[Dixielandjazz] Do Kids Respond to Jazz?

[Steve barbone]

DAN SPINK AT DWSI at aol.com wrote:

> The eternal challenge arises from the simple fact that OKOM is so  relevant
> to us (most of us being old white guys), and so irrelevant to them  "kids" who
> do not share our history. How could they? They weren't born yet.  Rap and the
> specific songs they hear on their music stations are  relevant because they
> are living it now. But I have to ask Steve one question:  How can you make
> OKOM relevant to these kids generally? Maybe that's the real  question.

Ha Ha, Dan, Why would you think we old white guys are irrelevant to the
kids? Our band disproves that every day. Not too long ago I was referred to
by a kid shouting out from the audience as a "70 year old sex symbol" . . .
and she (the shouter) was 28, gorgeous and quite serious.

The simple answer is to play "Swinging" OKOM "JAZZ" where the kids are.

Suggestions:

Check out my website: Click on Venues to see where we play, or on schedule
to see where we are playing. http://www.barbonestreet.com

or

Ask for my 10 page treatise of band marketing suggestions entitled "The New
Audience For Dixieland". It has some suggestions for INTERESTED band leaders
and/or JAZZ musicians about reaching the kids. We do it all the time. I send
it FREE to anyone who asks. (Microsoft Word Document)

or

Re-read my posts on the Playing at the High School Graduation Party, Playing
at Brownies High School, Playing at Chadds Ford Elementary School, Playing
for College Fraternities, Playing for Swing Dancers etc., etc., etc. The
"how we do it" is there if you read them thoroughly. That's why I post them.
Not for my aggrandizement. The folks on the DJML are not my audience and I
have neither the desire to play at OKOM Festivals, nor the lack of business
acumen to take the financial hit that would occur if I were to do so. I
would benefit, however, if other bands made this music popular in their
territories. We all would benefit. That is the axe I grind.

Forget the history of Jazz. That is for pseudo intellectuals. PLAY THE DAMN
MUSIC IN A SWINGING JAZZ MANNER. Forget stupid songs like "My Cutie's Due at
2:22" or "My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes" (unless you have a comedy
act like Spike Jones or The Boondockers which would also get to the kids)
and just PLAY THE HELL OUT OF MUSIC THAT SWINGS FOR DANCERS.

The sad truth today is that most bands playing "Dixieland Jazz" today have
NO BALLS. They are playing warmed over Pop Tunes, that were overlooked when
they were written 70 + years ago because they were no good then either. And
playing them in an insipid arranged manner that excites us old farts because
we were brainwashed on the OKOM Festival circuit, by pseudo intellectual
jazz literati that this crap is "Artistic Jazz".  Quite similarly to the
Emperor's court in the fable of "The Emperor's New Clothes".

It is neither jazz nor relevant today to most people, let alone young
people. Want to get the kids? Play the music like Louis played it with his
all stars, or Condon played after World War II, or how those black players
in NYC played in the 1950s/60s. Mix in a little showmanship and treat the
kids like you wanted to be treated when you were a kid. BUT DON'T PREACH
JAZZ HISTORY TO THEM. None of us is qualified to do that in the first place
and it is not important in the second place. PLAY FOR DANCERS AND GET THE
AUDIENCE INVOLVED. 

Sorry to ramble. But I'm going on 71 and coming down from a long exhausting
gigging day with lots of kids in the audiences as well as one 85 year old
lady who is also still a kid. She came up, danced to and sang Bill Bailey in
an energetic fashion that all of us so called jazz musicians would do well
to emulate. She too excited the kids in the crowd.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone