Dixieland

Dixieland or Dixie is a name for the south-eastern portion of the USA; see: U.S. Southern States, Dixie. This article is about the musical genre.

History

The style combined earlier brass band marches, French Quadrilles, ragtime and blues with collective, polyphonic improvisation by trumpet, trombone, and clarinet.

Related Topics:
Ragtime - Blues - Polyphonic - Improvisation - Trumpet - Trombone - Clarinet

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The term Dixieland became widely used after the advent of the first million-selling hit records of the Original Dixieland Jass Band in 1917. The music has been played continuously since the early part of the 20th century. Louis Armstrong's All-Stars was the band most popularly identified with Dixieland, although Armstrong's own influence runs through all of jazz.

Related Topics:
Original Dixieland Jass Band - 20th century - Louis Armstrong

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Many Dixieland groups consciously imitated the recordings and bands of decades earlier. Other musicians continued to create innovative performances and original new tunes. Some fans of post bebop jazz consider Dixieland to no longer be a vital part of jazz, while some adherents consider music in the traditional style, when well and creatively played, is every bit as modern as any other jazz style.

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Dixieland combos usually have a rhythm section with a combination of drum kit, upright bass, piano, and banjo or guitar. The lead instruments are usually restricted trombone, trumpet, and clarinet. The definitive Dixieland sound is the simultaneous playing of the three lead instruments.

Related Topics:
Rhythm section - Drum kit - Upright bass - Banjo - Guitar - Trombone - Trumpet - Clarinet

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With the advent of bebop in the 1940s, the earlier group-improvisation style fell out of favor with the majority of younger black players, while some older players of both races continued on in the older style. Though younger musicians developed new forms, many bebopers revered Armstrong, and quoted fragments of his recorded music in their own improvisations.

Related Topics:
Bebop

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There was a revival of Dixieland in the 1950's, which brought many semi-retired musicians a measure of fame late in their lives. This period is sometimes seen as a fad.

Related Topics:
1950 - Fad

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There was also in the 1950's a style called "Progressive Dixieland" which sought to blend traditional Dixieland melody with bebop-style rhythm. Steve Lacy played with several such bands early in his career.

Related Topics:
Melody - Bebop - Rhythm - Steve Lacy

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