[Dixielandjazz] Commercial OKOM?

[Steve barbone]

There are those who would call a Dixieland Band playing a store grand
opening . . . "commercial". But then, they've never seen a band like Barbone
Street do it.

Just came back from a Grand Opening of Vanity Fair Outlet Marketplace in
Souderton, PA. 10 AM door opening till 1 PM. Souderton is halfway between
Philadelphia and Allentown in a farming part of the state. Since our trumpet
guy had to cover the Showboat gig, and the Store gig was only an hour from
Randy Reinhart's pad, we offered the cornet chair to him.

He was a little leery at first, but it paid well and when he heard there
were no silly uniforms, hats, vest arm garters etc., he took it. It was a
wonderful 3 hours of Dixieland and Small Band Swing played like you would at
a jazz nightclub or jazz festival. Only in the center of a store.

He asked how we got this type of neat gig. Simple, the first one, two years
ago came through Vanity Fair's entertainment agent. He had heard about us by
word of mouth and the Vanity Fair folks had heard us at Berk's Jazz Festival
in Reading and asked him to check us out.

He fought our price, we did not budge and so we did the first Grand Opening.
The agent almost had a stroke when he saw pictures of us taken at the event
dressed in our usual casual street clothes. "What? No uniforms, no vests,
hats, garters, Red Blazers, etc.,. etc., etc. Don't you know anything about
entertainment? And at that high price you got? Etc., etc.., etc. I book a
lot of these and I won't ever hire you again."

"OK by me," I replied, "but had you been there, you would have seen the
customers digging what we were doing. How we got the kids to interact with
us, etc., etc.  And how the store execs and sales personnel LOVED IT. We
play music that people like, better than anybody else you have ever hired.
They dance in the aisles, they bring their kids up close they love us. If
that is not good enough, then I'm with you, don't hire us, hire the vests
arm garters and straw hats."

Well, to make a long story short, this was our fourth grand opening for VF,
plus we also play their yearly anniversary celebration sales. It has turned
into a sort of regular gig at multiple locations each year. Best of all, in
the AM so we can double book for the evening and it pays VERY WELL.

We are asked to return by the Store folks, and the agent is forced to hire
us at "our price". Simply because OKOM is very popular and powerful music if
the band swings and has a good time with the customers.

Commercial? For other bands, maybe, but I don't think so. If you doubt me,
ask Randy. He had a blast playing and creating jazz the way he wants to, in
front of an appreciative audience, including some lovely young ladies, for
good money, close to home. It doesn't get any better than that.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone