Fw: [Dixielandjazz] Musical Whores was Armstrong imitators

[Robert S. Ringwald]

 Did it again.  I accidentally sent this to Steve direct instead of to the
whole List.



> Hey Steve, at the risk of starting another "WWW" war on DJML, I'd play
that
> one anywhere.  I think it is a great tune.
>
> --BR
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Steve Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
> To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 10:20 PM
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Musical Whores was Armstrong imitators
>
>
> > "Robert S. Ringwald" <robert at ringwald.com> wrote
> >
> > >AS my friends & fellow musicians will attest, no one hates the Louis
> > >Armstrong imitators any more than I do.  However, there is a time &
place
> > >for everything.
> > >
> > >When playing any kind of a Jazz gig, I abhor anyone doing this.
> > >
> > >However, there is money to be made in non-jazz gigs.  These are jobs
that
> > >you get because someone wants, what they think is a Dixieland (Roaring
> 20s
> > >or Gay 90s) band, for a picnic, supermarket opening, or whatever.  In
> these
> > >cases, no one wants to hear all 5 strains (or is it 6) of "Panama", or
> cares
> > >if you play the authentic changes on "St. Phillips Street Breakdown".
> > >
> > >On these kind of gigs, it is "Bill Baily", "Hello Dolly", "Wonderful
> World",
> > >"California Here I Come", "Yes sir, That's My Baby," etc.  And, if you
> growl
> > >a little on the end of "WWW" they love it.
> > >
> > >This point was brought home to me again on Saturday when I worked a gig
> with
> > >a longtime musician from Reno.  It was for a party to draw numbers for
a
> > >lottery to see who gets first crack at new houses being built in the
> Sierras
> > >near Donner Lake.
> > >
> > >
> > >Now, don't get me wrong, I would never play this stuff at a Jazz
concert
> or
> > >festival, but for money, (& good money at that), I'll become a musical
> whore
> > >any day.
> > >
> > Gee Bob, we've played WWW, Hello Dolly, and Yes Sir That's My Baby at
> > some pretty damn upscale jazz festivals within the past two years. (E.G.
> > Berk's, Clifford Brown, Rehoboth) And we played them as JAZZ. And even
> > when we play at some of the venues you mention, we play them, (as well
> > as Panama) as JAZZ. And yes, the JAZZ FESTIVAL AUDIENCES LOVED THEM, but
> > then, what do they know? ;-).
> >
> > Perhaps the problem of being a musical whore like your pal, is that he
> > doesn't play them as JAZZ?
> >
> > But then, why shouldn't you as the piano player, play them as JAZZ
> > regardless of what the rest of the band does? In my book, playing what
> > the audience wants to hear is not prostituting oneself. Everybody does
> > it all the time, whether playing Zonky or Changes at an OKOM festival,
> > or WWW and Hello Dolly at a private corporate event.
> >
> > Our secret is simply to play everything as JAZZ. Not hard to do and you
> > still get booked back.
> > Regardless of what the tune is, if you make it swing, create within the
> > tune and just do it, that's Jazz, No? The only thing we refuse to do is
> > dress up like old farts in costumes, straw hats and arm garters, etc. We
> > may be old, but we are still hip and perceived as JAZZ MUSICIANS by the
> > audience, jazz literati and the great unwashed at all venues. And,
> > that's exactly what we are.
> >
> > Wish I lived out there. We'd take away all those non jazz gigs, turn
> > them into jazz gigs and really light a fire under the audience. :-)
> >
> > Folks, that's exactly where your new audience is. Go get them.
> >
> > Check out the VENUES page on my web site. Every gig at every venue was
> JAZZ.
> > http://www.barbonestreet.com
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Steve Barbone
> > Who thinks that the term "musical whore" is a ploy by starving "artists"
> > for sympathy and refuses to acknowledge it.
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >
>