[Dixielandjazz] Re: Simultaneous Appearances - Was Riverboat Schedule

[Stephen Barbone]

Mike Marois wrote:

> 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!

Didn't say Maynard booked simultaneous gigs. Just said Maynard's Band when
touring uses local non-band musicians for most of those gigs. In effect, there
is no Maynard Ferguson "Band". Just Maynard standing in front of and playing
with whomever he booked on that job.
However, please also note that Preservation Hall plays in New Orleans while at
the same time touring. Is that a problem? I think not, they are unquestionably
the most popular Dixieland Band in the World. How come we are not raking them
over the coals?

> 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?

Yes, of course, The "Beatles" were the "Beatles". If "Barbone Street" becomes
that popular I will, of course stop booking simultaneous gigs.

> 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?

Repeat booking occur all the time. The particular Mardi Gras dates mentioned
repeat every year. In order to understand how this can occur, one has to
realize that Barbone Street has many more fans than the usual OKOM Band. But
they are (mostly) NOT rabid, get a life, fans that hear us on a continuous
basis. They are casual music loving fans who may hear the band, or a version of
it, 10 times, or so per year. No need to match patrons, because the average
OKOM fan cannot really differentiate between A. B. C. or D bands. Any working
musician who has been complimented by fans, on a bad night, knows that. And if
a booking comes about from the B or C band performance, I use the A band for
that booking.

> 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.

Since our band goes by the name "Barbone Street", there are no individual
"stars". No Maynard's to worry about.  And like you say above,  the B band got
pushed up to the A band and performed A band material. So? are they the A Band
or the B Band. Bottom line, does any body know the difference? (other than the
band members?)

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

Re read and re think what I said below and it may become clearer and less
offensive to you. It occurs 10 times a year, Mostly Mardi Gras, at 3 separate
Iron Hill Brewery locations, and at private parties. Really a far cry from
"franchising", and not often considering that we do 160 gigs a year.

But, if I could franchise it, I would. Why not? Just think about a world where
OKOM was popular enough to be franchised. :-)

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

> > 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