Dixieland Jug Blowers
Encyclopedia
The Dixieland Jug Blowers were a popular American
musical group of the 1920s. While being a jug band
, the group is often classified as a jazz band
due to its set up which, while including regular Jug band instruments such as jug, banjo
, guitar
, and violin
, also used alto saxophone
, trombone
, piano
, and even the famous Johnny Dodds on clarinet
. This wide variety of instrumentation caused the jug band to become the most sophisticated of its time and influenced many other jug bands of the time such as the Memphis Jug Band.
The Dixieland Jug Band was originally formed through the commingling of two separate groups run by jug player Earl McDonald and fiddler Clifford Hayes. They were brought together in 1926 in for a Victor Records recording session in Chicago
and again later in 1927 Earl McDonald had been a musician for almost 30 years and so favoured the earlier traditional and minstrel
tunes. Clifford Hayes on the other hand favoured a more straight ahead Jazz
styled approach, eventually dispensing with the jug altogether. The two would only work together in the studio due to Hayes' financial shenanigans, in which he would lie to fellow bandmates about the takings and would pocket more than his fair share.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musical group of the 1920s. While being a jug band
Jug band
A Jug band is a band employing a jug player and a mix of traditional and home-made instruments. These home-made instruments are ordinary objects adapted to or modified for making of sound, like the washtub bass, washboard, spoons, stovepipe and comb & tissue paper...
, the group is often classified as a jazz band
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
due to its set up which, while including regular Jug band instruments such as jug, banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, also used alto saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, and even the famous Johnny Dodds on clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
. This wide variety of instrumentation caused the jug band to become the most sophisticated of its time and influenced many other jug bands of the time such as the Memphis Jug Band.
The Dixieland Jug Band was originally formed through the commingling of two separate groups run by jug player Earl McDonald and fiddler Clifford Hayes. They were brought together in 1926 in for a Victor Records recording session in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and again later in 1927 Earl McDonald had been a musician for almost 30 years and so favoured the earlier traditional and minstrel
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
tunes. Clifford Hayes on the other hand favoured a more straight ahead Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
styled approach, eventually dispensing with the jug altogether. The two would only work together in the studio due to Hayes' financial shenanigans, in which he would lie to fellow bandmates about the takings and would pocket more than his fair share.