Dixieland Jazz is the traditional or classic form of the Jazz Art. This firstborn style was derived from the styles of the Spiritual, Blues, Cakewalk- Rag piano styles, and polyphonic Marches (i.e. Stars and Stripes Forever, Semper Fidelis, Sound Off, etc.) The influence of these early styles can be seen in a sampling of the repertoire of a modern Dixieland band:

• Blues = Tin Roof Blues, Shake That Thing
• Blueslike songs = Basin Street Blues, Wabash Blues, Wang Wang Blues, St. James Infirmary
• Piano Rags = Twelfth Street Rag, Sensation Rag
• Spiritual/Gospel = Just A Closer Walk With Thee, Amazing Grace, When the Saints Go Marching In
• Marches = South Rampart Street Parade, That's A Plenty, Washington & Lee Swing, Tiger Rag

The typical instrumentation of an early Dixieland group was a six member group, consisting of the usual front 3 horns, clarinet, trumpet and trombone, backed up by the rhythm section consisting of the tuba, banjo, and drums. Such an instrumentation could easily adapt to performing in street parades as well as indoor settings.

The music would alternate between full ensemble sections interspersed with solo improvisations and semi-improvisations. The role of each instrumentalist was excellently described by Tanner, P. O. W., & Gerow, M. (1973, pp. 42-44) in their book, A Study of Jazz :

...each of the front line players (cornet, clarinet, and trombone) had definite obligation to fulfill in ensemble playing.

The cornet or trumpet played the melody, since by usual standards this is the loudest instrument in the orchestra. The cornet player was allowed to 'decorate' the melody according to his own interpretation; he usually did not alter the melody to the point where it would become unrecognizable by the layman.

The clarinet played a dual role. He was expected to play a harmony part above the melodic line carried by the trumpet; a natural procedure for the clarinet because it can be played higher than the trumpet. He was also expected to create momentum because the clarinet can be played with more agility than the other two melodic instruments.

The role delegated to the trombone was to play the most important note in the chord change. One example of this would be in the tune 'Indiana.' The first chord is composed of the notes F, A, C, D; the second chord moves to F-Sharp, A, C, D. The natural resolution for the trombone player would be from F to F-Sharp, pointing out to the other players that the chord had changed and that this was the change which had occurred.

The banjo, tuba, and drums played straight rhythm parts as they had in the marching bands. No piano was used in these first Dixieland groups...

...the rhythm section played in a 'flat four,' e.g., with no accents, four even beats to a measure... ...contrary to the belief... that all Dixieland music utilizes a 2/4 rhythm with accented afterbeats... [ 1 + 2 + with accents on the ands{+} rather than on the numbered downbeats. Thus early Dixieland] ... rhythm sections played with no regularly accented beats...

...Another important aspect was that the front line players conceived their parts horizontally... ...the counterpoint in modern jazz has its direct roots in the music of the Dixieland bands and the very early classical music, [The Baroque Era, 1600-1750, notably the figured bass constructions of J. S. Bach] since they both used the horizontal approach in their construction.2

Some of the early Dixieland bands of this period were those of: Buddy Bolden; Jack Laine; Kid Ory; Freddie Keppard; King Oliver; and the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.

During and after World War I, jazz musicians traveled to Chicago and created a new Style of Dixieland which flourished during the 1920's - which was later called the Jazz Age. The jazz greats from New Orleans, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory, Sidney Bechet, Ferdinand Lemott a.k.a. Jelly Roll Morton and the others who came to Chicago, would be emulated by an ample supply of trained local musicians. This abundance of schooled talent, was due in part to the local Great Lakes Naval Training Center, whose faculty, during WW I, included the renowned, re-enlisted and promoted, Lt. Commander John Philip Sousa, USNR (Sergeant Sousa had previously established the reputation of The Marine Corps Band as the President's Own). Because that post war multitude of schooled local musicians was available, it was only natural that several of the players who performed an important role in the development of Chicago Style Dixieland Jazz were drawn from that pool. Some of those who helped to develop the modern style of Dixieland (as it's played even today) include: Benny Goodman, Pee Wee Russell, Bix Biederbecke, Eddie Condon, Bunny Berrigan, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, as well as countless others. Louis Armstrong met his future wife, pianist Lil Hardin Armstrong, when he joined King Oliver in Chicago in 1923. He went on to make the Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings in the 1920's as well as recordings with soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet in New York. As well as recordings such as these, the advent of radio also helped to popularize this new Dixieland style.

