“I Prefer Old Style Jazz, Jazz That Swings! Modern Jazz Does Nothing For Me!”

Tuba Skinny at Fest Jazz, July, 2014

Tuba Skinny at Fest Jazz, July, 2014 (© Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

I had a revealing conversation with a young lady about jazz yesterday. She was interested in the YouTubes I produce and asked me if I liked Modern Jazz. It turned out she is disappointed with Jamie Cullen because she finds his music has become “too modern, too abstract. It goes nowhere and does nothing for me!”

She added that the jazz she likes most is from the Duke Ellington and Count Basie era – “old style jazz, jazz that swings!”

Nevertheless, Jamie Cullen is to be applauded for all he as done for jazz during recent bleak years. He has won numerous awards and undoubtedly his fame and eclectic styles have helped jazz retain its share of popularity.

Just Jazz Magazine
In an interview with Jim McIntosh in the March Issue of Just Jazz Magazine, Trevor Stent comments: “A recent current development is that ‘Modern Jazz’ (a meaningless and absurd title as most of it is now more than 50 years old) that has dominated the jazz scene since the ’70s is now regarded as ‘Grandpa’s music’ by most young people. As a result they have returned to the ‘roots’ of the music, which explains the explosion of young bands in the UK, France and elsewhere playing music rooted in the ‘20s and ‘30s. Here I must praise the indefatigable Peter Butler of www.jazzandjazz.com who has done much to reflect this very encouraging trend.”

Thank you for that very generous endorsement, Trevor. And thank you Jim for your frequent, constructive comments on Jazz&Jazz posts. I hope more musicians and fans will follow suit.

Shot Gun Jazz Band live on Royal Street
 in New Orleans (courtesy of erichapjames

Shot Gun Jazz Band playing live on Royal Street
 in New Orleans (courtesy of erichapjames)

Young Bands From New Orleans
In fact, Trevor and I have just had an interesting exchange on my Facebook Jazzers Group about two great younger generation bands from New Orleans: Tuba Skinny and Shotgun Jazz Band. I have exchanged messages with Shotgun’s John Dixon and I met Tuba Skinny’s Erica Lewis and Robin Rapuzzi last July at Trevor’s Fest Jazz in Châteauneuf-du-Faou, Brittany. Despite current difficulties it would be wonderful to get both bands to the UK .

Meanwhile Trevor has some great young bands lined up for Fest Jazz this year, some of which I have featured, and as circumstance allow I will continue to feature more of our emerging younger bands.

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

Shotgun and Tuba Skinny, both from New Orleans, joined forces in a great performance of Over in the Gloryland. That’s Shaye Cohn on piano and Charlie Halloran is on Trombone. Recorded at Bix Fest in Racine Wisconsin March 8, 2015. (Courtesy of jazzbo43)

 

Please follow and like us:

Comments

  1. Jim McIntosh says:

    GREAT JAZZ, wonderful spirit, swinging like **** off a shovel! Love the singing!! Nice to see EVANS again. I used to room with him in Phil Mason’s band, and if ever he tells you that I snore, believe him not!!

  2. Jim McIntosh says:

    Also wonderful piano from Shaye. Basic chords, swinging like hell. None of this posh “Look how clever I am” stuff. Also, she keeps time! Good band and solo playing.

  3. Jim’s right (again). A really swinging combination of two superb young New Orleans bands. But Peter, I feel you may be peeing in the wind if you think, nice as it would be, they could make it to the UK. After last year’s saga, involving many of us fellow promoters, spending many wasted hours, trying to get a tour together for just Tuba Skinny, I do not know of any willing to go through that again ! Personally, I’ve had the good luck to meet and drink beer with them {truly real nice guys) and see all their concerts at FestJazz last year, so I can move on. We should now focus on our own young bands and those from our close neighbour France, Much less expensive in travel fees would be ‘ Hippocampus Jass Gang’ and ‘Le Bardi Manchot’ (both appearing at JazzFest Brittany this Summer) who have both indicated a desire to come to Britain next year. (Jazz Guide ) As well, Agents (ugh!), in the mix hinder, rather than help, the booking processes with club jazz promoters. Norman

  4. Peter Butler says:

    Nevertheless, Norman, no harm in keeping up what “pressure” we can and partially that’s what Jazz&Jazz and my FB Jazzers Group is about. But they are also about, just as you say, publicising our own new generation bands and I’m keeping that up. Just featured, as you will see, Dave Keech’s “Close to the Bone” with a great number by Charlie Pyne.

    And I’ve still got a list of bands to get to, some provided by yourself. Thing is my FB, Jazzers, YouTube, Twitter and Linkedin activities keep me very occupied – but they are all part of keeping the pot boiling, And if in due course it boils enough it could yet boil over with visits from TS and Shotgun!!!

    I’m not yet admitting defeat!

    Cheers

    Peter

Speak Your Mind

YouTube
YouTube
LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Share