[Dixielandjazz] Take Me Off This List

[benny theiler]

Steve:  Good advise - well taken, and beautifully written.   I play for many
nursing homes-assisted living, and I whole-heartily agree with your
comments.   Thanx..........

Benny Theiler bennyth@ev1.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Barbone" <barbonestreet@earthlink.net>
To: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 3:02 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Take Me Off This List


> 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
>
>
>
>
>
>
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