Hi,

I played in a trad jazz band the other day. It was the first time I'd ever done it and had a fantastic time. I played clarinet alongside some very experienced trad jazzers.

Anyone tried it?

hillyb

Assuming you mean New Orleans/Dixieland style, I'm going on a weekend course/workshop in the summer to learn how it's done! Glad you enjoyed it, it's really good fun isn't it! Can't wait for Keswick jazzfest in May!

Have sent you a pm.

Yes it was Dixieland/New Orleans style. It was one of the best musical experiences I've ever had!! I was there improvising away, without a care in the world!! Fab!

a convert! Although I haven't played it (yet!) I listening to it, especially live!

I've always liked the sound of it but playing was something else!!

I used to play in a small band led by an amazing character called Henry Davies (of 'Henry's Bootblacks' fame): it was called 'The Apex Blue Four' and we had a regular pub gig. I loved it.

Here are Henry's Bootblacks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1AhEr6LifY

Henry is the trombonist in the white jacket and I recognise some of the others as members of the old Apex Blue Four. Sigh!

Oh god here's another one - hilarious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-5V4vemSaA

Is that the sort of music hillyb meant cos if it is, it's different to what I thought she meant!

Well Henry's Bootblacks weren't really trad, they were more a comical New Orleans pastiche. But all the players are very skilled New Orleans-style players, and they've all played an extensive amount of trad as well. The Apex Blue Four were a small New Orleans band.

For the record New Orleans was the earliest form of jazz, with notables like Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet, Kind Oliver and early Louis Armstrong etc. The front line would be cornet (later trumpet ), clarinet and trombone, with a rhythm section of guitar (later banjo and piano), bass and drums.

The 'trad revival' was a sort of British reinvention of New Orleans, and started in the 1950s with people like the Temperance Seven, Ken Colyer, Chris Barber, Humphrey Lyttleton, George Melly etc.

Some of Henry's Bootblacks (and the Apex Blue 4 for that matter) played in the great trad bands of the 50s, like Bobby Mickleburgh who was known as 'The General'.

Here's some real trad from the 50s:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DRsPLu2x0s

I'd personally rather listen to the old New Orleans guys...... but it's a matter of taste.

OK compare this: Sidney Bechet playing the same tune:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1pLQNhBLmA

Hear that passion! Sends shivers up my spine.....

yeah he's OK I suppose

I formed my own Dixieland group last autumn and it has been really popular, we have had several gigs and have a number of band stand concerts coming up during 2008. The band consists 0f-
clarinet
cornet
trombone (me)
tenor sax
banjo
piano
drums
sousaphone (cool)
double bass

I think thats called a nonet! What a pity i can't upload a photo. It has been tremdous fun and any one interested in dixie jazz should defintely listen to early jazz and try and get the opportunity to sit in with a trad group. Hey you could even form your own group too. Here is a good link for a good source of cheap trad jazz music charts-
http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/fuzzscott

This is really good and more in the fun and smaller trio format i like to see-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgRMZqSaPMc

That's really nice!

It's Bourbon Street Parade - Chris Barber's signature song that he always opens up with, and it's also been taken on board by the Bourbon Street Stompers, a brilliant Dixie band of players from Germany who were a huge hit at Upton Jazzfest last year

No, not quite what I meant, Skylark. The band was much more a Bechet style and sound

I played in Trad Bands for qute a few years, I preferred more mainstream jazz gigs, wih a piano trio or duets etc (as a Guitarist) but get a good audience and an energetic Trad/Dixieland/New Orleans band and it's great fun.