Music 074: Baby Dodds by Natalie Hwang

Life and Times of Baby Dodds

Born in 1897, Baby was the younger brother of clarinetist Johnny Dodds, one of the most original and influential reedmen of those early years. Baby was a schooled drummer, which meant he had a thorough knowledge of the military rudiments of drumming. The difference, however, between Dodds and a conventional straight, parade drummer was his heritage. Dodds had Africa in his blood. His ancestors had been African slaves and the rhythms of that exciting Continent were, in some measure, carried to the new world, where this tradition mingled with European music to produce what we know as jazz.

Baby Dodds was playing in parades as early as the 1910s, often with Bunk Johnson as well as with Frankie Dusen's Eagle Band. He played non parade gigs in the famous Fewclothes Cabaret. In 1921 he joined Joe 'King' Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, with whom he made his first recordings in 1923. Featured in this all-star lineup was the 22 year-old musical genius Louis Armstrong. In those first recordings, Baby is hampered by the lack of a full drum kit, being restricted for the most part to playing the woodblock and a choke cymbal. Musicians who heard the band, however, were struck by the big sound, attributable in no small measure to the Dodds rhythm.

By 1927, Baby was playing in brother Johnny's Band and can be heard with a full drum kit on recordings made by Johnny Dodds & His Black Bottom Stompers. These sessions from October 1927 were among the very first recordings to feature a bass drum, which Baby plays in 2 beat time. The two cornet lineup of this band was exactly the same as Oliver's. Baby gets an early drum break in the middle of the trombone solo on After You've Gone. Also at this time he found regular employment in the various Washboard bands.

Baby's technique deserves some scrutiny. For the most part, the bass drum is playing two beats to the bar. The snare drum is played with press rolls.The right stick in most cases plays a steady four beats. The tom toms are used for accents, as are the woodblocks, rims and cymbals. This is an oversimplification, because there was munch more to Baby Dodds than this. On blocks, Baby would play a wide variety of beats so that the beat was constantly moving. White drummers such as Gene Krupa, and George Wettling, both Dodds disciples, were on the beat players, whereas Dodds often played around the time, placing accents where they were least expected. A good example of Baby's blocks can be heard on Jelly Roll Morton's recording of Billy Goat Stomp, which also has an early Dodds solo, played across a series of breaks. With Jelly, Dodds was required to play wire brushes and is one of the first jazz drummers to be recorded with this lighter alternative to sticks.

The depression years found the Dodds brothers struggling to earn a living from music and Baby was forced to help his brother Bill run a taxi business. With the revival of interest in early New Orleans jazz that was budding in 1940, Baby recorded for Decca as part of a New Orleans Album. Victor Records also took the opportunity of pairing him with the great New Orleans soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet for some memorable sides in 1941. In an all-star lineup, Dodds can be heard employing a wide variety of strokes and rolls, both in the ensembles and during his solo, which is played on the blocks, rims and cowbell.

When Bill Russell rediscovered Bunk Johnson and recorded him in 1944, Baby was his chosen drummer. It is on these American Music recordings that we hear Baby to good effect. All the characteristics of his 20s style are ca ptured on these discs. He plays drums, blocks and rims, but does not however, play the ride cymbal or Hi-Hat with this band. Baby did however play ride cymbal with other bands. Listen to "Yes Yes In Your Eyes."

In 1944 he made a handful of sides with Richard M Jones Jazzmen. In 1945 he joined blues pianist Art Hodes, and recorded for Blue Note Careless Love. He was regularly featured on Rudi Blesch's This Is Jazz Broadcasts. He also appeared in what was called the Worlds Greatest Jazz Concert in 1947. Baby also recorded a number of solo sides, which demonstrate his creative genius.

Bill Russell made a short film of Dodds demonstrating his playing, and this has recently been released with a dubbed soundtrack on an American Music Video available from George Buck's GHB organization at www.jazzology.com.

Dodds remains one of the most creative and colourful drummers in the history of traditional jazz and his paralysis from a stroke in the early 50s robbed the jazz world of one of its great innovators. He died in 1959.