[Dixielandjazz] Christmas gig

[James Kashishian]

Our Christmas gig last night went very well, in spite of some of the worst
sound & worst sound guy I've ever come across.

The dinner tent set up in the garden for 200 diners was split in two areas,
the dining part, and a night club part with low chairs and tables, candle
light, etc.  On each seat was the musical program which had us scratching
our heads when we got there.  It was all classical music, and featured three
vocalists & violin, cello & bass.  Really, really heavy classical numbers
were mentioned, going as far as one from Mr. Cage himself!

The introduction was done with us off stage, and was very, very seriously
presented.  The audience actually looked relieved when we walked in with our
striped vest outfit on!  I said that yes, it was a classical concert, but
Classical Jazz, then we hit it with Jeepers Creepers.  Had to introduce the
guys & give a blurp about who we were, since we weren't mentioned in the
programs!  

Funny twist, and seemed to work out well.  Our bit was 5 songs, ending in a
swinging version of Deck the Halls (I replaced Fa la la la with ascooby,
dooby, doo...etc.), and White Christmas (which I didn't do too poorly on the
vocal, if I may so myself), featuring our trumpeter with his huge, lovely
trumpet sound.

They dined (we dined in a separate room watching Barcelona get tromped in
fubol (soccer) on the tv.  Then, up stairs again for our walk through the
diners with 5 carols.

Back to our tv room only to find that some of the waiters had turned the
ball game off & switched to a porno station! (Yeah, Spain is quite liberal
with such matters!)   :>  

After lots of moaning & a few orgasms (on the tv!), we returned to the area
that had been the "night club", which was now a disco dance area, and played
3 dance tunes....Glenn Miller, before leaving the folks to wiggle to
recorded music.  

That was a total of 13 songs, dinner, drinks, a few good laughs, and really
good pay!
Only drag...the sound, and the fact we were there for 7 hrs!

Jim