[Dixielandjazz] If You Play It, They Will Come

[Steve barbone]

List mates:

Just back from the Saturday before Mardi Gras at Sydney's Jazz Cafe in
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on the Atlantic Ocean, 100 miles from home.

This is always one of the most fun gigs that a jazz band can have. But, more
important than that is the audience that goes there on this annual date. As
well as to our Louis Armstrong Celebration every August. For example:

Potomac River Jazz Club Members Chuck & Ilene Fallot from Marshall Virginia
drove 150 miles one way to be there, and stayed overnight. He is in his mid
70s, on portable oxygen, but not letting a little thing like that slow him
down. They saw the gig listing in the PRJC newsletter and being adventurous,
decided to take a chance and see us (for the first time). They were amazed
at the young audience in the  club and the obvious connection that our band
and OKOM makes with these youngsters.

Alec, Katherine and Sydney are three swing dancer fans from Central New
Jersey. In their 20s, the drove down & back in the same night, a 250 mile
round trip. They danced their butt's off doing everything from Lindy to Shag
to Balboa to Charleston. Part of Katherine's email to me this AM was:

"Best night of dancing I've had in a while, and the best music in a LONG
time!!  We're so glad we made the trip...I just got home -- I hope you also
made it back safely, and you're not too tired for your gig in the morning!
Hope to see you soon!"

We also had numerous fans make the trip from the Wilmington/Philadelphia
area, a mere 180 mile round trip. Even though they will see us again on Fat
Tuesday in Wilmington.

Plus the locals.

All of them there JUST TO GO CLUBBING AND SEE THE BAND. To the beach, in the
middle of winter! Inside the club? Like Summer and packed.

Even club owner Sydney Arzt was surprised. Two hours before gig she was
telling me how "slow" things had been over the winter. An hour before gig
time the joint was jammed and she had to help out in the kitchen to meet the
demand. At starting time, she was hard pressed to leave the kitchen and
announce us and the evening theme. She was now harried, but all smiles.

We did our usual bead throwing, and bikini bottom fittings. One birthday
girl, Sherry, celebrating her 30th got a personal fitting from Sonny, our
Guitarist. Her boy friend is Italian so the "Love Those Italians" printed on
the back side was apropos. Sonny put them on (over here jeans). First
backwards, then inside out then finally correctly. All to the delight of the
audience as he blamed his trouble on the fact that he was more used to
removing "these things", then putting them on.

Anyhow, we had a blast, the audience had a blast and the moment, pure magic.
No "art form" pap here, just visceral jazz. That's as close as it gets to
what the music and the atmosphere were like with those wonderfully relevant
bands. Like The Armstrong All Stars,  Condon Gang, YBJB, Turk Murphy et al,
. . . before the real music died and the BS music took over.

Preserve Hell. That's for DEAD STUFF.  EXPAND, EXPAND, EXPAND.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. Next date at Sydney's is Fri/Sat nights, August 5 & 6. In celebration of
Pops' 104th birthday anniversary. Reserve now as the Beach resort area and
the Club will be FULL. After that, we'll be there at the Rehoboth Jazz
Festival in October, dates TBA. (With a program for YOUNG PEOPLE)