Mr.Gumby wrote:While I can see your point, I would have to question that in the sense that even a tune learned from notation will be varied in the hands of a traditional musician. A written version would be a starting point at best. Experienced musicians 'feel eachother up' in a sense and will bring their versions closer together as they go along. Often you'd have a a frame of reference, knowing a musician's style or influence helps to anticipate the route they are going to take through a tune and from there on it's a matter of fine tuning to bring things closer together.The act of writing them down, though, creates a "definitive" version so two people who have never met before can get together and play the same tune together.
I get that, but there's little in O'Neill to suggest that's what went on in Chicago most of the time. He does mention Sgt Early and John McFadden playing together, and Adam Tobin piping together with Early at a Fair, and he maybe means they played at the same time, but it's hard to tell. He makes little mention of accompaniment, although he does prepare versions for piano. His talk is all about individual players and their swing and execution.