[Dixielandjazz] Band Dress

[Jazzjerry@aol.com]

In a message dated 11/7/02 16:32:10, jazzboard@hotmail.com writes:

<< Over this one might find a war surplus army 
jacket. Pants are invariably baggy and often grey.
 >>

Good grief you must be looking at very old bands. The war surplus jackets 
went out in the late 1950s. Most bands these days appearing at club or 
festival venues will be dressed casually and if there is a 'uniform' quite 
often it is dark grey or black trousers, plus black shoes, with polo shirts 
often bearing a band logo. I can think of several bands which dress like this 
which no doubt they find comfortable in venues which can be rather on the 
warm side to say the least. Others simply wear white or plain coloured 
shirts. The emphasis seems to be on tidiness rather than a formal uniform. Of 
course there are exceptions with some bands appearing to have no dress code 
apart from clean clothes and some do wear 'street' clothes.

I can't think of many bands on the current British club or festival scene who 
go more formally into a uniform. Maybe this is a backlash against the stupid 
outfits which were in vogue during the 'trad boom' when bands dressed as 
Mississippi Gamblers, Confererate Soldiers etc. 

Of course the band which really did 'dress down' back in the boom years was 
'The Guv'nor', Ken Colyer, and strangely his checked shirts almost became a 
uniform.

Cheers,

Jerry,
Norwich,
U.K.