[Dixielandjazz] The Status of Dixieland

[Stephen Barbone]

Couple of points:

1) Dixieland will never be the most popular music again.  True, but then
Dixieland never was the most popular music, as I read history, at any
time.

2) "Art Form Dixieland" is a term coined by Tex Wyndham. He admits that
this is just his nomenclature for the music that is played at Dixieland
Jazz Festivals, to differentiate it from "Functional Dixieland" which he
says is what is played at Jazz Nightclubs, Modern Jazz Festivals, Public
Parks, Street Festivals in Cities, Horse Shows and various other places.

He is the first to say that "Functional Dixieland Bands" often play much
better than those "Art Form Bands"  as well vice versa depending upon
the circumstances. It remains an unfortunate choice of words, because
the casual reader thinks that Festivals supply "Artistic" Dixieland and
the other venues don't. Nothing could be further from the truth.

3) Dixieland music as Art is already well preserved in Museums,
Historical Societies and other Artistic Venues. No need to worry about
some jazz society preserving it. Some may well be hurting the genre.

4) Barbone Street experience is in direct contradiction to those who say
that Dixieland music is "lessening" in jazz night clubs and other
serious venues. For us, it is increasing in jazz night clubs, as well as
more sophisticated general audience venues like Longwood Gardens and
various arboretums, Winery music presentations, Art Centers, Museums,
Libraries, etc., etc.

5) The Jazz Music Business in total is fighting the same attendance
battles that Dixieland via OKOM festivals is fighting. In order to gain
attendance, they need to broaden the offering. Same thing for classical
music. That is a simple fact of life. So, go to the modern jazz
festivals and perform there, like we do. The money is better (attracts
better bands), the audience is younger, and they love the music, while
not being bound by rules that don't exist, except in the minds of the
old folks.

6) A couple of people said "update the music". EUREKA. That is one very
viable pathway to increasing your share of the "entertainment" market.
Who ever said that you couldn't MODERNIZE Dixieland? Where is that
written?
It happened continually from 1900 to about 1950. Then it just about
stopped as the bands looked backwards.  Yeah, update the music, like
Louis did, like Bix did. Will it still be Dixieland? Of course it will.

So, for all us tired old men of Dixieland, before we die, pass the torch
and the enthusiasm for the music to some young folks. Like Alana who
pleaded for advice a month or so ago on the DJML. How many of us
answered?

I know I did. And I invited her to sit in with us in Schnectady NY in
November at "A Place For Jazz" since she is a senior at Berklee College
of Music in Boston, a mere two hours away. She is also a young,
enthusiastic OKOM fan. How many others tried to help her? Not many I'll
bet.

Funny thing, she is also one of a very few (maybe the only one) interns
this summer for the Monterey Jazz Festival in California. You know,
where the Big Boys in Jazz Perform. How many of you out West might have
taken advantage of that contact?

She'll be appearing at Pismo Beach Festival as a singer this fall.
(October?) If you go, stop by and say hello.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. It is great to hear opportunity knocking, but don't forget to open
the door.