[Dixielandjazz] Controversial stuff and festival sounds

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

Way to go Mike
We really don't have festivals as such but we have a lot of municipal park concerts. Some of the sound guys really haven't a clue.  One time we did a sound check and got everything lined up.  The band started playing and I stepped up to the solo mike and almost cut off the heads of the first 50 rows.  Somehow the volume got turned way up and the sound man had taken off somewhere.  I'm sure everyone who is at the mercy of some soundman has a horror story to tell.  The only alternative is to have your own sound system and sound man that most of us can't afford.

Sometimes saying something nice is annoying.  There is one band here that everyone always does great.  Truth is most of the soloists suck and completing the job shouldn't rate how well you played.  On the other hand a compliment by someone like yourself might go a long way with other musicians.

I really dislike a lot of vibratos used by Trad musicians.  Some are so bad they are quaint.  Vibrato is an integral part of a musician's art and I don't like all forms of art.  However vibrato is a matter of taste and I prefer more modern interpretations.