[Dixielandjazz] Jazz festival promotion - something new from Jazzfest New...

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/8/05 2:01:50 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
tubaman at batnet.com writes:

> I don't know if the same ad is 
> being done in other regional areas - the Bay Area has always had a 
> major presence at jazzfest  but there has never been such an 
> advertisement here before that I can recall.
> 
> Is the festival still suffering the post 9/11 blues? Is attendance from 
> people outside the NO region slipping?
> 
> 

Hi Dave:

I too have never seen such an ad in this area.  Probably attributable to the 
Mayor of New Orleans campaign to boost tourism in New Orleans thrusting Music 
in the forefront again as it's major attraction alongside the FOOD.

The past couple of years have seen at least in my opinion more big Name Rock 
acts on the bill than Jazz stars.  For instance last year one of the main 
headliners was the Steve Miller Band from San Francisco, who has never been 
anywhere close to being a Jazz act, even though he can play a mean Blues guitar if 
he wants to.  I believe they also had Carlos Santana last year and Bonnie Raitt 
and similar acts.  The major hurt factor last year was terrible weather that 
rained out at least one day of the event totally and made the following days a 
mud bath akin to Woodstock.

The French Quarter Festival held two weeks before however had beautiful 
weather and 400,000 attendees and it was a Free event to the public and showcased 
almost exclusively New Orleans acts.


Just my opinion anyway.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins