Re: And which of the expert musicians are the ones ....
by alex revell
Firstly. I do not want things to be 'simple'. Its only that, in those instances I gave, they seem so to me. I'm sorry if you find that hard to understand.
Secondly. I can't answer for the musicians whose opinions you quoted. Maybe some of the forumites can come up with the answer. It's a mystery to me. George? Maybe its because we have been able to hear far more Bix - on record, and in isolation - than they did at the time.
I can only speak as I find from my own experience. Long before the 'experts' found the documentary evidence that it wasn't Kid Ory on some of the Louis Hot Sevens, musicians - over here anyway, I can't speak for those in the States - were listening to the records and saying, 'Heh' that's not Ory.' Most of us could tell when it was Dutrey, by the playing, but we had no idea who the other guy was, only that it wasn't Ory and he wasn't much of a player, whoever he was. Same thing with the 'is it Johnny Dodds or Jimmie O'Bryant' on the Lovie Austins. We had no difficulty whatsoever in telling them apart and couldn't understand why anyone was or could be confused. We preferred to trust our ears in such matters.
Where did I say that the the world is divided into two kinds of people - musicians and non-musicians. It's made up of all sorts of people, but in the case of musical appreciation or understanding they differ in degrees in their ability to accurately hear musical sounds.
You speak of 'facts'. As an historian in another field, and with all due modesty I believe I can say well-respected in that field, I have learnt that it is best to be very wary of many so called 'facts'. Especially when they are expressed as such, instead of opinions, and often are the result of personal bias, or faulty recollection long after the event. Even documentary evidence, seemly irrefutable, is often contradicted by another documentary source.
I regret that you have seen fit to descend into personal abuse - 'ignorant, confused by facts' - in an attempt to bolster your view The only confusion I have is why people can't hear/recognise what is in front of their ears.
