[Dixielandjazz] Dixieland - Future, Past - Who Cares? Justplay...

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/30/03 9:28:27 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
stridepiano at tesco.net writes:

> 
> I would rather stay at home sipping a malt than play in a band like that, no
> matter how much money was offered. If that's entertainment you can keep it -
> give me badly paid, honest-to-goodness, beadless, unadulterated jazz every
> time.
> 
Sorry John:  But that ain't what Jazz is all about:  if it were we would only 
be playing dirges and morbid melancholy music for Wakes.


I am certain that everyone else in those bands appreciates your opinion much 
more than you may realize, as do their employers who depend upon the audiences 
they attract to take in money to pay them for doing it and for operating his 
business as well, pay the rent, buy the booze and make enough of a profit to 
be able to create employment for those who have an audience that will support 
them.

This is why there are different styles of musicians all over the world, 
unfortunately the kind you appear to wish to be, are getting their wish to come 
true.  They are home sipping a malt and playing for their own abusement mostly.

If you want to hear really serious high quality non entertaining music then 
by all means go to a classical concert with the symphony, take a long a flask 
and sit back and sip to your hearts content and if you close your eyes the Guy 
up front in the Funny Long tailed Suit and long hair waving a stick around and 
pointing it at the musicians will not entertain you either.

If the musicians are all that good they certainly don't need the conductor do 
they?  He is the Show and the Entertainer, and also the one who always makes 
all the money.

But alas, I keep forgetting, making money and with a job that we enjoy is not 
respectable especially if we make good money, it can't be real Jazz if it is 
successful, Rule #1.

Many a musician who has continued to think that way has retired to sipping 
malt and dreaming about the good old days when they played serious jazz to an 
audience of three or four loyal fans intent upon not being entertained.  Perhaps 
that is why God invented the recording studio, so recluse musicians could sit 
in the dark and amuse themselves without having to face and entertain an 
audience.  It allows such great artists to go in and play their wonderful perfect 
part on a track and they can leave without having to endure the fun being had 
by the entertainers who will take it on the road and make it popular.

To me that would be all WORK and no Play and that makes for a Dull Boy or 
Girl who will more than likely play dull lifeless or melancholy music for the 
depressed and lonely people who came to see Elanor Rigby.

I say if it works for you than by all means do it, but don't quit your day 
job.

The Live Entertainment Business is alive and well and sometimes even enlists 
the services of the Music business by hiring some disgruntled highest quality 
musicians to provide backup for mediocre entertainers that are in much higher 
public demand because they do dress up and wear funny hats, suits, clown 
around and make fools of themselves on occasion to please the less than serious 
minded audience.

It's time we got over it, 

Musical content:  "Give me the Night Life",  The Night life ain't no Good 
Life, But it's My life.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins