: Anacortes, WA
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:43 am Post subject: |
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mm55 wrote: | 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? |
Personal experience is talking between songs is boring. Too many bands do this to give people in the band a little break or to stretch out the set because they don't have enough songs to fill the time. I'll admit to doing it for that reason too. Our last gig, which was very noisy, it sounded like blah blah blah and they just wanted to dance and keep dancing. _________________ Richard
King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece |
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Oncewasaplayer Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 974
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 9:01 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Getzen 800DLX cornet
Selmer Sigma trumpet |
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brassmusician Veteran Member
Joined: 25 Feb 2016 Posts: 273
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:07 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Cannonball 789RL
Yamaha 635ST
Yamaha 16C4
Wick 2BFL |
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Richard III Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 2654 Location: Anacortes, WA
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 4:32 am Post subject: |
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brassmusician wrote: | 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. |
I love that idea. Nicely done!!! _________________ Richard
King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece |
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jazz_trpt Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Nov 2001 Posts: 5734 Location: Savoy, Illinois, USA
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:33 am Post subject: |
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I usually talk about the tune itself, when possible. _________________ Jeff Helgesen
Free jazz solo transcriptions! |
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JetJaguar Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Nov 2006 Posts: 1518 Location: Vancouver, BC
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:39 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ 1938 Martin Handcraft Imperial #2 bore, 38 bell
Bach 7C mouthpiece
I'm looking for a Connstellation 5C-N or 5B-N mouthpiece
www.jazzscales.org
The Coady Strengthening Exercises: http://coady.coolwarm.com |
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BeboppinFool Donald Reinhardt Forum Moderator
Joined: 28 Dec 2001 Posts: 6437 Location: AVL|NC|USA
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:25 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Puttin’ On The Ritz |
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jhatpro Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Mar 2002 Posts: 10204 Location: The Land Beyond O'Hare
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:11 pm Post subject: |
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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 |
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Turkle Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 2450 Location: New York City
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:51 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Yamaha 8310Z trumpet
Yamaha 8310Z flugel
Curry 3. |
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Billy B Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 6130 Location: Des Moines
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 5:20 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Bill Bergren |
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loplop New Member
Joined: 13 Feb 2017 Posts: 10
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 5:41 am Post subject: |
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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. |
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