Dixieland

[bigbandbone]

In all my many years of playing trombone I’ve never been asked to play a dixieland solo, until now. I’m not familiar at all with the style.
Any helpful hints.

[Doug Elliott]

It's certainly not my specialty and I've been in that situation too... What kind of player/improviser are you already?

[bigbandbone]

I do most of my playing in big bands and can improvise without embarrassing myself.
This particular tune is being played in a community band setting. None of the other bones wanted to do it so even though I’m playing bass bone, it got passed down to me.

[Posaunus]

Keep the melody in mind during your solo.
This is no time for avant-garde improv.

[BGuttman]

Is the solo written out? That's usually a good start. Probably has a nice gliss or two, and some syncopation. 1920s jazz was not very sophisticated.

In the old Dixieland bands the trombone played something like a countermelody; something like the Baritone part in a march.

For some inspiration, browse the site www.redhotjazz.com

[Doug Elliott]

Play melodically but stay around basic chord tones, not altered. 3rds, 6ths, and 7ths are always good. Nobody wants to hear diminished scales in a traditional setting. Personally I don't use glisses. Keep it rhythmically interesting and use space wisely.

Pretty much the same stuff you should always do in any genre... just keep it simple.

And if there's a written solo, ignore it. I have NEVER seen a written solo worth playing.

[EriKon]

Growls are a very common sound effect. And I want to add that roots of the chords work very well too in Dixieland. Besides that, everything else what Doug and Bruce said.

[Bach5G]

Don’t forget your plunger

[GGJazz]

Hi all!
Besides Bigbandbone have just to perform a occasional solo in Dixieland style , I would like to share my thoughts about this music .

To me , Dixieland style is one of the more difficult things , to be performed correctly .
I think that it is a bit underrated ; in my opinion , one have to study it carefully , if does not want to play it in a "ridicolous" way .

As all the early-music styles , there are plenty of characteristics that one have to master , before attempting to play a "correct" Dixieland solo . A couple of glissando , playing around chord tones , etc , is not enough , in my opinion .

I am a Be-Bop player ( so of course I am in love with J.J. Johnson , etc) , but I have a tremendous respect for early trombone players ( Bill Rank , Miff Mole , George Brunis , Roy Palmer , Jimmy Harrison , etc ) . They are incredible musicians !!

As for all others jazz' styles , I guess the main way to play a good solo is to listen at the master players , and learn to play by ear what they are performing , directly from the recording .

Here a tune performed by George Brunis : Royal Garden Blues (trbn solo at 01:38)


Here Miff Mole playing "Darktown Strutters Ball" (trbn solo at 01:46)



Regards
Giancarlo

[tailgate]

Listen and watch Charlie Halloran on YouTube.
Shotgun Jazz band.

[imsevimse]

Chordtones, going from root to third to fifth and seventh and variants of that. You could go back and fourth between those in a syncopated manner and add stepnotes in between where appropriate, and then add to that some glisses where it fits and also to comment the melody that probably is played by a trumpet if you get inspired. The reed is probably doing a lot of syncopated arpeggios so that role is taken. In this context I think of the trombone role as a harmonic/melodic bass role that establish the chords and therfore minimize use of "too many notes". If parts of scales are used they'd better be syncopated. I would avoid any long flow of eightnotes personally. A lot of swinging eightnotes could be to much swing to be stylish. I played some dixie in my youth but today most I play is swing, so thats why I personally would have to think of that. When you play a solo you could pick up a plunger and concentrate on syncopations and to make a raw-ish more interesting "dixie-sound". The above is just a suggestion how to think and is probably what I would do in a dixie-band to try get by.

[bigbandbone]

Thanks for all the advice.
I did a lot of listening. I kept it simple, stayed within the changes, and threw in a few glasses.
Last nights rehearsal went well.

[Posaunus]

Thanks for all the advice.
I did a lot of listening. I kept it simple, stayed within the changes, and threw in a few glisses.
Last nights rehearsal went well.

[cb56]

Listen to a lot of Bob Havens and Jack Teagarden. Find some dixieland backing tracks on YouTube. Keep at it and remember " written out dixieland music is an oxymoron " it comes from inside you

[ghmerrill]

https://tubaskinny.com/

[boneapart]

What's the tune? Who's the arranger? Possibly it's something already recorded with a solo that can get you started.

[brtnats]

I’ve played in an trad jazz band for several years, so YMMV.

Listen to Kid Ory. Do what he does. Need more help?

Play melodies based on chord tones, arpeggios, and scale patterns. I’m always using scales in thirds. Keep the tune up front. Simpler is always better. Stronger articulations than ensemble playing. I usually keep the solo range in the middle register.