[Dixielandjazz] Polkas

[JimDBB at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/27/03 9:59:35 AM Central Standard Time, 
charliehooks at earthlink.net writes:


> .
> 
>     But haven't we all done our share of shilling to the rubes: playing 
> "The
> Bunny Hop," "The Chicken Dance," the "twist"--and dozens of others over the
> years.  This crowd wants a polka?  Hell, roll out that barrel!  I think
> Steve recommends some compromise here, some middle ground that will let us
> play well and still sell ourselves without selling ourselves out.  If so,
> I've got to go with him, though I sure understand Dan's feeling.
> 
>     Thinking about all this is non-musical and a pain-in-the-ass. Yet so is
> hustling jobs, and somebody has to do it.
> 
> Charlie 

   I always enjoyed playin the "Beer Barrel Polka"  expecailly for a jazz 
audience who was not expecting it.  They usually loved it, especially when we 
sang the trio and dixiefied the last chorus..  When Charlie Hooks was with me 
and we got a request for a polka I usually asked him to play the clarinet 
polka, which he plays the shit out of.  ( whoops, I broke one of his rules of 
writing).  The clarinet polka is akin to 'HIgh Society" in being a difficult 
clarinet classic.

   Jim Beebe
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