[Dixielandjazz] Re: JASS IS DEAD?

[iVOR jONES]

In some places it might be dying, but when, with others, I was instrumental 
in forming a traditional jazz band here in Portugal some six years ago, as I 
understand it there was only one other band, the 'Dixiegang' from Lisbon. 
The band that I was in at that time was invited to play in the 'state of the 
art' concert hall in Lisbon, Culturgest, which was, is roughly on a par with 
the Festival Hall in London.We were not a very good band, but we packed the 
hall, 650 bums on seats, we were to play for about one hour and a quarter. 
We ended up playing for over two hours to standing ovations. You must 
understand that during the Salazar dictatorship, jazz was not played. We 
were a novelty. We got good reviews. Maybe from ignorance, because as I say 
we were not a good band. This is not false modesty. I don't claim that we 
helped to inspire the youth but it is certainly true to say that there must 
be perhaps 8/10 trad bands in Portugal now. We might have done our bit. 
Apart from our band in which ages range between 35 and 76 (me) there is a 
what is called a 'New Orleans 'band all older guys, mostly English plus a 
marching band who play, what I suppose, is based on a more modern New 
Orleans band. Three bands just in  the narrow southern strip of Portugal, 
the Algarve. All of the newer bands playing what they call  Dixieland ( 
there are no categories here ) are all young bands mostly in their twenties. 
Modern jazz holds sway here, but in all the jazz festivals we have played 
here we have been  the only trad band, and as some others on the list have 
also commented, OKOM has been the most popular music.

Ivor Jones

The Good Time Jazz Band