[Dixielandjazz] If You Play It, They Will Come

[Charles Suhor]

Steve and all--

The pep talks from you-all about making things happen have encouraged 
me to try to start up some Dixieland activity in Montgomery. I’ve been 
here 7 ½ years, and it’s never really been tried. The Ala. Jazz and 
Blues Federation is all about blues and modern jazz. Good stuff, but 
when I offered some Dixieland ideas they pretty much snubbed them.

Last I played two Dixie gigs—one at the new Mardi Gras ceremonies in 
nearby Prattville, and one for a private party, and the people loved 
it. I’m working on a happy hour with a club owner who has a cabaret 
theme but currently only rents out for special occasions. It would fill 
a big gap in the local scene.

One problem has been a lack of players who know even the standard 
“commercial” Dixie repertoire--and can jam. Discouraging, in a city 
this size. But there’s an 83-year old trumpeter, Charlie Higgins, who 
knows the stuff and plays with great fire, plus a versatile rhythm 
section of Joe Thomas on piano, Richard Garrett on bass & tuba and 
myself on drums. Richard’s tuba is esp. interesting—he doesn’t honk but 
has a mellow sound. When he plays in 4/4 on swing tunes, it’s almost 
like having a string bass. There are maybe three reedmen we can use, 
and a couple of trombonists and vocalists. I hope to be able to run 
with this.

Re Mardi Gras, I suspect most of you know what I’ve learned since 
moving to Alabama. The Mobile Mardi Gras is older than the New Orleans 
one by a few years. They now whoop it up pretty strongly. Interesingly, 
Prattville boasted a “boozeless” Mardi Gras, and no 
breast-baring-for-beads was tolerated. I’m not for unbridled alcohol 
and lust, but that might be taking the party out of the event.

Charlie Suhor

.

On Feb 6, 2005, at 12:37 PM, Steve barbone wrote:

> 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)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>