[Dixielandjazz] "Fraud" as simeltaneous gigs

[Stephen Barbone]

Seems that some folks throw the word "fraud" around without really
knowing what fraud is.
To compare a simultaneous booking with serving Old Mr Boston instead of
Chivas Regal is totally bogus and about the worst "example" one could
give.

Fraud is a crime, as well as the basis for civil action. Hey why don't
we all get together and sue Preservation Hall for fraud? You know why.
Pure and simple it is not fraud. And while we're at it, let's sue the
estates of Lester Lanin, Howard Lanin, Gene Goldkette, Eddie Condon and
thousands of other musos who have simulteanously booked bands, or put
reserve players in a particular band version.

Any band that goes by a "name" merely needs to deliver a band under that
"name. Working bands do it all the time. Any band like Condon's, need
only deliver "Condon". Whether the band has Edmond Hall or Peanuts Hucko
or Bob Wilber, Cutty Cutschall or Lou McGarity, or J.C. Higginbotham,
Billy Butterfield or Bobby Hackett or Wild Bill, etc., etc., makes no
difference.
If you are pissed that one or the other didn't show up the night you
were there and it was fraud, you need to get a life.

Do you think that a guy with an ego as large as mine would jeopardize my
band name purity by delivering something other than "Barbone Street", or
low quality music? If so, you are sadly mistaken. The success of Barbone
Street, one of a very few "working" dixieland bands in the USA, if not
the world, is due to the fact that we deliver more than the client
bargained for and more that the audience thought they were going to get.

I employ about 40 of the best jazz musicians in the USA to gig in
Barbone Street every year.  I realize why that is difficult for many of
you to understand because none of you who have so carelessly thrown the
accusations around, are enjoying this kind of activity with the music.

So, sit back, relax, and play where the people are. Listen and learn
rather than sweating the small stuff and making ridiculous accusations.

Cheers,
Steve