[Dixielandjazz] A Venue Suggestion

[Steve barbone]

on 9/17/04 8:22 PM, BudTuba at aol.com at BudTuba at aol.com wrote:
In a message dated 9/4/04 5:49:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes: horse shows and major races

Steve,
I know you mean well, but I have played with a band that covers a local
horse jumping and dressage (spl) competition for several years and each time
I keep getting the image of one of those English productions for MasterPiece
Theatre where the characters walk about the grounds gaily talking and joking
as they pass by the concert band playing to no discernabke audience, but
providing period background.

These people come for the horse show and since there are bleachers and seats
available there, do not spend more than about 30 seconds in front of the
band on their way through the grounds.   Admittedly, the pay was good and
the band had fun, but not much audience participation.  The audience mix was
about as you described, but kids are interested more in the pony rides and
refreshment stands  and the adults play "Keeping up with the Joneses" then
listening to music.

Dear Bud & Listmates:

I do one hell of a lot more than "mean well".  Following are quotes from the
Combined Driving Chat List which is has some 500 people, about the Laurels
Driving Event (horse show) for which I have supplied "Dixieland" for 14
years now. Quoted from last week's chat list. after our 16 hours of music
presented over two days to the horsy folks. (And about 50 of our regulars
who came specifically to see/hear us and avoid stepping in the horse manure)

1) about 9 year old Jonathan Russell, playing with Barbone Street

"The event has an almost audible buzz about it - a lively and alive feel.
Thousands of spectators. Two
different food vendors, one of which was really good - prime ribs and crab
cakes. Two different bands playing simultaneously during the weekend. And
with the excellent Barbone Street Jazz Band, A 9 year old jazz violinist
prodigy nailing some of the most difficult bridges in the genre."

     
     2) About the Swing Dance exhibition, presented by Barbone Street Jazz
Band Swingers.

"even the Sunday cones lunch break entertainment, which featured sword
fights, swing dancing exhibitions, incredible Coaching turnouts....the list
goes on."

3) About The Barbone Street Jazz Band & Jonathan

"Barbone Street Jazz band was down next to Hazard #5 and the beer garden
tent (the food was outstanding and still allowed one to sit at the tables
and see everything). The band was excellent. Unfortunately, their small tent
did pick up and try to blow away early afternoon.  Luckily, no horses were
either approaching or in the hazard, so no harm done.  They did have this
one young (9 yo) boy playing  violin (aka fiddle).  He was excellent also."


4) Perhaps there is a difference in the way the non-equine entertainment is
presented? Or the manner in which the horse show is presented? And, of
course, we had a kid playing with us, there are no pony rides, and our spot
is in the Restaurant/Beer Tent, the good one with the crab cakes and roast
beef, seating 200. 

And the audience is made up of the Jones so they don't feel the need to keep
up with anybody. :-)

Sometimes we ignore the good things that are happening to the music when it
is presented to the jazz-oblivious audience. No doubt many people think that
a "Restaurant Festival" is a lousy venue. After all, people are not there to
hear music, but to sample the wares of 65 restaurants, take kiddie rides,
get tattooed, or buy something from street vendors, or cruise for chicks, or
whatever. 

BUT THEN CONSIDER THESE QUOTES  from today's 4 page newspaper insert about
Sunday's Restaurant Festival in West Chester PA, USA where "guess who" is
playing again for the 8th straight year. 25,000 people are expected to
attend this 8 square block party. (The only thing missing was our picture,
but that appeared last year)

1) "Always a big festival favorite, the Barbone Street Jazz Band is lead by
clarinetist and Oxford resident Steve Barbone." Then two full paragraphs
quoting me about Dixieland.
The only band or band leader quotes in the newspaper. (9 bands play there)

2) "Music ranges from Dixieland to Funk. Nine bands will perform throughout
the afternoon. On the schedule are The Barbone Street Jazz Band", etc. (we
always get listed first)

3) "On Stage One, Lingering Doubts will start off at noon. They'll be
followed at 2 PM by a regular festival favorite, Steve Barbone and The
Barbone Street Jazz Band at 2 PM."

4) "The six-piece Barbone Street Jazz Band is heard regularly at various
Iron Hill Brewery locations where listeners of all ages have come to
appreciate their world class renditions of Dixieland, New Orleans Jazz and
Small Band Swing."

Bottom Line? Venues are what you make of them. So, don't knock horse shows
or restaurant festivals, or?  When Barbone Street plays them, people stop,
look and listen. Not only that, but they write about us, buy CDs and hire us
for additional gigs. If your band is ignored, remember the music alone
doesn't cut it. Never did. So add a little entertainment like ODJB, NORK,
King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Eddie Condon, Sidney Bechet and just about
everybody else in the genre who we now laud as "artists" did.

Failing that, throw beads. ;-) VBG

Cheers,
Steve Barbone