[Dixielandjazz] Miscellaneous Gigs & trumpeters

[Stephen Barbone]

# 1 Played the Media Blues Festival last Saturday. Found out to my
delight that there are indeed many, many blues that start with "Woke Up
This Morning". We had an hour break between each set (3 sets) so I
checked out the blues competition. Some very well known names there.

We were the only OKOM band among 15 bands performing in the town of
Media, at various venues. We played in the largest venue, spelled by a
Blues Trio.

OKOM got the largest crowds all night long. We had a vocalist and 4
swing dancers performing with us for a real show to all those blues
fans. We out drew every other venue and every other band even though the
audience was primarily blues oriented (harmonica type blues) folks from
the many blues clubs and societies in the East.

Best comments? (from a 35 year old beautiful blonde). "You guys are a
happening party." Or (from Steve Guyger, the Blues trio leader who
shared the stage with us) "You guys have a great sound." Sold a bunch of
CDs.

Moral of the story? Play where the non-jazz audience is and convert
them.

#2 Played at the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival tonight. Preservation Hall
Jazz Band followed us. Each played about an hour. Both bands were
enthusiastically received.

We threw beads, Preservation Hall marched through the crowd. I had 10
OKOM musicians working there. 4 strolling through downtown Wilmington
for an hour ending up on the band stand at 6 PM where we joined them in
"The Saints". Then went into our regular hour program with the sextet.
Threw beads to the crowd of about 1000 or so who stayed in the rain
showers. (outdoors)

Sold a bunch of CDs afterwards, maybe more than Preservation Hall.

Moral of this story? Play OKOM & have a Mardi Gras at modern jazz
festivals.

#3 Bought Arturo Sandoval's new CD "Trumpet Evolution" a few days ago.
On it, he pays homage to a bunch of trumpeters including King Oliver,
Louis Armstrong and Clifford Brown. The man can play like them all,
though his favorite music is bebop or hardbop.

Going back to see him tomorrow night at the CB festival, say hello, and
get his signature on the CD.

Moral of this story: If you are a trumpet player, or like jazz trumpets,
buy this album. It is phenomenal and shows his facility in any jazz
genre, as well as his understanding of the historical perspective of
jazz.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone