[Dixielandjazz] Jamie Cullum or Rob McCallum?

[Steve barbone]

 Len Nielsen <lennielsen at telus.net> wrote (polite snip)

> I guess in future when you do an analysis of your group
> and the quality of your performance and report your findings to the list
> you will use Jamie Cullum as a comparative reference instead of OKOM
> festivals and bands.

Dear Len:

No, I will use my own good judgement and point you to list mate Rob McCallum
who saw our group tonight (Aug 21) in a Buck's County Park Concert near
Philadelphia. Rob is from Detroit and was visiting the area.

He would, no doubt, be pleased to report to you on the "quality of our
performance." (or lack thereof) His email is <solarjazz at wideopenwest.com>
and he'll be back home in a week or so. Other than that, I could care less
how OKOM Festivals and bands view my music for I am not doing it for them.

Barbone Street has a written Mission Statement: "To Increase The Audience
For Dixieland". The least productive place to accomplish that is at an OKOM
Festival as most are presently operated.

It would also help you to figure out why and how Cullum helps jazz as I
originally posted, if you read a little about him, and the audience that he
is reaching. As for Dixieland audiences, there may be few left if not for
kids like Cullum  and the others who seem to attract the young to JAZZ,
OKOM, or AMERICAN SONGBOOK. Yet you and others disparage them. Why? Fear of
the future, fear of change, or insecurity?

Plain & Simple. OKOM festivals, like many other musical offerings are dying
in their present form. Some, like Sacramento, or the Baltimore Symphony are
trying different approaches to reverse that trend. That is what my posts are
all about. And whatever helps jazz, will also help our kind of jazz. It
seems as if you still fail to grasp that.

Cheers,
Steve