[Dixielandjazz] dancing

[James Kashishian]

Just read the various mails on dancing to jazz.  Although I enjoy seeing
people dance to our music, I find a dance floor in front of the
bandstand a separation which is difficult to "play over".  This can be a
particular drag if there are no dancers on the floor. 

Actually, anything that separates the band from the listening audience
is a drag.  A too high stage can be a chasm that creates a "distance"
from your listeners.  We once played a gig in a park with a LAKE in
between us and the audience.  A swan swam up in front of the band, and
kept itself directly facing us during the complete gig.  It swam off
after the encore, but didn't applaud or leave a tip.  :>    I dedicated
songs to it finally, as it was much closer than our audience!

Others in our band, and Spanish musicians in general, feel that dancing
means the people aren't listening to the band (or, probably that
particular musician!), but then this line of thought  will lead us into
a discussion on the Spanish EGO, which can only be done on papers the
size of dissertations!!   :>

Our regular Tues nite gig has a dance floor in front of the bandstand.
A few get up & dance, but since it's a pickup joint (albeit a classy
one, with Ferraris, etc, double parked in front!), most clientele are
busy "chatting"!  Hee, hee.

Jim