[Dixielandjazz] Preservation Hall JB

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/13/03 12:35:40 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
Trumpetom at aol.com writes:

> 
> I'm not sure if all of us see that group in the same light. Several years 
> back, I saw their road band at two concerts in two different years. I won't 
> say 
> where or when I saw them: a delightful old left handed banjo player named 
> Narvin(the only band member I'd care to name), a bebop piano player using 
> different 
> chords than the others, a 4-beat string bass player, an excellent all-around 
> 
> trumpet player, a local tailgate trombone player (played like Kid Ory), a 
> fantastic old trad. Creole drummer, plus an uninspired clarinet player. The 
> material was not well rehearsed, &there were "solo" choruses where nobody 
> chose to 
> play a solo, a couple messed-up endings....the beat went on anyway. Nobody 
> in 
> the band seemed to be in charge of things. It didn't seem like they were 
> having any fun. They were all real polite and patient when audience members 
> visited 
> with them afterwards. They sold a ton of C. Ds.
> 
> Several styles were being played at the same time on the same tune. Their 
> product irritated me. However the audience liked them. Go figure! My opinion 
> 
> only. Please do not get mad at me for having an opinion. I'm not the 
> greatest 
> player in world. They certainly get paid more for playing than I get for 
> playing. 
> Maybe they have improved since then.
> 
> Tom Loeb
> California
> 
Apparently Tom & I attended the same concerts folks, this is pretty much 
exactly what I observed, and I too bought the CDs, big disappointment.   

I am certain there are configurations from time to time that can and do play 
well, but it will be a cold day before I will ever pay to go find out again, 
however I would walk down to their stage and give a quick listen to them if 
they were on the same Festival I was playing.

When visiting New Orleans I would also stand outside and listen to a tune or 
two before I would donate to go inside and sit and listen, or even stand in 
the aisle and listen.

If they were good I would tip them well, but if they were anything like the 
versions I have heard I would not pay the five bucks to suffer though their 
performance.

Cheers

Tom Wiggins