[Dixielandjazz] What is music? (Trying again)

[Elazar Brandt]

Shalom Jazz Fans,

Gary, you did better than we did. My Dr Jazz trio went to Holland last summer
for 3 weeks with our new hot off the press CD, with the express intention of
busking 6-8 hours a day for fun, fame and fortune. We had heard so many glorious
reports of buskers profiting profusely on the streets of Europe, that it never
occurred to us that we might not at least recover the cost of our air tickets
and car rental. We could have done that if we made only what we make in
Jerusalem. And we heard Europe was much more generous.

Well, don't believe most of what you hear. We played our hearts out for 3 weeks,
on banjo, tuba, trumpet, bone, and vocals, with new silk tailor made uniforms
from India, and Holland was, shall we say, not impressed. Oh, they heard and saw
us. We got photographed a lot, but from a distance, apparently so as not to
incur the obligation of putting something into our hat.

We saw people doing nothing but pattering into a loudspeaker and making a small
fortune. We saw mimes gathering huge crowds by standing perfectly still and
doing nothing at all but holding a pose. So we decided to become a statue of a
jazz band. We tried striking a pose and holding it without playing. This began
to draw people, but I wouldn't call it a crowd. When someone ventured to put a
coin in our hat, we'd play a song, then freeze again. Someone else would drop a
coin, and we'd play again, They got the idea, laughed, and went away.

In one large square we discovered that the entire crowd were stoned out of their
gourds on pot. I don't know what the rest of the country's excuse was. So, Bill
Gunter, did we make music? No one will ever convince me that we didn't look or
sound sharp. We do great in Israel. But the vibes in the air seemed to say,
"Stay away from Dr. Jazz!" and I to this day have no clue what the problem might
have been. But in the end we didn't even make enough to cover the gas, parking
and food, never mind car rental, air fare, or, gasp, profit.

So for now, this jazz band's staying home where we know our market, unless
anyone wants to book a growing young Israeli band for a festival, wedding or bar
mitzvah.

In other news, the Ministry of Jazz is launching a brass ensemble. We've already
taken the act on the street (note: not on the road, but on the street), and we
have our first gig in June. We're 4-5 trumpets presently. I am aiming for more
of a brass quintet, with an F horn, bone or baritone, and tuba, but for now all
my students are learning trumpet, so that's what we've got. I sub on mellophone
or euphonium when we need a lower brass voice in the mix. Still looking for a
name, and I hope to record something by the end of the year. We're playing a mix
of pop, light classical, marches, movie and TV themes, and some big band
arrangements. It's sounding good. Will try to get some pix and sound clips onto
my website this summer.

Keep on jazzin',

Elazar "waiting to hear if they accepted my application to be the next pope"
Brandt
Misrad HaJazz
Doctor Jazz Band
Jerusalem, Israel
<www.israel.net/ministry-of-jazz>
Tel: +972-2-679-2537


P.S. Did I mention that Dr. Jazz has a CD for sale?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gary Kiser [mailto:gary at kiser.org]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2005 10:16 PM
> To: DJML
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] What is music?
>
>
> I heard this description before.  It reminds me of my solo Scandinavian
> busking tour.  I spent six weeks in Denmark, Sweden and Norway pretty
> much as a tourist.  But, almost every day, I set up on a street corner
> somewhere and played solo tuba.  For the life of me, I don't know if the
> kind folk fed my tuba case because they liked what they heard, had pity
> on me or thought I'd go away if I made enough money.  In any case, I
> always made enough to eat, pay a hotel room and buy a train ticket to
> the next town.  Does this mean I know how to play the tuba?