[Dixielandjazz] Summer Concert Series

[Steve barbone]

Gary Kiser <gary at kiser.org> from far off Europe wrote:

> Just pokin' 'round the internet for gigs and stumbled on the City of El
> Paso Arts and Culture page.

> http://www.elpasotexas.gov/arts_culture/events.asp
 
> They have a Friday concert series throughout the summer with several
> jazz acts.  

Right you are Gary, there is GOLD in them thar summer concerts. Just about
every city, borough, township, county, state, in the land of the big PX has
a summer concert series.

Heads up band leaders can easily find out where via web sites, newspapers,
visits to the municipalities, park departments, google, etc., etc.,. etc.

They want good music. They all LOVE jazz bands. Especially OKOM which does
not offend anybody and pleases most if done right. they will hire you back
the next year. etc., etc., etc.

Cases in point? My band does 6 concerts a year for the Borough of West
Chester, plus about 20 more in various municipal venues from May to October.
Every year. All within a few miles of home. They pay well, build your local
audience, get to the kids, lead to all sorts of other gigs like weddings,
restaurants and schools and before you know it, in spite of yourself, you
have a "working" band.

What amazes those of us who do this, is that US OKOM bands, in large measure
ignore these venues citing all sorts of lame excuses. Yet the jazz oblivious
audience there is easily turned on to the music and becomes part of a fan
base that follows the band. It insures band success and the continuation of
the music. 

Kinda like those guys in Texas saying there is precious little OKOM there to
be had and then my buddy Pete Pepke (TB) calls me and says he toured the
State twice in the past year with Gene Mayl's band from Ohio, along with Kim
Cusack (Cl) and Howard Kadison. (Dm) BTW many concerts were also in Schools.

Pete lives in upstate PA, Mayl and Cusack somewhere in the Midwest and
Kadison in MD. Somehow Mayl found OKOM demand in Texas, and filled it with
what is essentially a pick-up band. (Though excellent) Hmmmmmmmmm.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone