[ Home ]
From: Robert
Date: December 16, 2002
To say that all western swing musicians considered themselves jazz players is far too general in terms of accuracy. This may be true of many of them, but you couldn't say that about all of them. Certainly the majority of western swing musicians enjoyed the "jazz improvisation" that western swing encouraged. Most of the artists would prefer to be called "jazz musicians" than the derogatory expression of "hillbilly" musicians. Leon McAuliffe said nothing started a fight faster than for someone to call them hillbilly. The musicians played sophisticated arrangements, or as Bob said "We're the most versatile band in America!"
What is western swing? Take a mixture of frontier fiddle music, add the blues, jazz, Dixieland, tin-pan alley, pop music, race music, western music, big band tunes, novelty tunes, etc. Combine the breakdowns, stomps, jigs, reels, waltzes, rags, twin guitars, twin fiddles, and whatever made the music enjoyable. Whatever made it danceable. You couldn't put a straightjacket on western swing music; it wouldn't be confined!