[Dixielandjazz] DIXIELAND FESTIVALS

[WILLIAM HORTON]

Cees van den Heuvel said it loud and clear, in answer to all the
criticism of tradjazz festivals from (mainly) those who don't get
invited to play them.  His final statement, "in short: change the
package, don't change the music!" sums it up well.

Societies putting on festivals are doing it to promote OKOM, not rap or
fusion or whatever.  If someone wants to put on a festival of more
modern jazz forms, more power to them, but let's not mongrelize existing
trad festivals.  

Smaller festivals, not monster ones like Sacto or San Diego, can invite
only a few bands (say 20), for economic and site limitations.  They
invite back a core of "regulars" who have proven their popularity, and
the balance must be bands they can afford, if they are to be profitable
or break-even.  They can't afford super expensive imports from Europe or
from thousands of miles away, or huge orchestras.  Yes, maybe those
expensive bands may attract enough more attendees to warrant their
inclusion, but the operative word is "maybe".

I read, also, repeated advice about the festivals hiring expert
promoters, which advice is usually accompanied by snide comments about
the amateurism and/or clannishness of the current organizers.  Those
amateurs donate thousands of hours out of love for OKOM and provide fine
entertainment for thousands of fans, plus employment for hundreds of
musicians.  They deserve more than these snide dismissals.  A festival
that shows a $5000 profit under amateur leadership MIGHT show a larger
profit if they paid a pro promoter $15,000, but they also might attract
a larger audience and lose $5000.  I doubt they would find a pro who
would guarantee a profit.

One thing IS guaranteed, though:  Bands who aren't invited to festivals
will be sour grapes about it.

Bill "Never a festival big shot" Horton  


-----Original Message-----
From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
 
My two (euro-)cents:

 Does a museum has to show all the art forms? No.

Does a shop has to sell every product? No.

Does a restaurant has to serve all meals? No.

Does a jazz festival has to have all kinds of jazz? No.

 

Allmost all the jazz festivals that "diluted" their formula

died within a couple of years. Dozens of examples can be given.

The festivals that stuck to their formula -of course they had their

problems- are still there. Think about that......

 

So, go on without change? No! Shops that specialized renewed

their formula or presentation and prospered. Museums that did

the same prospered. The Van Gogh museum did not have many

visitors until they changed their formula, but the paintings are still

the same! Just an example.

 

Change the formula of a dixieland festival, make dixieland exciting,

Organise special events, special places, in short: change the package,

Don't change the music! 

 

Cees van den Heuvel

http://www.revivaljassband.nl


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