[Dixielandjazz] Applause

[Stephen Barbone]

Jim Beebe and Bill Gunter are right on about applause. Many times the
audience for one reason or another is not giving it up easily. If you
want it, milk the crowd.

Clarinet players? Just hit you altissimo G or A (or C if you can) and
hold it for 4 bars, before a swooping downward arpeggio. Or hold your
high C and circular breathe through a full chorus.

Or make the most excruciating faces you can. Or point you horn at a loud
bunch in the audience and play to them for a while.

Or, failing all that, at the end of a solo, put the horn in your right
hand and hold both arms out like you are on a cross and nod
questioningly to the audience. (guaranteed applause)

Or hold out the horn in both arms straight straight out as if you are
offering it up to the audience. (guaranteed applause). Or facing the
audience, grasp the horn by the bell and thrust it downward along your
left leg as if you were putting a sword in a scabbard after skewering an
opponent.

Or have your bandmates smile, nod and start the clapping after a solo.

Or, just don't care about applause and play your ass off whether or not
you get any. BUT, by all means when you get applause, ACKNOWLEDGE IT.
That is the best way to get more. (stage presence)

Cheers,
Steve

PS. Or if you are trading 4s when finished, hold you axe like a sword
and pretend to fence with the guy taking the next 4.