[Dixielandjazz] Dixieland Dress

[Stephen Barbone]

With all the different views re uniforms and how bands wore them in past
etc, etc. there is one thing many of us forget. That in the 40s, 50s and
60s in New York City, there were all kinds of Dixieland Bands playing in
all kinds of clubs. Ryan's players on 52nd Street, wouldn't be caught
dead in uniforms. They wore nice suits. Condon's gang downtown? ditto.
The bands at Nick's? A few did, but most did not. The touring N.O.
Revivalists? Suits. Why all the suits do you suppose? Maybe because that
is how regular people dressed in NYC back then. Today, in a more casual
world, why shouldn't casual dress be acceptable?

For those of us who grew up in NYC in that era, jazz was serious music.
And the musicians who played it were serious about how they played it,
but relaxed and fun loving when they played it. And I think most US East
Coast jazz musicians will tell you today that uniforms are hokey and
only worn when the client paying the bills demands it.

They are neat, clean, and casual about the dress, but the music speaks
for itself. Who is your audience? That will determine how you dress.
I'll never forget asking a young man about to be married in a formal
ceremony last year: "Matt, how would you like us to dress?"  His answer,
Man, you are THE band, dress any way you want." So we played the wedding
in shirt & tie, but rolled up our sleeves and gave them a dancing party
that they still talk about. To them, we still are THE band.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone