[Dixielandjazz] Does "Dixieland" Matter Anymore?

[Stephen Barbone]

List Mates:

Barbone Street has been successfully promoting OKOM to the general
audiences for several years within a 100 mile radius of Philadelphia
using the term "DIXIELAND JAZZ".  For the young folks, there is no
negative connotation and for us, it is the best way to describe the
music.

In that vein, we did 4 gigs these past few days, all to general
audiences, with a few real jazz fans mixed in. Also, mostly young folks
with a few older folks mixed in.

Thursday Night: a club date at the Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in
West Chester PA. 9 PM to Midnight. Place was jammed at 250 people the
whole time. We, and the audience had a blast. BTW, we've been there
regularly for 4 years now, (beads and all) and out draw every other band
they have ever presented there.

Friday Noon:  University of Pennsylvania Ice Cream Social on a street
next to the campus. U of P gave away Ice Cream to passersby while we
played from 11:30 to 1:30 PM. We ran them out of scream about 12:45 PM
and they had to get back-up supplies. Estimate 500 passersby. The
University and the Ice Cream Supplier were astounded by the size of the
crowd we drew. Previous bands had not done anywhere near that, nor did
kids dance in the streets like they did for us. (beads and all) Then
drove 95 miles to Rehoboth

Friday and Saturday Nights: Sydney's Jazz Club, Rehoboth Beach Delaware.
9 PM to 1:30 AM. Louis Armstrong Birthday Celebration over the weekend.
Once again two packed houses. Wildly cheering and dancing crowds, mostly
young, most Fri nighters came back Saturday because they had such a good
time. Some turned away because club was over capacity. BTW Sydney's is
an UPSCALE Restaurant and club, named as one of the 100 TOP JAZZ
NIGHTCLUBS in the USA by "JAZZ IS" Magazine. We play there 4 times a
year and according to the bartenders there and Sydney, we draw the
biggest, and happiest crowds all year. (beads are a big hit)

Even met a 20 something sweet young thing, who is going to Spain next
month, loved our band, and so I am writing a separate note to Kash with
her email address as she'll be in Madrid for a week and then on to
Grenada. She wants to hear your band now, and ride in your sports car,
Kash!!! And is prepared to fall in love with Spain and stay there, maybe
permanently.

Why do I post this? Neither because I want gigs from readers, nor to
sell them CDs. Our plate is pretty full. My agenda is simply to tell
everybody that DIXIELAND is a very vibrant musical form. There is a
demand out there for good music that very few bands, Dixieland or
otherwise, recognize. I urge those bands that are able, to get to the
clubs and other venues where the kids are. You will perpetuate the music
as well as have the time of your life. Just do it!

And, no, you don't have to be a "show" band, or use hokum, as some might
accuse us of doing. (without having seen or heard us) Focus on
presenting a good band and play swinging, danceable jazz.

In that regard, with all due modesty, Barbone Street is the kind of band
that will ignite the crowd where ever we play, in any city in the world.
The musicianship is equal to, or better than, most other jazz bands, of
any type in the world. And we will almost certainly out-perform them
all. And yes, we will throw beads and joke with the audience. Why?
Because we get a huge kick out of it, and we revel in the applause and
adulation of audiences wherever we play.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone