[Dixielandjazz] Tribute to Miff Mole and attracting an audience

[Mike Durham]

As a follow-up to John Petters' post on this, I do the same thing at my 
monthly "Jazz @The Exchange" concerts in North Shields (north-east England). 
My programme for 2004 includes tributes to Jelly Roll Morton (Martin 
Litton's Red Hot Peppers, February), Joe Venuti/Eddie Lang (Keith Nichols' 
Blue Six, March), Sidney Bechet (George Huxley's Feetwarmers, June), Eddie 
Condon (Allen Beechey's Bright Stars Of Jazz, July), Muggsy Spanier 
(Gresty/White Ragtimers, August) and Clarence Williams (Bent Persson with 
the West Jesmond Rhythm Kings, September). We have also featured visiting 
bands from the USA, Germany and Denmark. The Exchange is a converted 
Wesleyan Chapel dating from 1856, seating 280 in comfortable, smoke-free 
surroundings with two bars and an excellent restaurant plus disabled access 
and plentiful free parking. It also has wonderful acoustics, good PA, a 
grand piano which is tuned before each performance, and performers' dressing 
rooms. We have been running now for 18 months, and in the last six months 
average attendance has been 206 people, paying between £8 and £10 (around 
$14-$17.50) each. We pay all musicians a minimum of Union scale, plus travel 
and accommodation expenses. We print an annual brochure and distribute 5,000 
leaflets every month. Anyone wanting to know more can check out our website 
at www.jazzexchange.co.uk, or email me with your address and I'll send you a 
brochure.

Mike D.

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