[Dixielandjazz] Re: Bad Music - Was Tribute Bands

[Stephen Barbone]

> "Dave Hanson" <jazzdude at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
> This from David Littlefield:
>
>  > "And you know if I recognize it as bad, then it really was bad."
>  >That's what's killing jazz, especially OKOM. Since Eddie Condon's death,
>  >folks have been conditioned to think that bad music is Dixieland Jazz
>  >and they don't like it. Can you blame them?
>  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> What did Condon do to condition the listening public to believe that bad
> music is
>  Dixieland Jazz ? Please help me understand that statement !!!!

Oops, help is on the way, Dave.

This is what happens when a thread gets snipped, or the later contributors to it do
not explain fully the substance of the first writer's words. I wrote those words (not
David) in the middle of a thread about why today's Dixieland may be having trouble
getting an audience. The above reference was to the fact that since Condon's death
there have been a lot of bad Dixieland Bands playing gigs, thus the public associates
bad music (and funny costumed old men) with Dixieland. So why would they want to hang
around that scene?

Condon had a GREAT group of bands. He conditioned the public to believe that
Dixieland is GOOD music. He never had trouble drawing an audience.

> Perhaps we have a couple of generations of musical morons that don't know
> great from mediocre ? It's apparent that something like rap, hip-hop or my
> favorite "Gansta Rap" and what ever
> else that people buy that ISN'T really music, as we know might be the
> problem.

Actually, my original point was that Dixieland or OKOM bands can gain a young
audience by presenting GOOD music. Barbone Street does it all the time. (That doesn't
mean as Artie Shaw one said about his audience, that they are not morons) ;-) VBG

> Just my two cents worth......Condon will turn over in his grave. Give me a
> break !!!!

Hope this clarifies the posts. Eddie Condon's groups, especially at Condon's 3rd
Street Joint in NYC were always fantastic bands. When you opened the door walking in
off the street, the music hit you in the face, grabbed you by the throat, drew you
inside, and you were hooked for life. Those on the list who were there in the 40s, or
50s, know what I mean. You had to be there because even the most energetic records of
those bands don't come close to what it was like hearing, feeling and seeing it live.
Next time you see Kenny Davern, Jack Maheu, Dick Sudhalter, Jack Fine or any of us
who were there, ask and watch our eyes mist.

Same for The Yerba Buena Jazz Band.

There is just not very much of that kind of HIGH ENERGY VISCERAL OKOM around these
days. Most of what I hear or read about are bands converting old time popular songs
to insipid Dixieland. They search out obscure tunes and play them to a shrinking
"pseudo artsy" crowd who then believes, yeah, this is the real thing. Well, it is not
the real thing, never was, and most of those tunes are obscure because they were not
any good the first time around. It is nothing more than "Genteel, Deja Vu, Rap for
Old Folks".  Even the sidemen in many bands seem bored, and have that look on their
face that says "Gee, I wish I was someplace else." In this instance, the kids are
smart enough to realize that much of it is simply bad music.

And that, IMO is why there is not much of a young audience in the USA for most of the
bands playing this music called Dixieland.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone