[Dixielandjazz] OKOM Reviews
JimDBB@aol.com
JimDBB@aol.com
Sat, 29 Jun 2002 12:40:20 EDT
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In a message dated 6/29/02 9:37:24 AM Central Daylight Time,
barbonestreet@earthlink.net writes:
> Also, most jazz reviews, at least in the NY Times are of bands playing
> in the local club scene. Other than Giordano, there is very little club
> scene in NYC that features OKOM. I suspect that's true all over the USA.
> In fact the total US OKOM scene is pretty small and well out of the
> mainstream in jazz here today.
Well now, I find myself very much in agreement with Steve Barbone. I will
say that in the Chicago Area there is jazz activity, quality stuff in all
styles. Unfortunately, they are much ignored by the newspaper Arts sections
and the media in general.
The Jazz Showcase brings in out of town Jazz names and gets glowing reviews
from 'jazz' critic Howard Reich. Reich either ignores Chicago groups and
artists or viciously attacks them. One prominent jazz musician quipped Hoard
Reich as the '3rd Reich'. This caught on and Reich found out who originated
it. Now he never mentions this artist or the club where he works.
> And today's OKOM bands are generally not as good as past OKOM bands like
> Eddie Condon's group's, or Turk Murphy, or the groups that Jim Beebe and
> Don Ingle et al, played in several decades ago. Harsh as it may be, most
> of today's festival bands are not on a par with those of the past.
>
So true. Traditional Jazz fest fans seem to prefer the inferior. The
cornier a group is the better they like it.
Perhaps the reviewers in the American Rag and Mississippi Rag are
> reluctant to gild the lily. Even a festival like Sacramento, features
> headliners that stretch the boundaries of OKOM. The Sacramento media
> might choose to review the Stars of the Lawrence Welk Show in preference
> to the Dixieland Bands. And why not? They are the featured acts.
> From my own experiences, I've seen reviews by jazz club newsletters that
> are way overblown, touting bands that are just one step above awful.
> Better just an appearance note with the songs they played than such
> obvious junk reviews.
>
Absolutely true. No one seems to know the difference.
> With every passing day, we lose audience in the USA for OKOM. We are
> less and less visible. Best advice to reverse that trend, is to play
> where the younger generations are. IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S CLUBS. Beebe
> said it all when he advised a young man to stop talking about it and
> start playing it. My only addition to that advice would be to play it to
> the younger audiences. Play it well, and the reviews will come.
>
> Again, I agree. except that the reviews will not come in Chicago unless you
come in as an out of town group.
Cheers,
>
> Steve Barbone
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2>In a message dated 6/29/02 9:37:24 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">Also, most jazz reviews, at least in the NY Times are of bands playing<BR>
in the local club scene. Other than Giordano, there is very little club<BR>
scene in NYC that features OKOM. I suspect that's true all over the USA.<BR>
In fact the total US OKOM scene is pretty small and well out of the<BR>
mainstream in jazz here today.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
<BR>
Well now, I find myself very much in agreement with Steve Barbone. I will say that in the Chicago Area there is jazz activity, quality stuff in all styles. Unfortunately, they are much ignored by the newspaper Arts sections and the media in general. <BR>
The Jazz Showcase brings in out of town Jazz names and gets glowing reviews from 'jazz' critic Howard Reich. Reich either ignores Chicago groups and artists or viciously attacks them. One prominent jazz musician quipped Hoard Reich as the '3rd Reich'. This caught on and Reich found out who originated it. Now he never mentions this artist or the club where he works.<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">And today's OKOM bands are generally not as good as past OKOM bands like<BR>
Eddie Condon's group's, or Turk Murphy, or the groups that Jim Beebe and<BR>
Don Ingle et al, played in several decades ago. Harsh as it may be, most<BR>
of today's festival bands are not on a par with those of the past.<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
So true. Traditional Jazz fest fans seem to prefer the inferior. The cornier a group is the better they like it. <BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
Perhaps the reviewers in the American Rag and Mississippi Rag are</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">reluctant to gild the lily. Even a festival like Sacramento, features<BR>
headliners that stretch the boundaries of OKOM. The Sacramento media<BR>
might choose to review the Stars of the Lawrence Welk Show in preference<BR>
to the Dixieland Bands. And why not? They are the featured acts.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">From my own experiences, I've seen reviews by jazz club newsletters that<BR>
are way overblown, touting bands that are just one step above awful.<BR>
Better just an appearance note with the songs they played than such<BR>
obvious junk reviews.<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
Absolutely true. No one seems to know the difference.<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">With every passing day, we lose audience in the USA for OKOM. We are<BR>
less and less visible. Best advice to reverse that trend, is to play<BR>
where the younger generations are. IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S CLUBS. Beebe<BR>
said it all when he advised a young man to stop talking about it and<BR>
start playing it. My only addition to that advice would be to play it to<BR>
the younger audiences. Play it well, and the reviews will come.<BR>
<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></BLOCKQUOTE>Again, I agree. except that the reviews will not come in Chicago unless you come in as an out of town group.<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
Cheers,</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"><BR>
Steve Barbone<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
<BR>
</FONT></HTML>
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