[Dixielandjazz] Do Kids Respond to Jazz?

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

Steve send me one too - Larry Walton - St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Woitowicz" <banjobarons at nconnect.net>
To: "Steve barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>;
<dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2005 10:18 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Do Kids Respond to Jazz?


> Steve,
>
> I would be interested in receiving your treatise on band marketing. I'm
> always open to new ideas.
>
> By the way, take a look at my new website below.
>
> Mike Woitowicz
> The Banjo Barons Ragtime Band
> The Dixie Barons Dixieland Band
> www.banjomusic.biz
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Steve barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
> To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 11:44 PM
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Do Kids Respond to Jazz?
>
>
> > 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
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
> >
> >
>
>
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