Traditional jazz is the moniker most of its performers prefer to attach to the music most commonly known by the general public as Dixieland Jazz. For most, the term “Dixieland” evokes images of Louis Armstrong playing and singing “Hello, Dolly.”Louis Armstrong is considered by the overwhelming majority of jazz musicians of any genre to be the greatest exponent of America’s only indigenous art form; jazz. What many don’t realize is that Louis Armstrong was already considered a living legend among jazz musicians when he recorded this huge international hit in 1963. His career at that time already spanned almost 40 years, dating back to the 1920’s!
Over the decades, many bands have sought to keep America’s music alive, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Jazz is no longer in the public eye, yet the earlier styles are still performed at festivals across the United States, and the music still has many followers.
What appears to differentiate this early, New Orleans style, classic jazz from other forms, is that it seems to have such a universal appeal, even among the uninitiated. One does not need to understand the music to enjoy it. The continued success of traditional jazz festivals like the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee (now in its 35th year) are a testament to the many performers and fans who feel called to keep America’s music alive.
Even with such devotion among fans and musicians, this particular art form is becoming more and more difficult to find. The overall demographic is aging and few members of the younger generation are stepping up to carry the baton.
I’m the trombonist with a new traditional jazz band in San Antonio, TX called the Mission City Hot Rhythm Cats. Every member of the band is a student of the music and has spent many years devoted to its performance, and preservation.
Help us in our quest to keep this music alive by supporting live jazz wherever you find it, particularly the earlier styles exemplified by the early masters such as Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Buddy Bolden, Bix Beiderbecke, et al.
Please visit our website: Mission City Jazz
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