[Dixielandjazz] Re: Audience etiquette

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/20/04 9:43:32 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
csuhor at zebra.net writes:

> 
> Bottom line, I think we can celebrate truly responsive audiences, from 
> the noisy ones at social events to the quiet ones in concert halls; 
> tolerate, up to a point, audiences that talk a bit too loud in "mixed" 
> social/concert settings like restaurants and certain jazz clubs; and 
> appreciate the fact that there's an ongoing serious conversation about 
> jazz among musicians, critics, musicologists, researchers, and others. 
> Sometimes the talk gets pretentious and wrongheaded, but if we kick off 
> our shoes, that be part of the fun.
> 
> Charlie Suhor
> 

Once again most of us on this thread are correct, and have brought out many 
elements of what makes this business so much fun and also hard work, as 
professional players we need to know all of these things to be in the position to 
adapt to the surroundings and ply our Trade or Profession as we would best like 
to do so.   

If you find a niche that works well for you and your style of music then by 
all means fill it, enjoy it and do it well for as long as you can make it work 
and pay you for doing so.


If you ask the correct questions (or any questions at all) before accepting 
the gig you can avoid many of the pitfalls by understanding the situation and 
knowing that it is not the right gig for you and what your act presents, unless 
you are of the mindset and have the capability of changing to fit the 
situation without getting a Jazzer attitude and bitching all during the gig about 
what a lousy gig it is.  All gigs usually turn out to be what we make them, GOOD 
or BAD.

I have often been out on tour with some very Serious Jazz Players laying down 
their most serious stuff to impress all the musos and Jazz Literati and 
Critics, and when they finished they want to go off and find a noisy crowded sweaty 
loud joint and sit in and play some raucous jazz bebop or Blues and rock.

I think we can fix most of it with simple ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT, and have a 
good time anywhere we play.  It works for me, But I admit it is sometimes 
interesting and even Hellish to MAKE THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION,  :))

The worst Gigs I ever played many years ago,  was a couple that had NO 
audience!  :))

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins