Jazz » New Orleans/Classic Jazz » Trad Jazz

Although the term "traditional jazz" has been used for everything from Dixieland to the current straight-ahead jazz scene, Trad was the name for the form of New Orleans jazz that flourished in the United Kingdom during the 1950s and 1960s. Similar in style and sound to Dixieland, the best trad bands developed their own repertoire and distinctive approach to playing the happy music. The most popular bands were led by trumpeter Kenny Ball (who had a major hit with "Midnight in Moscow") and trombonist Chris Barber, and stars like Humphrey Lyttelton, Ken Colyer, and Monty Sunshine kept the scene alive and well -- at least until the Beatles caught on.