Evening star., 1952-06-22
TurntobIe Talk:
|Beiderbecke Form of Jazz
Preserved in 3 LIP Discs
Bv Fred Theroux


one-highly prized-by the origi-
nal Dixieland Band. All for a
nickel each. And in time I was
able to find, new or used, a few
more Blk Beiderbecke records Con
Okeh labels them. found a 12-
inch Columbia of Paul White
mans band playing Sweet Sue" "
probably the most inane and sac
charine arrangement ever re-
corded, but smack in the middle
is a cornet solo by one Beider-
becke that deserves to be pre-
served, it's that perfect.
Columbia's new set includes
Sweet Sue" among IL numbers
Waxed when Blk was unhappily
recording with Whiteman. They're
truly fascinating-aside from the
perfection of BiX-as examples of
what America demanded in music
in the 20's. One piece should be
particularly interesting to re-
Elective listeners-a piano solo,
composed and played by Blk him
self and called I'm a Mist" Blk
had been sorely beset, his last
couple of years, by deep un-
happiness with his musical ac-
complishments. He found himself
intrigued by Ravel. DeBussy, Stra-
whisky and Mcdowell. In "In a
Mist" jazz struggles with a recog-
nizable Mcdowell for expression.
Both win, but Blk lost, for he got
clear of the mist.
OriginoI Clarity There
To this reviewer, the recordings
Reproduced on the disc called ''Biz
and his Gang" are the best
samples of Blk as a jazzman, play
ing with a strictly jazz ensemble
Here are "Wa-Da-Da," Jazz Me
Blues" and Bix's own favorite
Goose Pimples." This last one
of my earliest acquisitions, and
that beat-up old record has been
played a thousand times. To hear
lit recreated in its original clarity
is a special pleasure. "Jazz Me
Blues" considered by many to be
Bix's best, suffers from a me-
chanical flaw on the LIP disc, an
occasional showdown that breaks
up the rhythmic excellence of the
performance.
A true jazzman is not a stylist,
of course. He plays as the mood
dictates, and as his fellows on the
job suggest to him. About the
only arrangement Jazz ever gets is
that arrived at by five or seven
musicians playing together for
the effect that gives them the
best expression. Seldom can the
same band play the same number
in the same way twice. Blk
Beiderbecke was the best Of the
jazzmen, and his playing is spon-
taneous and imaginative as only
he could make it. He doesn't
rest content with the solo runs
that are his part, but sticks in a
couple of toots here and there,
wherever he feels the need. The
result is a jazz gem. usually.
Since jazz is nothing if not ex-
pressive, the combination of the
jazz vehicle with Blk in the driv-
er's seat compels attention.
Some of the sides reproduced
in the volume called Blk and
Tram" are notable for the rapport
established between Blk and his
good friend Frank Trumbauer in
the real jazz tradition. Trum-
bauer played the C-melody sax
(now obsolete) and sang. "Clari-
net Marmalade" and Ostrich
Walk" are favorites for the jubi-
lation in the Complementary runs
of Blk and Tram. mississippi
Mud" surprises the uninitiated
with a vocal by an obscure singer
named Blng CROSBY, ana ne shows
promise. too.
Perhaps you can either take jazz
or leave it alone. But armed with
the knowledge that jazz is a musi-
cal form in itself. purely Ameri-
can development based in the dim
Ipast of African tribal drums, any
serious muSic-lover should find
rewards in giving it reflective at
tention. Insist on the original
much of the modern stuff that
passes for Dixieland jazz is super
arranged imitation. Give it q
listen, and start with Blk. His
was just about the best kind OF
jazz that anyone. anywhere, has
ever played.