SwingDJs

I don't know what it is, but I have totally been getting into both ray nance's and stuff smith's violin playing... I was wondering, what do other people think about violins in swing? What are your favorites of the genre?

later,
Kevin

I like violin, but in moderation. I like Grappelli's stuff.

claude "fiddler" williams also has some decent stuff.

I don't play much of it at all. Can't tell you why, I just haven't dug the songs with violin.

there is that really amazing version of CJam blues, that has a big violin part in the middle. i think it's basie, but im not positive

Joe Venuti practical joke stories are the best.

Oh yeah, and uh, I hear he was kinda good at the violin too. Heh.

Kyle wrote:there is that really amazing version of CJam blues, that has a big violin part in the middle. i think it's basie, but im not positive

there's a paul gonsalves/ray nance version of c jam blues/duke's place with some violin; although this one has vocals.

nice.... the one i have has no vocals

Kyle wrote:nice.... the one i have has no vocals

You really need to start buying your music... liner notes are worth it.

hehehehehe

i know, i do now, but for a while I didn't. couldn't afford it.

Kyle wrote:hehehehehe

i know, i do now, but for a while I didn't. couldn't afford it.

Dude, proper box sets. They are worth it for the liner notes alone.

Kyle wrote:nice.... the one i have has no vocals

i think it's the duke ellington blanton-webster band with ray nance.
i was listening the 100 Anniversaire set and it has that version;
i think it's the same version on the blanton-webster set. a great
version, and after the violin there's some beautiful mute work.

I've got a couple of live Ellington CDs that have C Jam Blues with Nance on violin (with a solo). They're pretty sweet but I wouldn't play them to dance to. I don't have them in front of me so I can't spit out the titles...I'll check when I get home.

Duke Ellington recorded several versions of "C Jam Blues" with violin. The original violin solo became about as integral a part of the song as the trumpet "solo" is in "Corner Pocket." That violin solo is sometimes played note-for-note by other instruments in non-violin versions.

The DMG Big Band (a modern band that recorded several CDs with surround sound and top-notch acoustics) also has a version with violin. People actually gave me shit in Chicago for playing it several years ago: "What's this VIOLIN crap!!???!!"

The problem with violin is that it is classically played with Classical music sweeps and sways, not with Swing music's rhythms and breaks. Thus, most violinists who dabble in jazz tend to be too classically influenced to make their solo work interesting. There also is something about the violin, itslef, that does not lend itself to jazz music, similar to the way the Tuba does not fit into anything but Trad Jazz. However, like all generalizations, there are exceptions, and it is a great surprise to get a solid violin solo, like the C Jam Blues solo.

Stephan Grappelli is too "smooth jazz" for me. He's just a big name people tend to drop, similar to the way most people drop Django's name without really appreciating or knowing his music or work.

Lawrence wrote: The problem with violin is that it is classically played with Classical music sweeps and sways, not with Swing music's rhythms and breaks. Thus, most violinists who dabble in jazz tend to be too classically influenced to make their solo work interesting. There also is something about the violin, itslef, that does not lend itself to jazz music, similar to the way the Tuba does not fit into anything but Trad Jazz. However, like all generalizations, there are exceptions, and it is a great surprise to get a solid violin solo, like the C Jam Blues solo.

Stephan Grappelli is too "smooth jazz" for me. He's just a big name people tend to drop, similar to the way most people drop Django's name without really appreciating or knowing his music or work.

the violinists who dabble in jazz, are you speaking of contemporary
players? i haven't really researched the bios of jazz violin players, but
there is whole tradition of fiddle playing in folk music. yesterday i saw
a compilation at Borders of blues violin players.