[Dixielandjazz] Dixieland Dress

Wed, 10 Jul 2002 17:48:06 EDT

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In a message dated 7/10/02 10:09:23 AM Central Daylight Time, 
barbonestreet@earthlink.net writes:

> 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.

Louis Armstrong never thought that 'uniforms' were 'hokey.'  I can assure you 
of that.  Perhaps you don't understand that a 'suit' is a uniform if it's 
done in a particular way.  

Armstrong's band had special made uniform-suits which they wore with bow 
ties.  Louis and the band always looked terrific.  I don't know how they did 
it with their traveling schedule and cleaning hassles.  

And you would probably never catch Armstong playing a performance in T 
shirts.

As far as the 'East Coast' musicians and 'uniforms'...perhaps that attitude 
is the reason they are still on the East Coast.

Jim Beebe

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<HTML>In a message dated 7/10/02 10:09:23 AM Central Daylight Time, barbonestreet@earthlink.net writes: 
 
 
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">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.</BLOCKQUOTE> 
 
Louis Armstrong never thought that 'uniforms' were 'hokey.'&nbsp; I can assure you of that.&nbsp; Perhaps you don't understand that a 'suit' is a uniform if it's done in a particular way.&nbsp; 
 
Armstrong's band had special made uniform-suits which they wore with bow ties.&nbsp; Louis and the band always looked terrific.&nbsp; I don't know how they did it with their traveling schedule and cleaning hassles.&nbsp; 
 
And you would probably never catch Armstong playing a performance in T shirts. 
 
As far as the 'East Coast' musicians and 'uniforms'...perhaps that attitude is the reason they are still on the East Coast. 
 
Jim Beebe</HTML>

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