[Dixielandjazz] GOOD MUSIC WILL OUT

[Steve barbone]

Warning: Delete now if you are of the unshakeable opinion that College Kids
don't like Dixieland because the following will piss you off: (even if for
all the wrong reasons)

The Ultimate Gig - 

For the past 6 years, Barbone Street has had a November gig date with the
top fraternity at the University of Pennsylvania (IVY LEAGUE, EXPENSIVE, TOP
10 AACADEMICALLY IN THE USA)

Formal affair with 400 or so formally dressed students who want to drink,
dance and otherwise experience a night to remember. Ages 19 to 23. Held at
the First Troop Armory in Philadelphia. Prestigious place, housing the horse
troop that buries US Presidents etc. Many legendary Society Parties also
held here over the past 100 years.

Gig from 10 PM to 2 AM, following our Casino gig in Atlantic City. The kids,
as I posted before, love us and the music. The burn their own CDs which I
play on intermission through my Fender Sound System. During the past several
years, Rock, and tunes like "Shake Your Ass, Shake Your Ass, You're A Sexy
Mother F*****" were on those discs.

This year? Imagine my surprise on first break when American Songbook Tunes
came out of my speakers. Two CD's full of Gershwin, Kern, McHugh etc.

But that was only the start. They came up in droves to compliment the band
and chat with our 85 year old sub on piano, about the 1930's. They came up
to get beads and "I Love Those Italians" party favors from me. Some, who
were graduating, said that these parties were a highlight of their social
whirl.

They asked me where my usual group of swing dancers were. I replied "there
is a swing dance on campus tonight with The Boilermakers." Some listmates
may remember them. They used to, like Barbone Street, be a George Lewis
revival band playing to old folks. Now very successfully playing swing
dances in Pennsylvania and Ohio.(Would have been our gig, had we not
committed to the Fraternity first)

They asked when they would see us again. I replied "next November, or if you
watch the Swing Dance Calendar at school, you'll see our two Spring dates on
campus. We finished the program with my vocal of "I Want A Little Girl."

The topper? As I was packing up, I had the CD playing. One of the kids came
up to me and said: "Would you dance with me?" She was beautiful, slightly
drunk, in a red gown, great figure, and I couldn't resist, especially since
Ella & Louis were singing "You Can't Take That Away From Me."

After names, I asked:

What year, what major. - Political Science, Freshman
She then asked me how old I thought she was. - 20? - No 19.

What do you want to do after college? - Become a Lawyer
What type? Divorce.

Why? My parents are divorced. But enough of that, will you drive me home, I
have my own apartment off campus and I'll make breakfast for you. ALARM
BELLS GO OFF IN MY MIND.

Avoiding an answer, I ask; "How old do you think I am?" - 45, she answers.

OOPS, SHE HAS A FATHER COMPLEX (HOWARD STERN FANTASY TIME?).

I'm 71, old enough to be your great grandfather.

Anyway, we danced and talked some more, but to make a long story short, she
went home with her girlfriends, and I too my wife. This morning I had an
email note from her. It said:

"Grandpa;

Thank you for being so sweet and for playing such great music."

Boast? Brag? Why Post It?

Well, for those of you who got this far, it is a REMINDER THAT OKOM IS ALSO
KIDS MUSIC IF YOU GIVE IT HALF A CHANCE.

What were Louis and King talking about when they said sometimes "you could
hear the dancers feet shuffling across the floor? They were talking about
slow, sexy, dance music. Tunes that in today's young dance venues would
include I'm Confessin, or I Cant Get Started, or another hundred or so sexy
tunes that make up the raw stuff of life. Played in Dixieland fashion.

Not the usual OKOM festival pap like "My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes"
or the obscure tunes many seek out just because they are obscure. (Obscure
no doubt because they weren't any good the first time around)

Band leaders, bands, you have the power in your horns to turn on a new
generation. Some of us are doing that now. In addition to us, and
Boilermakers, there is Joe Hopkins in Arizona, and Becky Gilgore/Dan
Barrett's BED who today are appearing in a Swing Concert at Xavier
University in Ohio. And others.

Is it any wonder that I blame musicians who bitch about the "sad" state of
music today? Nah, it is in large measure, our own fault for stultifying it.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. For those on Viagra: Try slow dancing for 10 minutes with a beautiful 19
year old hard body who is slightly tipsy and not related to you. It will
make a new man of you. :-) VBG.