[Dixielandjazz] Top 10 Reasons--decline of Dixieland Jazz

[Basilejazz at aol.com]

  I agree with alot of what's been said so far on this subject.  So many 
reasons for the decline of this form of music.  One big one is bad, repetitive 
performances.  I've had to play so many times in broken down bands with guys 
wearing dirty black pants, a stained white shirt, (or worse yet, those damned 
vests).  I've seen so many bands that barely say a word to their audience and 
expect them to sit through 18 choruses of Canal Street Blues.  Or the same old 
tired drum tag at the end of every piece.  

  Boredom is one of the biggest problems.  Sometimes musicians who are 
gigging don't take the time to go and listen to a band and see the performance from 
the audience perspective.  If they did they might walk out on a lot of bands.  


  Yet another factor is rigidity.  It always amazes me that music that 
started out as a free, rebellious art form now has so many rules-(you can't change 
that chord, Bix wouldn't have done it that way, etc.).  To be fair, this 
doesn't apply to every leader or group, but I have seen a some talented young people 
get discouraged by this mentality.  Bring back some freedom to the form. 

   A bit of showmanship and change would help to breate new life into this 
music.  I know these issues don't apply to every band, (thank God).  My 
two-cents

   Tony Basile