[Dixielandjazz] Take Me Off This List

[Stephen Barbone]

List Mates:

The "Take Me Off This List" sequence of postings reminds me of those
gigs Barbone Street does at Nursing Homes and Assisted Living
facilities. Latest one being yesterday with the quartet. The residents
are unable to care for themselves, seem a bit odd, detached somewhat
from reality, need help to accomplish the simplest tasks, etc. But they
respond to OKOM.

We do a lot of these. Yesterday's gig audience included  one aged gal
who kept repeating "What am I doing here?". An old guy who kept getting
up, then sitting down over and over again. Another one who paced the
room and the hall constantly, etc, You get the picture. In that wing of
the building, all the doors and windows are locked.

But when we started to play songs from the 20s, 30s, and 40s, All those
things came to a halt. Even though we jazzed up every song, their eyes
flickered with recognition and they smiled. We did songs like My Wild
Irish Rose, Bill Bailey, My Blue Heaven, Lady Be Good, The Man I Love,
The Way You Look Tonight, Somebody Loves Me, Baby Face, Four Leaf
Clover, etc., etc. The stuff they grew up with. The stuff pop-OKOM is
made of.

The change was dramatic. "What am I doing here" became "Play anything
you like, its OK with me". The pacing stopped, and the up and down man
came over to our little corner and sat quietly for 2 hours.

Moral, kick back, listen to some good music, smile and be very thankful
that you are aging well. And if you know someone in a facility like
this, visit them often. And if you play music, seek these venues out,
you'll feel good afterwards, even though you may be put off when you
first do it.

Cheers,
Steve