[Dixielandjazz] NO J & Heritage Festival Vickers Comments on Jazz Society of Pensacola experience

[Norman Vickers]

There were a number of posts about the great publicity for NO Jazz &
Heritage.  Agree.

Also, in George Wein's biography/autobiography ( if you write it with a
collaborator, is it really an autobiography?) he indicates the the NOJ&H
Festival is the most economically successful jazzfest in the world.

I want to recount some of the experiences of the Jazz Society of Pensacola
as relate to the NOJ&H Festival.

--It is in the infield of a horse race track.
--there is no shade except for tents
--if it rains, it's muddy
--if it is dry, it's dusty
--if it's hot and muggy in New Orleans ( the usual climate) then you're
REALLY sweaty!
--the more persons you cram into a limited space, the less personal space
you have
--there is more "heritage" and less jazz.
--there are two outdoor stages, one at either end of the racetrack oval.
They usually put monster headliners there.
I have been so far back that the performer on stage looked like a speck!
--There is little mingling of the artists with the crowd.  Artists come on
stage, do their performance at get out.
--If there's a particular artist you want to see, then go at least one hour
before the act, get your seat and sit through an hour's performance so
you're assured a seat for the act you want to hear.  Otherwise, there's no
room.

There are expensive concerts in the evening in various downtown venues.  I
never went to any of them, so can't comment.

Our Jazz Society is now 22 years old-- same age as Pensacola JazzFest-- and
we would take a bus each year for the day.  Advance tix cost a little less.
there was bus parking.  Since there is no way to light the racetrack
infield, all performances ended by dark.

About 10 years ago, our patrons rebelled-- related to above.  Last couple of
years that I went (over a decade ago now), I felt very uncomfortable with
people crowding so close, stepping on my blanket, or getting in front of me
when I had my lawn chair set up. I'd set up at the Economy Hall tent-- early
NO Jazz featured here--and only move to answer the call of nature or to buy
food.  I presume it hasn't changed, but one would have his bag searched for
food and drink and other dangerous contraband. No doubt after 9/11 it's
worse but I can't comment on that.

As they say in New York, it's so crowded, nobody hardly goes any more.  Or
to say it another way, the NOJ&H festival may be drowning in its own
excreta.

Now the Jazz Society of Pensacola takes a bus on Saturday to the French
Quarter Festival(FQF).  We can leave in early morning from Pensacola, get
there when the music starts at noon and when the music stops at 10 PM, get
back on the bus and be home by 1:30 AM.  It's free.  There are lots of
things to do in the French Quarter-- food, drink, people watching.  The
folks who want to make a weekend of it, they go over, rent a hotel room and
stay for the entire weekend.  About half the people who ride our bus,
wouldn't otherwise attend.  It's more New Orleans music and lots of fun.  I
generally see a bunch of people from the Potomac River Jazz Club in DC at
that event.  One thing we do is to rent a hospitality room at the Monteleone
Hotel-=-it's a place to meet, greet, use a clean air conditioned restroom
and just hang out.  Unfortunately, this year the FQF and Pensacola JazzFest
were simultaneous so we missed out.  ( Ringwald and company can give you
reports on Friday's events)

I regret that this is a longer-than-usual dissertation for me.  However, I
wanted to put some reality back into the situation.  The early NOJ&H
festivals were fun-- you could walk around discover some new artists, sample
some good food, talk to some of the artisans who do crafts and other
artwork.  No more, I fear. ( WE have people come to our festival from New
Orleans each year because they remember what fun the NOJ&H festivals USED to
be.)  But the younger group is used to crowds and crowding, so it apparently
doesn't bother them.  Offbeat magazine is distributed free in New Orleans.
We subscribe because people are always asking about various musical acts--"
I'll be in New Orleans two weekends from now.  What is there to do?"
Offebeat editors are candid about some of the problems of the NOJ&H Festival
and sometimes critical of management.  They have a website and a weekly
e-mail service if you're interested.

My hero H. L. Mencken is quoted as saying, " Nobody ever went broke
underestimating the taste of the American public."
He also said, " As an American, I spend a lot of my time laughing!"

Good wishes to all.

Norman--NOJ&H Festival used to be fun!--Vickers