[Dixielandjazz] Saving dixieland jazz

[Bill Gunter]

Hola amigos,

Fred writes:

>  Part of my career was spent as a state epidemiologist so I tend to 
>approach material from the perspective of the group. It would perhaps be 
>interesting, even valuable, to document the compositioin of the audiences 
>who attend  as many "dixieland" festivals as possible, of which "The 
>Mississippi Rag" lists some 70 during the rest of this year, most of which 
>are in the USA.

Practically everyone on this list falls into the category of those who 
attend as many "dixieland" festivals as possible. Especially the musicians 
in here who play them routinely. I'm not gonna discuss the nature and/or 
quality of the music and musicians, but I will point out that in a group 
such as the DJML it is totally unnecessary to do a demographic documentation 
on the makeup of those who attend dixieland festivals. We all know who goes 
to the festivals. They are:

People whose average age is now 70 plus or minus a couple of years.
People who, in many cases, like to dance to 2 beat music.
People who want to hear the songs from Bob Neighbor's book over and over and 
over and over.
Married and widowed (mostly surviving wives) people.
They are now as a group starting to carry canes, walkers and oxygen bottles.
They may wear bell bottomed polyesters from a few generations back to appear 
dapper.
They are warm, friendly and appreciative folks who love the music.
They also belong to the jazz clubs in their hometowns.
They'll all be dead soon as will those performing for them.

That's pretty much it . . . not much hope for the salvation of dixieland as 
we know it. But we're all gonna take it with us when we go and the ride will 
have been wonderful . . . a helava lot better than the ride the rapsters get 
to take.

One last thought.

Of course you all realize that everything I've said regarding the issue of 
the future of dixieland jazz has been totally and entirely subjective with 
little to actually justify or validate my claims. But I don't give a poop! 
I'm right and those who disagree are wrong.  So there!

Respectfully submitted,

Bill "You know down deep that you agree with me, don't you?" Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com

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