[Dixielandjazz] Uniforms & Agents - Redux

[WILLIAM HORTON]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Patrick Cooke" <patcooke at cox.net>
To: <TCASHWIGG at aol.com>; <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Friday, June 25, 2004 18:38 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Uniforms & Agents - Redux


> Uniforms are for identification...usually to identify the wearer as a
> menial.

Like Admirals or Generals or the Pope or Priests or Nuns or members of the
NY Yankees or the Oakland Raiders???

 >This notion was crystallized for me back when Nixon had some snooty
> get together at the white house

"Snooty"?  You mean it wasn't an old t-shirt beer blast out in the parking
lot?

 >and had the band dressed up in some
> ridiculous 'student prince' type costumes mainly so the guests wouldn't
> mistake them for another guest.

Ah, the old mind-reading act with the crystal ball!

 >They should have impeached him for that and
> we would have avoided the Watergate debacle!

Could you cite which article of the Consitution specifies that as an
impeachable offense?

>
>    Pat Cooke

Bill "I didn't vote for Nixon, but" Horton
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <TCASHWIGG at aol.com>
> To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 12:36 PM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Uniforms & Agents - Redux
>
>
> > Hi Steve:
> >
> > I worked a few jobs for an agent like that,  how do you think I got all
my
> > uniforms, ha ha.
> >
> > Everytime this schmuck called he wanted something different,
> >
> > A gospel Show with GOLD Choir Robes for the band and twenty singers.
> > I could not rent them so I made him buy them which I now own and use for
> the
> > Daint Gabriel's Celestial Brass Band and the Pearly Gate Singers Show.
> > Cost his client some big bucks for that day too.   It was actually a Big
> > Funeral/Life Celebration affair for some wealthy guy that died in San
> Francisco.
> >
> > Same agent booked us for a 4th July Parade and insisted we wear some Red
> > White & Blues Uniforms,  Not a problem charged him $250.00 per man extra
> and went
> > out and bought them.   They have paid for themselves many times over and
> have
> > gotten us more Television coverage around the world than I can even keep
> track
> > of.
> >
> > I have another custom made set with Uncle Sam on the back in Red White &
> Blue
> > as well, we also do a Red White & Blues Festival show.
> >
> > We do however refuse to wear so called Dixieland attire of straw hats
and
> > striped vests, for much the same reason as you guys,  We don't want to
be
> > catagorized as one of THOSE old timey cheap bands from the pizza parlor.
> >
> > We also have Pierre Cardin Long Tailed Tuxedos in White, and Maroon
which
> we
> > wear with White Baseball caps and Red & White or Blue and White Tennis
> shows
> > which I use for Really special occassions and Rich funerals,  I charge
an
> extra
> > $100.00 per man for cleaning of them after every show.  They also are
very
> > colorful mixed or matched.   We also wear our own Custome made T or Polo
> shirts
> > in Red White or Blue with them, NO tie .
> >
> >
> > I think this is what the Union used to call Grotesque costumes and made
> the
> > clients pay more to humiliate the musicians by asking them to wear them,
> in
> > stead of the regulation Blue or Black suit.   I know a few old timers
who
> are
> > still wearing the same Blues suit forty years later to every gig, and
some
> of
> > them have Never even been to the Cleaners.
> >
> > One old tuba player still wears his witht he mustard stains on the right
> knee
> > where he wiped his hands after eating a rather messy Hot dog at
> intermission
> > on a gig in 1968, :))
> >
> >
> > Sounds like your Agent guy is listed in the Events Planner category of
the
> > yellow pages, or maybe the country fair agencies under circus acts.    I
> just
> > love those kind of sophisticated talent buyers.
> >
> >
> > I do however like uniforms for bands, it sets them apart form the
audience
> > and actually gives them professional Class when folks can walk up to
them
> and
> > talk after the shows and feel like they have met some special people and
> > celebrities in show business.
> >
> > This can also be done without the uniforms but usually not until after
> like
> > Barbone Street Jazz Band has played around enough to establish a
> reputation as
> > great entertainers and musicians.   It works for you guys, and Willie
> Nelson,
> > but at the same time the Uniforms put my group on the International Map
in
> > 1990.  We like looking special and sounding special so we Dress for
> Success.
> >
> > By the way the uniforms do not have to match nor even be the same thing,
> just
> > clothes that set the act out as something different and or special.
Now
> I
> > am sure Barbone Street  dresses fine but looks like a group of Doctors
on
> their
> > day off playing a little music for the neighborhood Bar B Que Party.
> > Nothing wrong with that either especially if the Bar B Que is for 10,000
> people and
> > sponsored by the City.  :)))
> >
> >
> > Now on a serious note:   I supply all the uniforms and maintain them for
> the
> > band for several reasons besides the above mentioned ones.
> >
> > 1. It  saves a lot of excess baggage charges for the band,   They don't
> have
> > to bring three suitcases of clothes per man on tour.   I collect them
all
> > after every show and have them laundered and or cleaned.   We carry
about
> four
> > different sets on tour and can mix & match most of them for a different
> look
> > every day or even every show.
> >
> > 2.  I have a predominately Black American Band, and Black American
players
> > like to look good and dress a bit on the Flashy side.  They actually
like
> > uniforms because it has proven to get them respect from some folks who
> normally
> > would not have any respect for them, but do respect the uniform as a
> symbol of
> > success.  I think we learned that from the Military training, ( you may
> not like
> > the man wearing it but you better salute the uniform) especially if it
> shows
> > higher rank than you have achieved.
> >
> > 3.   It has also broken down some pretty rigid racial barriers for us in
> some
> > places, from folks who are less tolerant of Black Folks in their
> communities.
> >
> > 4.    It helps me keep track of my guys on the road in Train depots and
> > airports and even at large festivals, where they are easier to find in a
> crowd,
> > when we are on the road we have to operate as a team and stick together
> and look
> > out for one another's back.
> >
> > 5.   Great for Television coverage and looks really good in Living Color
> on
> > the front page of the Newspapers and Entertainment magazines as well.
not
> to
> > mention six feet tall posters all over a city when you arrive.   Instant
> > recognition and a great attraction before you even play a note.    I
can't
> tell you
> > how many times people have walked up to us and said "wow you guys look
> great, I
> > can't wait to hear you play".
> >
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Tom Wiggins
> > _______________________________________________
> > Dixielandjazz mailing list
> > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
> >
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Dixielandjazz mailing list
> Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz