[Dixielandjazz] Kids & Dixieland

[Steve barbone]

"Jim Kashishian" <jim at kashprod.com>

> Steve wrote:
> If we truly want to get kids to enjoy OKOM, in any form, then more OKOM
> bands than mine or Kash's must do what we are doing.

> Jim answered: 
 
> There IS a difference, though, Steve.  While you actively seek this
> particular audience, our audience is just there, as I mentioned in my post.
> It's the kids that are on the streets at night, and they are the ones that
> storm into wherever we are playing.  The good part is that they don't leave!

Jim, if there is a difference, it is miniscule. The kids are already there
where you play and the kids are already there where I play. It is exactly
the same. If the difference is that I seek the audience, and you seek the
venue, well, that's not much of a difference since it is the end result that
counts. Both our audiences stay. My point was that "more OKOM bands than
mine or Kash's must do what we are doing." That is still the crux of the
matter. 
 
> Jim continued:
> As I stated in an earlier post, there are some that prefer the "family
> feeling" of the Festivals.  That's ok. They've got their schedules down pat,
> and most likely play enough to fit their daily lives & satisfy their musical
> desires. There are some that prefer the night club, smokey thing. That's ok,
> and great if it's available...as in our case here in Madrid.  I like playing
> a lot of nights, and get "itchy" when more than a week goes by without
> playing, so I don't think I could last between festivals.

Whatever works for you, or me or anybody else is OK by me. But please also
realize that there are many OKOM bands in the USA that neither play OKOM
festivals, nor many other gigs. They don't know how to get invited to
Festivals, and they are being brainwashed by OKOM literati on the DJML that
the regular folks out there in the world "don't like OKOM." So they don't
know how to get gigs like those you have, or those I have. Yet they want to
play somewhere. That erroneous "brainwashing" is what I debunk and so I
freely offer advice on how to get gigs.
 
> Your particular 10 page FREE treatise that you mention may be (& must be)
> good for you, but it will not be the icing on the cake for everyone here.
> So, I don't think you should worry so much as to whether anyone is getting
> it or not.

While I appreciate your advice, what I "should worry so much" about (or
not), is my own affair. :-) VBG

Seriously though, in the short run you are correct. What other bands do, has
no effect on the number of gigs I do. (Or the number of gigs you do)  Some
bands will never get it and it will not be icing for them. And others may
not be capable of doing it. But on the other hand, some will get it, do it
and benefit therefrom. And some already have.

It is the bands that wish to do something about the market for OKOM that I
care about, and why I do what I do. It is for the positive thinking bands
that will just go out and do it. Rather than invent reasons why it cannot be
done. I do not "worry" about them, but rather seek to help them. Hopefully,
few people, if any, have a problem with that.

Perhaps I am naive, but I feel obligated to give something back to the music
that has given so much to me. Maybe a generational thing.

As for those that will continue to sit on their minds and do nothing but
moan that kids, or the general audience, does not "appreciate" OKOM, well, I
am pointing out the fallacy of that belief. Using as examples, (and there
are more) your band and mine. And making sure that folks on the DJML realize
that bands and musicians can make good money playing OKOM for general
audiences and have a great time doing it, because these audiences love it.

Cheers,
Steve