[Tradjazz] '' TRAD JAZZ", "DIXIELAND" OR "CLASSIC JAZZ"??

[William P. Taggart]

'' TRAD JAZZ", "DIXIELAND" OR "CLASSIC JAZZ"??

I'd like your help in resolving a difference of opinion.  My good
friend, BRUCE MCNICHOLS,  of Radio OKOM fame, has taken a position that
there are great and significant differences among the phrases "Trad
Jazz", " Dixieland", and "Classic Jazz".  He says I'm unsophisticated
for not knowing the differences.  According to Bruce, Trad Jazz refers
only to a very narrow style of Jazz originating from English show bands
and pretty much played only in England. He cites Acker Bilk as a prime
example.

"Dixieland", on the other hand, refers only to the loose form of music
that originated in New Orleans.

"Classic Jazz" refers to Chicago and West Coast Jazz.

To top it all off, he says that the word," Jazz", without a preceding
adjective, means Modern Jazz, starting with Charlie Mingus.  

I, for one,  find it difficult to define Our Kind Of Music in such
explicit and definitive ways. I believe there is so much overlap among
styles that these terms are much more interchangeable.  Americans can
play Trad Jazz with the best of  'em.
Certainly, the word "Jazz", whether standing alone or not, does not
refer only to modern Jazz.

What do you think?
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