[Dixielandjazz] Re: Band Mission Statement

[Stephen Barbone]

> Dave Gravatt <dave at creolejazz.com> asked:
>
> Greetings. I am curious. Does your band have a "mission statement" of some
> sort? Is it implied or do you actually have it written down? Finally, would
> you mind posting it? Thanks.

Yes. Barbone Street has a written mission statement as well as a loosely
developed, unwritten marketing plan.

The written Mission Statement is:

"To Expand The Audience For Live Dixieland In Our Territory,"

Among unwritten goals are higher than usual rates, (read well above union
scale) for Band performances through the ability to draw a larger audience than
competitors, and the ability to make a better profit for the venue than
competitors, and/or help them achieve their goals if "other than profit".

Higher sideman earnings are also among the unwritten goals. The band employs
"professional" working musicians. In order to keep them, we must pay them
(yearly average) more than they would earn with someone else's band. So far we
have been successful in doing this and the basic band and/or other band groups
has been together for about 5 years, with changes only for health reasons, or
because a band member moves out of the area.

In short, we are "audience" driven in musical presentation and "monetarily"
driven among ourselves. As I see it, no different from the Dixieland Bands and
musicians we all revere from the bygone halcyon days, the 1930s through the
1950s.

Except, perhaps, in talent :-) VBG

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. We define "competitors" as all forms of "entertainment" in those venues we
target, not just other Dixieland or Jazz bands. We include DJs, Quizzo games,
Karoke, etc.