[Dixielandjazz] OKOM promotion

[Rob McCallum]

Hello all,

This is a very interesting thread regarding the state of OKOM today and
there have been some very well thought out responses.  Some have mentioned
the huge popularity of people like Eminem, Britney Spears etc. and everyone
seems to acknowledge that "dixieland" will never have such wide appeal.  I
was thinking, as I was reading some of those posts, why is Eminem so
popular?  Is it talent?  I will admit that he is good at what he does and
that his ability got him to a certain point, but talent makes very few
people stars.  The reason he, or Britney or any of these people are stars is
because they have been picked up by someone in the corporate jungle
sometimes referred to as the "entertainment industry," who throws buckets
and buckets of cash at various media outlets to promote them on such a
scale.  Eminem has had a major Hollywood blockbuster (8 Mile) that
circularly promotes his own music career at the same time that his
popularity goes to support a major film.  As I'm sure Tom will agree, at
this point, it's really a process of everyone involved making heaps of money
(Eminem's popularity and the money that generates is the payoff for everyone
involved).

Is it possible to even come close to this with OKOM?  I don't know, but I'd
talk to Brian Setzer about it.  When he wanted to tour with a swing big band
nearly everyone in that "industry" thought he was crazy (good thing "nearly"
everyone instead of everyone).  Of course, had he not been Brian Setzer
(former 1980's rock star and "Stray Cat"), he would've never been given  the
chance, but the fact is is that his name still carried enough weight that he
managed to get some investment dollars to do a c.d. and a tour and not long
after, he had a hit, his swing c.d.s were on sale, not in the jazz been in
the back of the record store, but at Target.  He had a video on MTV, did
several tours, launched the swing craze of the mid-90's which helped to open
all those Martini bars, and young people all over the country were learning
how to Jitterbug and walking around in Fedoras and even Zoot Suits.
Granted, the whole thing only lasted a few years, but I'd say it was more
than a flash in the pan.  Granted Brian's music was more like Louis Prima
than Louis Armstrong and that purists may scoff at an electric guitar led
big band with hints of Rockabilly, but that band swung like hell and had a
huge following.

My point is, you never know when someone or something will step in from
outside of the box and something will happen.  Maybe Scorsese will decide to
make "Bands of New York" loosely based on the history of Eddie Condon's club
; )  What might happen then??

All the best,
Rob McCallum