[Dixielandjazz] What A Wonderful World - Lesson #1

[Nancy Giffin]

Steve wrote:
"...Ever an optimist., Lesson one  is that WAWW as exactly the
type of song that will expand the audience for OKOM if used in the
proper context by OKOM bands..."

Steve and list mates,

Dan Barrett always wears the same lapel pin: it's the US postage stamp with
Louis on it. Don't ever speak poorly of Louis in front of Dan, who claims
(with solemn respect), "If it weren't for Louis, I wouldn't be here..."
[playing this music that he loves so much]. WAWW keeps the memory of Louis
fresh in the minds of the general audience, and that's the "foot in the
door" that keeps it open for all the rest of jazz and OKOM to flow through.

Louis sings, "And I think to myself, WAWW..."  The key words are "I
THINK..."  Don't we live life based on our own perceptions and however we
wish to interpret and respond to them -- positively or negatively?

The tempo and melody, if one allows, tends to slow down both heart rate and
breathing -- slow down in general -- at least long enough to smell the
proverbial roses of the moment: appreciate the friend sitting next to you
and the simpler things in life that are free, like the fact that you're
alive and kicking, and able to still hear the music.

WAWW is a real stress-reliever. So, of course we can't expect everyone to
like it!!! Some people really NEED their stress, their anger, their
bitterness to hold on to. Who am I to ask them to let that go if that's what
they enjoy more than some simple little tune? Let people be cynical if they
want to be. (And BTW: we all know what a cynical person is, don't we? A
cynical person is a PASSIONATE person who doesn't want to be disappointed
again.)

An old Englishman friend of mine, close to death now, says, "If you don't
like your life, you'd better learn to love it."  Not a bad attitude to have
toward playing this tune upon request. May I suggest that some of you
musicians might try playing WAWW without it being requested; you can play it
because you WANT to -- play it with all your heart and soul because you've
"learned to LOVE it" -- and at the same time rid yourself of the worry that
some pesky person might request it. (Not that they won't request it anyway
'cuz they talked through your playing it the first time... but that's the
biz, eh?)

People think that I'm into this "love and hugs" menality because I'm naive
or haven't seen the worst of life. Not so! Absolutely the opposite!!! I
simply chose to move beyond pain and pessimism, and respond in a way that I
prefer over cynicism. "I think" to myself: Good vibes rule! ;-)

Love and hugs,
Nancy