Dixieland Tuba 101:

Getting Started with Traditional Jazz,

presented by Dr. Thomas Bough, Northern Illinois University,

Yamaha Performing Artist.

www.ThomasBough.com

Dixieland = Collective Improvisation

Everyone has a role….understand yours!

Bass Lines

Dixieland bass lines are very similar to bass lines in a march.

Some of the earliest jazz performers were known for playing marches in a ragtime

style, i.e., “ragging the march”.

More Information

For more information about the correlation between Dixieland and marches, as well as a historical

overview of the style, a thorough discography and transcriptions of a dozen Dixieland standards, check

out my DMA dissertation “The Role of the Tuba in Early Jazz Music from 1917 to the Present: A

Historical, Pedagogical and Aural Perspective”. Google “ UMI Dissertation Express” to order.

Dr. Jazz (Bough) Audio

Thomas Bough (tuba)  Dissertation Recording,

Arizona State University, 1999.

Tradition

Dixieland, like all jazz, is primarily an AURAL tradition. No clinic, method book, or dissertation (even mine) will replace careful

listening, musical analysis, and active imitation of the style.

Initial Listening List

• Sam Pilafian and Travelin’ Light • Dixie Power Trio • Dukes of Dixieland (with Rich Matteson playing tuba) • Lu Watters and His Yerba Buena Jazz Band

Other great tuba jazz players include:• John Sass• Youngblood Brass Band (with Nat McIntosh playing

tuba) • Dirty Dozen Brass Band

There are lots more great players out there, but this is a good start.

Publications

Both Alfred Publications and Hal Leonard Publications offer Dixieland play-along and instructional CD’s, which

might be helpful.

The ITEA journal has featured many articles over the years on this topic.

Check it out!

There are lots of GREAT materials on jazz bass line construction and jazz

improvisation available from a variety of publishers. They may not

necessarily focus on early jazz, but they can provide a starting point for learning to construct a bass line.

Dixieland Bass line

Construction

Chord Changes

Learn to play changes! Not only will you become a better musician, but you will

have more commercial (gig) opportunities as well.

Tonic-Dominant (I-V). Change octaves (reasonably) to maintain interest.

Most Rudimentary Bass line

Gut Bucket audio

Lu Watters and His Yerba Buena Jazz Band  (I-V)  

Historical Notes

San Francisco was home to a wonderful revival of Dixieland in the late 1940’s and early

1950’s. The audio recordings made during this era are generally technologically better (especially in terms of the bass voices) than

those made in the 1920’s and early ‘30’s, which was the height of the Dixieland era. Lu

Watters and his Yerba Buena Jazz Band were among the best from this era.

I-V plus short walks. Use dominant-7th scale fragments and leading tones to

connect chords.

Typical Dixieland Bass line

Long Walks. Less typical of this style, but appropriate at times.

Other bass line options

Sheik of Araby audio

 Louis Armstrong and the Dukes of Dixieland, with Rich Matteson

(Long Walks and double time vs. half-time)

Jazz Greats

Rich Matteson is one of the greatest musicians, artists, performers and/or

entertainers to even play tuba or euphonium. If you are not familiar with his music and career, educate

yourself!

Jazz Greats

Same for Louis Armstrong. For both, LISTEN to their music, ANALYZE

what they are playing, then IMITATE it in your own playing.

Effects

Double time / half time effects

3 quarter notes per bar

Stop time. Play the downbeat every bar, or every other bar, depending

on the tempo.

Avalon (Travelin’ Light) audio

Sam Pilafian and Travelin’ Light

(stop time) 

Solo Breaks

King Oliver, Louis Armstrong’s mentor, said “jazz happens in the breaks”.

These two-bar or four-bar rests inserted at structural joints in the form of the music

are an integral part of this style.

Know when NOT to play!

Cornet Chop Suey audio

Louis Armstrong: The Hot Fives, Vol. 1

(top time and breaks)

Know the performance traditions of each piece, so you can perform with a

high degree of authenticity.

Again, know when NOT to play!

Muskrat Ramble audio

Louis Armstrong : The Hot Fives, Vol. 1 (traditions of each song)

Riffs

(rhythmic ostinati, for our classically trained friends)

Use characteristic rhythms from the period to create accompany an entire

chorus.

Tiger Rag (Sam) audio

Sam Pilafian and Travelin’ Light

(riff and lead)

Dixieland Style characteristics

Articulation and tone quality

Bourbon Street Parade by Jazz Incredibles(audio)

The Jazz Incredibles with “Red” Lehr

(tone quality)

Growls, shrieks, falls and flutter tongue

Use tastefully and sparingly to create contrasts and musical effects

Basin Street by Jazz Incredibles audio

The Jazz Incredibles with “Red” Lehr. 

(growls, shrieks and effects) 

Practice Tips

Learn the words and melody to all songs, as well as the chord changes.

Knowing the words and melody will help you track the form, help you

distinguish between songs, and is just GOOD MUSICIANSHIP.

Write out multiple choruses of sample bass lines to practice the cognitive skills

of bass line construction.

Record yourself playing multiple choruses of sample bass lines (with metronome, of course) to evaluate the development of

your skills.

Form a rehearsal ensemble (or the next great Dixieland band) to practice the skills of collective improvisation. Invest some

time in listening to recordings TOGETHER to learn the style and to develop a shared vocabulary about what musical techniques you like and how you will implement them

on a gig.

AS ALWAYS, get comfortable enough with the musical and technical demands of

this style to allow yourself the freedom to REACT TO and INTERACT WITH the

other performers in real time.

Compare song titles between your favorite recordings to get a sense of which titles occur the most frequently. Learn these

“standards” first, plus whatever tunes are in your fake book.

Tuba as Lead Voice

More common in small ensembles, like a trio.

Know your role!

Know your role! Even in professional trios, the tuba is not always the lead voice.

Give equal attention to playing the melody and to musical roles which support others.

Utilize your strengths but know your limits.

Sweet Georgia Brown audio (Sam)

Sam Pilafian and Travelin’ Light 

(lead)

Out of time, unaccompanied, improvisatory solos are a part of the Dixieland style in some cases. Think of these as cadenzas in a swing

style. Their construction is simple, but not easy…create melodic variations based on

motific fragments supported by scalar passages over a limited degree of harmonic

motion. In other words….FLASH AND TRASH!

Tiger Rag audio (Jazz Incredibles)

Dixieland solo tradition allows for the use of musical quotes and interjections, often designed to be humorous. One should avoid creating an entire improvised solo based on nothing but quotes, but their occasional use can be appropriate.

St. James Infirmary (Bough) audio

Acknowledgements

• Special thanks to the U.S. Army for hosting this conference

• Conference Coordinator Don Palmire

• Yamaha Corporation for their support

• And to my publisher Cimarron Music

Powerpoint slides assemble by

Gregory Matushek, undergrad Music Education Major

Northern Illinois University