[Dixielandjazz] Re: Starting a Jazz Society

[Will Connelly]

Dear Rebecca -

Steve is right! If you want a jazz society at DFW, grasp the bull firmly
by any convenient protuberance and start it! The DFW metro area is
easily large enough to support a society, and if you're willing to work
at it, you can do it and make it succeed. 

I am a founding father of the Hot Jazz & Alligator Gumbo Society and the
Gold Coast Jazz Society in Fort Lauderdale, so I speak with some
authority. I ran HAGS from its creation to about 1300 cumulative
members, through concerts, our 'house band' in the Orange Bowl parade
and a Jubile patterned on Pismo with sixteen bands (including Buck
Creek, Chicago Six, Hot Cotton, the Black Dogs and K.O. Eckland's Pismo
Experimental Jazz Band) at three bus-connected venues. I did this for
10-1/2 years.  	

Some years ago, the American Federation of Jazz Societies published a
series of booklets including one on how to start a jazz society written,
as memory serves, by Dave Robinson who was serving on the AFJS board, as
was I, at that time. Get that booklet, read it, and press on - and feel
free to call on me if you have questions. 

Kindly,

Will Connelly