[Dixielandjazz] Rube Band

[randymillan]

I received a lot of good information about my rotary valve tuba and I
thank those members who took the time to talk to me about it.

While writing one member, I was talking to them about a concept we have
out here called a "Rube" Band.  I was wondering if this is an
international concept or if someone here in Canada just made it up.

Here a Rube band is a parade and outdoor band of usually Traditional
jazz musicians who casually march down the parade route, or around the
festival area, no uniforms, no formation, no real arrangements.
Everyone just chooses a song, a key and giver!  I have played in two
Rube Bands so far.  In the southern part of the Okanagan here in BC we
had a small group of about 10 musicians and would play at many of the
outdoor concerts and parades in the area. I played Tenor Sax in that
group.  It was great fun because you never knew who was going to show
up, or what tune would be played in what key or sometimes even what
instruments you were going to have with you.  That group actually had an
accordian player show up and play with the group.  He played well and
fit in quite well with the strolling part providing really nice keyboard
riffs and stuff.  

There always seemed to be an event to go to if we wanted to.  Free of
course.  But we often got free food and stuff.

The other group is my present group which can have between 7 and 10 and
is not really a "Rube" band per se but plays in the style.  I play banjo
in this group and we mainly do parades.

But there is a Rube Band in Kamloops BC that has about 60 members.  Not
everyone comes to a parade.  For example at the last parade I saw them
at, there were about 20-25 musicians walking down the parade route in
roughly the same direction.  I have heard them a few times and they are
very good.  I once asked one of the trumpets if they arranged their
music and he said no, they had just played frequently enough so they
knew which section was doing what and they would make it up from there.
I don't know if that's true but you could tell there was a lot of
jamming going on, and there was no paper around.

Anyone else ever heard of this style of okum? Is this similar to the New
Orleans groups that I've heard of?

Randy Millan
Dixie North Jazz Band and "Rube" Band Extraordinaire
Vernon B.C.   ph:  250.260.7744
web:  www.armenterprises.cjb.net 
email:  randymillan@shaw.ca
icq # 3377917