[Dixielandjazz] Dixieland Dress

JimDBB@aol.com JimDBB@aol.com
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><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT  SIZE=2>In a message dated 7/10/02 10:09:23 AM Central Daylight Time, barbonestreet@earthlink.net writes:<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<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<BR>
etc, etc. there is one thing many of us forget. That in the 40s, 50s and<BR>
60s in New York City, there were all kinds of Dixieland Bands playing in<BR>
all kinds of clubs. Ryan's players on 52nd Street, wouldn't be caught<BR>
dead in uniforms. They wore nice suits. Condon's gang downtown? ditto.<BR>
The bands at Nick's? A few did, but most did not. The touring N.O.<BR>
Revivalists? Suits. Why all the suits do you suppose? Maybe because that<BR>
is how regular people dressed in NYC back then. Today, in a more casual<BR>
world, why shouldn't casual dress be acceptable?<BR>
<BR>
For those of us who grew up in NYC in that era, jazz was serious music.<BR>
And the musicians who played it were serious about how they played it,<BR>
but relaxed and fun loving when they played it. And I think most US East<BR>
Coast jazz musicians will tell you today that uniforms are hokey and<BR>
only worn when the client paying the bills demands it.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
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; <BR>
<BR>
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; <BR>
<BR>
And you would probably never catch Armstong playing a performance in T shirts.<BR>
<BR>
As far as the 'East Coast' musicians and 'uniforms'...perhaps that attitude is the reason they are still on the East Coast.<BR>
<BR>
Jim Beebe</FONT></HTML>

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