[Dixielandjazz] Visual effects

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

Hot Damn Larry where the Hell you been for two years?

I thought me and Steve Barbone and a couple of the other regulars were the 
only ones who spouted off about these kind of things, ha ha.:))

You are pretty much dead on and offer a lot of good professional advise that 
will largely be ignored by the same folks who always ignore us and think we 
are just a couple of know it all types and braggarts about how successful our 
bands have been and are.

There are some Lurkers on the list that come out once in a while and agree 
with the promotion and marketing and stage presence idea we keep trying to get 
everyone to understand.  Not to mention the versatility in repertoire.

We are in the Entertainment Business and if you can't entertain you won't be 
in it for long, but be relegated to being a side man and a sub for the guys 
and gals who have honed their entertainment skills.

About the only two things I would take issue with and only slightly is the 
Theatrical singers, who in my personal experience and opinion tend to over sell 
every song until at least they get old and seasoned and learn the error of 
their ways.  Like the difference between a live dance concert audience and the 
theater audience they are used to working in front of.

The theater audience is as you say mostly visually oriented, but the real 
musical audience demands both of the singer, so they better be able to move but 
also sing and be as musical as the best members in the band if they want to 
really be successful.

I have one of each in my current show and I know where and when to take each 
one of them, if I have them both on the same show which is rare, because #1 is 
so great that I don't need the other one if she is there.   #1 is 15 years 
and thirty years experience older than the #2 lady who is certainly no slouch.

The other issue is the uniform vests, there are many more hip uniforms 
available these days and way s for a band to dress that does not make them look 
dated and old fashioned unless of course the gig specifically calls for that kind 
of attire.

Experiment and be hip, you will look younger, feel younger and turn on 
younger folks who will get a new interest in your music, for instance, Paisley went 
out with the Hippies in the late 60s, just like the checkered suits went out 
with Spike Jones and the CPAs and bankers of Chicago in the fifties.

Check your local tuxedo rental stores, they have many great new styles in 
colors other than Black, The major one here has a year end close out sale of all 
their rental from the previous year, every January.

I have Purple long tailed Pierre Cardin tuxedos in all sizes, for about 
$100.00 each with White or Yellow silk shirts or even Pink they are stunning and 
look outrageous on Television and in color photos.

I also have them in White which look real sharp with Red silk open neck 
shirts,
We often wear these with white baseball caps and Red & White Tennis shoes for 
Parades, we also have Red white and Blue Stars & Stripes Sequined vests that 
we can wear with them for a bit more flash.

I also have Grey Wyatt Earp style ones with Black pinstriped pants, we wear 
with cowboy hats.

I also have several combination Jogging suits with zip up the leg pants, and 
elastic waists in Red, Blues, Black and White with stripes down the legs, we 
have a series of Red, Yellow Blues, Black and Red Polo shirts and T-shirts 
which we can mix and match for many combinations.  We also wear these with white 
caps and Red & white or Blue and White Tennis shoes for comfort for parades and 
casual events.

For Independence Day and special American holidays we have Red White & Blue 
Stars and Stripes outfits as well very striking and to some very corny, but you 
would be surprised how many time we are requested to wear those outfits.   
Those uniforms have added a minimum of a $1000.00 a gig to the income since the 
day I found them and bought them and fought like hell to get the band to wear 
them.   Now they beg to wear them, and that is a real turn around for a gorup 
of Black Musicians.


I say if you can't have fun playing this music don't bother to play it, 
loosen up and have a good time and so will your audience and your bank account.

This is Good Time Music and just what the World Needs right now.

Next we throw Beads, but only when they start throwing money at us. ha ha, 
:))
Cheers,

Tom Wiggins