[Dixielandjazz] Re: Methods of Attracting Young People

[kymmi smith]

Now I think you're approaching this wrong -- put yourself in the kids shoes.
We don't live in a world where the sole source of domestic entertainment was
a radio in the family room sending out Big Band music.  In a world of WWW,
IMing, Cell phones, MTV and DVD, you're inundated with posters, website ads,
and commercials whose sole purpose is to manipulate and brainwash the mind
of the average child.  It's a sad fact, but a lot of kids I meet have never
heard OKOM before.  But the ones that do, however, think it's "cool".
For OKOM to become a part of their world, we must become more easily
accessible to them.  Advertise jazz festivals with posters-COOL posters
intended on targeting the younger class- in elementary and high schools.
Don't make them come to us, we should go to them.
Someone was right stating that modern jazz festivals are higher class and
attract younger people.  I assisted in organizing a one-day winter jazz
festival for Consumnes River College where Dave Brubeck was the headliner.
The campus was inundated with folks, and ninety percent of them were minors.
Could it be true that OKOM festivals need to consider hiring a modern jazz
band to attract audiences, as a tool to expose dixieland bands?

-- kymmi
jazz pianist amateur
coneyislandgirl at softcom.net