As has been lovingly documented in
Tom Stoddard
's book
Jazz on the Barbary Coast
, San Francisco's
jazz
scene was fully formed and cooking up a storm before the First World War. The West Coast
Dixieland
tradition endured throughout the 20th century and is alive and well in the 21st. Banjoist
Ted Shafer
made his first
New Orleans-styled jazz
albums during the early '70s; his more recent work demonstrates an unwavering devotion to the tradition. Fortunately,
Shafer
has excellent taste and does not resort to tiresome corn. His seven-piece band is pleasantly propelled by two banjos and a tuba. The front line is made up of cornets, clarinets, and trombone. Some of these guys enjoy singing old-fashioned lyrics, but the backbone of this smart little group's repertoire is the grand old tradition of instrumental New Orleans polyphony. Choice cuts are
Lloyd Garrett
and
Hart A. Wand
's
"Dallas Blues,"
Louis Armstrong
"Wild Man Blues,"
Bill Whitmore
"New Orleans Shuffle."
~ arwulf arwulf