[Dixielandjazz] NEW TUNES FOR OKOM?

[Steve barbone]

Funny how things happen. We just booked a jazz wedding for a restaurant
owner client. He and fiancee are jazz fans, mid 30s. Discussed their wishes
this morning. 

Low key, "look like jazz musicians", play Swing/Dixieland/American Songbook.

"Their song" request? "Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel. The rhythm
section knows the tune, but I do not so I thought I'd get it. Almost
succumbed to getting it free on the web or DJML, but stayed true to the high
road and went to my local music store for it.

Ended up buying the complete songbook of Billy Joel Hits for about $40.

Why? Because I thought, gee, instead of some 80 year old obscure tunes,
maybe Billy Joel is adaptable to Dixieland and/or Jazz. After looking at
"Just The Way You Are", which IMO is completely adaptable, I bought the
whole book.

Why? Because that age group, say 30 to 60, knows and loves the music of
Billy Joel. And that's a hard age group from which to garner OKOM fans.
And we've had some prior success Dixiefying some of the Beetles music.

Anybody out there doing Billy Joel, or Bruce Springsteen, or? Seems to me to
be a hell of a way to get more audience in addition to all the other things
Barbone Street does to attract the jazz oblivious.

Playing music that people know at places where people are. Just add a little
JAZZ. What could be simpler?

Cheers,
Steve Barbone