The changes in this new style of Dixieland are also well documented by Tanner, P. O. W., & Gerow, M. (1973, p. 56):

"The technical differences between Chicago Style, which developed in the 1920's and the early New Orleans Dixieland style are as follows:

1. A Tenor Saxophone was added.

2. The guitar replaced the banjo

3. Fairly elaborate (by comparison) introductions and endings became prevalent.

4. Ease and relaxation in the playing style were sacrificed for tension and drive.

5. Individual solos started to become more important.

6. 2/4 rhythm replaced 4/4.

Both Dixieland styles used the cornet, trombone, clarinet and drums. The piano was now being used in both styles, and the string bass had replaced the tuba. The last two changes occurred because the bands that played for dancing no longer played for marching...

...The Original Dixieland Jazz Band added a baritone saxophone and an alto saxophone in 1920. The role of the saxophone in ensemble playing was comparable to that of the clarinet except that its harmony line was directly under the melodic line of the cornet...

... the rhythmic feel in Chicago Style Dixieland changed from the four even beats to a measure of early New Orleans Dixieland to accenting the second and fourth beats (or the off beats) of a measure. Once again, this is called 2/4 in jazz. The reason for this change is because the bands, no longer used for marching, could hire piano players, and these piano players had been playing ragtime with its accented off-beats. The jazz drummer now became influenced by the new addition of the piano and he began accenting the second and fourth boats... ...The bass player followed the left hand of the piano and just played on beats one and three. The guitar either just played on two and four or at least accented two and four to adjust to the piano...

[That is] ...why jazz oriented people always clap their hands or snap their fingers on beats two and four instead of one and three.3

These changes were not abrupt, as can be determined by listening and comparing the recordings of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band to the later recordings of King Oliver's Band of this period. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band always plays in a 2/4 style but utilizes only brief semi-improvisatory solos whereas King Oliver's band always plays in a flat four but displays longer - and probably impromptu - improvisatory solos.

The polyphonic style of the frontline horns during their ensemble choruses, can be directly traced to the polyphony occurring in the marches of the late 19th century. A famous example would be the March, "Stars and Stripes Forever". During the fortissimo final strain, the cornet section repeats the melody while the trombone section introduces a countermelody. At the same time time the piccolo repeats its obbligato descant as the tubas and French horns trade the down and up beats - which will later form the Ragtime/Dixieland pianist's left hand part. In the final chorus of a famous Dixieland song, "South Rampart Street Parade", you can hear the same type of polyphony. The cornet plays the melody, the trombone plays a countermelody, and the clarinet takes over the piccolo role by playing a fast descant obbligato. It was not uncommon for the clarinets and flutes to play a unison descant countermelody on many of the other marches of this period, so most clarinetists would have been familiar with the concept. The range of these marches could extend to as much as a major sixth above above the clarinetists' 'High C'. The technical prowess of Dixieland clarinetists was similarly demonstrated with their florid obbligatos in the altissimo register during the ensemble choruses. This clarinetistry has been a part of Dixieland Jazz throughout it's history - from Larry Shields, the clarinetist of The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, to Benny Goodman, and on to Pete Fountain.

Modern Dixieland Jazz musicians can draw upon the heritages of both styles in their performances. Most Dixieland jazz performed today is in the Chicago Style, whether it's performed in a New York club, a Hong Kong Pub, an Ohio Riverboat or - EVEN IN NEW ORLEANS! Today tubas perform with banjos and pianos, and synthesized pianos and sounds - but modern Dixieland guitarists are a rare breed in comparison with the number of rock guitarists. All types of saxophones join the front line of clarinets, trumpets, and cornets. But whatever the style or instrumentation, the traditional sounds of Dixieland Jazz continue to resound in a celebration of the origins of America's only original art form. - Stephen Rich

1. Tanner, P. O. W., & Gerow, M. (1973). A study of Jazz (2nd ed.). Dubuque,Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Co. 41-42

2. Ibid. 42-44

3. Ibid. 56

The ORIGINAL PORT ROYAL SOUND DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND is pleased to bring you Dixieland Jazz based upon the exciting traditional sounds of America's only original art form!

Made on a Macintosh!

• back to title page