[Dixielandjazz] Political Correctness

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

Prejudice is a funny thing.  My ex sister-in-law was a blonde, fair skinned
Sicilian and the people on the hill ( formerly called Dago hill) made her
life miserable when she was a kid because she was different.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Friday, July 15, 2005 1:26 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Political Correctness


> Below is my reply to an off list conversation about political correctness
> and music. Just my opinion.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
> I agree that it is a little strange to sing a song written for the other
> gender, but that is our personal opinion and singers have disregarded it
> throughout history. And agree again that there are some songs that are not
> really proper these days to present like those you mention.
>
> I think the main point I would make about Political Correctness is that if
> it is offensive to a "large group" then perhaps it should not be said or
> done.  However, if it is just one or two person's opinion, as in the case
of
> the Darktown example given,  it is simply an opinion and there are so many
> opinions out there that if we tried to follow them all, we'd go crazy.
>
> Interestingly enough about "explanations",  I find with Barbone Street
that
> in the case of these tunes, e.g. Shine,  the one minute preface about who
> wrote it and why, is appreciated by the audience and reinforces our band
to
> audience connection.  Shine is one of our show stopper numbers and Blacks
in
> the audience come up and voice their appreciation for it. And for the
> history lesson, which ties into the NY Times post yesterday about some of
> the older musicians who counsel and impart wisdom to the audience. IMO,
that
> goes with the musical territory.
>
> And being older musicians, we need as much time between numbers as these
> little patters provide and so I've developed a whole bunch of song
> explanations, jokes, facts about band members, etc. It keeps the program
> moving along, builds a bond with the audience and results in our being
hired
> back by the venue, as well as in additional gigs from audience members.
Bear
> in mind that Barbone Street plays for a variety of audiences which run the
> gamut of age, race, religion, color and knowledge about jazz.
>
> Also interesting, as you mention, is the ability of a Black, or Italian,
to
> poke fun at his/her own race. Chris Rock can talk about "Niggers" and
Steve
> Barbone can talk about "Wops". And I do frequently mention "Guido" in some
> of my patter between numbers.
>
> One favorite is when introducing band members, I will say We're all
Italians
> in this band except one, and I bet you know who that guy is"  Audience
> titters because one player is Black.  I then go on to introduce Glenn
Dodson
> the trombone player and the audience now laughs because it is the trumpet
> player who is the Black. When I introduce him later, I say he is Sicilian,
> Paolo Grante, instead of Paul Grant etc. Both Blacks and Whites in the
> audience love it.
>
> A large part of what makes our band so successful is "audience
connection".
> Those bands that do not connect, are those that still can't find work. In
> that regard, what we do and say, is just as important as how and what we
> play.
>
>
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