[Dixielandjazz] DIXIELAND JAZZ IS ALIVE AND WELL IN DELAWARE, USA.

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/6/04 4:43:41 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes:

> Hey Wiggins, how about stirring up business at all those wineries in Napa,
> Sonoma and Mendicino?
> 
> Carpe Diem! 
> 
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
> 
> 

Hi  Steve:

Glad to hear you guys tore it up again, if everybody on the list would do the 
same in a couple of years Okom could be hot stuff all over again.

Actually I do a lot of shows at those Wineries, how do you think I live in my 
neighborhood?
Playing Funerals?   ha ha more on that later.    

The problem with the Wineries is the same as I have stated about other City 
and Chamber of commerce folks who organize public events all over the country.  
They are amateurs of the worst kind and have no clue what is happening in the 
entertainment business.  Most of them would not know a bad group from a Great 
Group if you had them play side by side in front of them.

I have produced events for some of them in the past few years that paid money 
that would shock any band on the DJML list, and a couple of them would have 
financed a day or two of the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee.  Not only did they pay 
unbelievable money, so don't anybody ask me how much, I will only answer 
adequately.  I had a major Star perform at one last year and the idiots who paid all 
the money for the Star came up to me and asked If I would cut the Star's show 
to 20 minutes and the dance orchestra to 20 minutes because they all wanted to 
go their hotel rooms and go to bed to rest up for the big Wine Auction 
tomorrow.   

This folks is the average behavior of the Jazz Oblivious, however that is 
where the real money is in our business.  Unfortunately most OKOM bands either 
never learned that or never bothered to pay attention to what was going on when 
they got a real gig working for these kind of folks.

I also unknown to most on the DJML list am very much involved with the entire 
spectrum of the entertainment industry, and have another business operation 
that organizes Smooth Jazz concerts and events and manages several Smooth Jazz 
Artists.  Why because I like the music, HELL NO, because it makes money 
Currently.  It takes money to pay the bills and give one some Play money to pursue 
what you really want to do.

I CO-manage a couple of artists because I don't want them to even know that I 
am representing them and making deals for them, WHY? Because I personally 
hate their music but I am a business man and not stupid enough to look a gift 
horse in the mouth.

We daily do battle with Clear Channel and their radio stations, venues and 
festivals to try and get them to pay attention to real Jazz forms and audiences, 
however when you try to tell them about Artists like Ed Polcer, Alan Vache, 
Jim Galloway,  Barbone Street, St. Gabriel's,  Summit Ridge Jazz Band,  Jack 
Daniel's Silver Cornet Band and even Jim Cullum, and Igor Who?  The Boondockers, 
( is that a new disease we should be concerned about)? They look at you like 
your from another planet, and simply ask WHO from Where?  Gedoutta here 
schmuck nobody ever heard of those guys.  Are they getting airplay on our radio 
stations?  Well, if not we ain't interested in putting them on any concerts or 
festivals.  Now if you could bring us Louis Armstrong to play at the Shopping 
Center next week we would consider playing his latest CD.   What you say your 
singer sounds like Billie Who? Who the Hell is Bessie Smith, Dinah Washington & 
Ella what's her name.

Oh Well just a stab at Reality in 2004:

  And look to see some OKOM on some Smooth Jazz events in 2005 It's gonna 
happen.  Just like Delaware, sooner or later they start to get educated and 
understand, but we all have to fight the good fight every day folks to make it 
happen, now get your local Jazz Societies to go knock on some doors and promote 
REAL JAZZ and stop presenting it to the choir of OKOM faithful, which is quite 
simply not enough to warrant their existence.

That folks is what I keep referring to as "Private Social Clubs"
Cheers,

Tom Wiggins
Still pluggin it.