[Dixielandjazz] Fwd: The "PRESENTATION" of Jazz

[Patrick Cooke]

>>>It's also a good idea NOT to jump right into the next tune, as the brass
players (especially the cornet) need time for their lips to rest a little
before the next tune.
    But how much should one say, what should one say, and how many minutes
should it take?  I realize these depend on the kind of show also, and the
attention-span of the audience, but what do most of you guys do?<<<

It depends what kind of gig you're doing.  If it's a restaurant or lounge
with no dancing, you can relax a little more; but if it's dancing, don't
spend a lot of time talking, either to the audience to the band.  If you're
using charts, get a list of tunes together at the start of the set so that
every one has the charts up.  When people are on the dance floor waiting for
you to decide what to play next, they're wondering if you're going to play
anything soon, or should they just walk back to the table.  As someone who
goes dancing occasionally, I find it also irritating when I am standing
awkwardly on the dance floor while the leader chats to some individual or
couple wants to talk to him about their trip to Disneyworld.
      The brass players need to rest their chops????  Poor Baby!  The brass
players get a lot of 'rest' while all the other players are taking their
solos.  The rhythm section never stops.
     Pat Cooke




----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Augustine" <ds.augustine@mail.utexas.edu>
To: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 10:36 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Fwd: The "PRESENTATION" of Jazz


> Folks--
>     Speaking of 'presentation', how much explanation should we be giving
the audience before (or after) each number?  Seems like it would be a good
idea to let them know a little of the history or interesting details of each
song, along with perhaps the kind of dixieland-style it's being played in
(New Orleans/West Coast/etc), without being condescending about either type
of comment.  It's also a good idea NOT to jump right into the next tune, as
the brass players (especially the cornet) need time for their lips to rest a
little before the next tune.
>     But how much should one say, what should one say, and how many minutes
should it take?  I realize these depend on the kind of show also, and the
attention-span of the audience, but what do most of you guys do?
>
>     Dan
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
> >From: Stephen Barbone <barbonestreet@earthlink.net>
> >Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The "PRESENTATION" of Jazz
> >Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2002 11:14:23 -0400
> >
> >List mates;
> >Read not so much for the music review, but for the way this man presents
> >jazz. The first 3 paragraphs are a good lesson of how it should be, but
> >seldom is, done.
> >Cheers, Steve Barone
>
> --
> **----------------------------------------------------------**
> ** Dan Augustine - ds.augustine@mail.utexas.edu             **
> ** Office of Admissions, University of Texas; Austin, Texas **
> **----------------------------------------------------------**
>
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