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 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)
