[Dixielandjazz] Re: Simultaneous Appearances - Was Riverboat Schedule

[Mike Marois]

How in the world can Maynard Ferguson play with two groups at the same
time???  If you check out the promo it has to say on one of the events that
Maynard will not be performing with one of the groups and in fact that the
group that doesn't have Maynard in it is really Joe Blow playing Maynard
Ferguson charts.  Once again, this is a case of using a "name" to sell
seats.  Suppose last Thursday at 8pm I was in LA and saw Maynard Ferguson
play a  3 hour concert at the Greek.  Last Thursday, you saw Maynard
Ferguson play a 3 hour concert in Philly at 8pm.  One of us didn't see who
we thought we were seeing.  I smell fraud!

Let me bring up the case of the Beatles.  When they were an active
performing group - THERE WAS ONLY ONE GROUP!  Sure after they broke up the
spin offs and the imitators flooded the market.  Remember that confusion?

In your case, you've got several different groups parading around using your
name.  How do you match up the groups with the patrons who saw that version
of the band, if they ever repeat booking from you?

I remember working for an organization called the Banjo Buddies.  They were
a booking agency and the name of the A-Band.  The group was very popular in
the upper Midwest and kept a lot of musicians working.  Most of the times I
was a member of the B-Band, The Dixie Crats.  When we went out there was no
mention of the name "Banjo Buddies" and when the group was booked through
the Banjo Buddies it was booked as the "Dixie Crats".  This eliminated any
confusion over who was who.  Now granted there were some occasions that us
in the B-Band got pushed up to the A-Band, but when this happened, we
perform the A-Band material.

Franchising of Dixieland bands, what's the world coming to?
Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
[mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com]On Behalf Of Stephen
Barbone
Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2003 6:46 PM
To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Simultaneous Appearances - Was Riverboat
Schedule


> Bobolink7736 at aol.com  (Bob Lynn, Polite snip)
> Re: [Dixielandjazz] Riverboat Natchez' Schedule

> I have noticed that several groups appear simultaneously in different
locales.

Yes, Barbone Street does it frequently. Last Mardi Gras we had 4 different
six piece Dixieland bands working under the name "Barbone Street". Usually
at least 3 at every Mardi Gras for the past 6 years.

I am always careful to put on my schedule that fans should call me for
personnel in each band version. This past Mardi Gras, Tex Wyndham's Red
Lions appeared at one venue under my name (with a clarinet sub for me),
members of Independence Hall JB appeared at another venue
under my name, and the Big Easy Dixieland Band was at another venue under my
name.

As long as each band is good, there is no problem and each band was very
good.

Similarly, Independence Hall appears in different locales with different
musicians. Same for Igor, same for many, if not most traveling bands. Buddy
Rich did it, Billy Maxted did it, Eddie Condon did it, Phil Napoleon did it,
Maynard Ferguson does it, Preservation Hall does
it. etc., etc., etc. So you never know who you are going to see in a
particular band most of the time anyway, other than the leader.

We have multiple bands working at the same time about 10 times a year. We
differentiate by letting the venue know (when I am there) that this is the
"A" band. Not because I'm a great clarinet player, but because that version
is the one most often seen and as the band principal
some venues specify that they want me, warts and all.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone


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