[Dixielandjazz] Playing for Kids - Redux

[Stephen Barbone]

I called the Chadds Ford Elementary School, this morning to get the
correct spelling of the principal's name to send her a thank you note.
Talked to the phone operator there:

"Hi this is Steve Barbone, of."  (couldn't finish)

"Oh, Mr. Barbone, your band was just wonderful yesterday. Did you see
those kids, how interested they were, how they liked the music, how they
got into it?"

"Er, yes, we had a great time too and I wanted to thank you for having
us."

"Oh, we should be thanking you and the band. It was such a grand
experience." How nice of you all to come out and do this for us.
Everybody in the school is still talking about it today etc.., etc.,
etc."

Anyway, I finally got the principal's name and just sent thank you notes
to her, and to the student body at the school.

Seems as if the kids, the teachers (and the band) are still on a high.

And now, the County School District just called. Seems as if they want a
program in all the schools. Some this Spring, some this Fall. My oh my.
Would that all of the OKOM bands could do this live all over the world.
Yes, we can make a difference and I think one of the keys is do it LIVE.

Think "Peter & The Wolf" revised with a Jazz Format and audience
participation. Then concentrate on the music appreciation aspect, not
the History of Jazz. That will come later. Just a few facts, and a lot
of music.

One thing I forgot in yesterday's post is that after we finished the
jazz version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, we talked about borrowing
ideas from songs like that for other songs. Yep, of course, "Wonderful
World" and how the beginning is Twinkle Twinkle, and then how it
develops it's own persona from there with some neat lush chords.
(Trite tune? Perhaps, but then, no wonder most people other than the
jazz elite's like it)

Cheers,
Steve Barbone