Les Rois du Fox-Trot: Fireworks

[Durium]

There are but few living musicians who know how to play hot jazz in the rich tradition of the Roaring Twenties, as played by bands like Fletcher Henderson, Jabbo Smith or Tiny Parham, to list some. Cornet player Jean-Pierre Morel is the unrivalled high priest of 1920s Hot Jazz. Known from bands like Charquet et Co, Les Petit Jazz Band de Mr. Morel and his Les Rois du Fox-Trot has won his spurs to keep the 1920s spirit alive.

Recently his latest album Fireworks was released, a collection of unforgettable and often forgotten 1920s classics. Keep Swinging loves to share this kind of albums which learn how to play hot jazz- and dance music as if the great legends returned to earth special for you.

Les Rois du Fox-Trot: Fireworks - Hot jazz and dance music

[Big Beat Steve]

Interesting project.

I havent' listened to any of their music on record or stage yet but I wonder if their quest for recreating the music from that period extends to the drummer's work too.

The Youtube excerpts are a bit muddy and lo-fi in that respect, but it does seem like the drummer passably refrains from riding the cymbals like mad (shifting the basic beat up there) in a post-Jo Jones/Kenny Clarke-like manner just like even drummers of recent oldtime/"Dixieland" bands have seen fit to do in so many cases (something that would alter the overall rhythm and feel of the music quite a bit.

Hope the Youtube samples are representative even in that respect. After all, if you wanted to recreate the spirit from those times (without slavishly copying it, of course) it would be a bit strange if this stopped right in front of the drummer, wouldn't it?

Edited September 22, 2011 by Big Beat Steve

[Durium]

It's great Steve.

Durium

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[Larry Kart]

I have all the albums by this band, as well as those made by Charquet et Co and Les Petit Jazz Band. They're all excellent IMO; when drums arrive, they're handled as one might wish. Also some of the soloists are superb, particularly clarinetist Alain Marquet (from Charquet and Les Petit) and saxophonist Michael Bescont. Also, while some of the materrial is re-creative, often with significant alterations, some of it is new. Steve, I would definitely look on YouTube for Charquet and Co performances.