[Dixielandjazz] Uniforms - Public Perception

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

Great Points Larry:P  as usual

  Well thought out Steve as usual but you didn't answer the $24K 
question and that's what is cool. You seem to know what isn't. So let 
me pick this apart a bit. Got some web sites to visit? 
 
 Steve barbone wrote: 
 > Uniforms: 
  Well that's OK to say but again what's Hip. I would love to see Tom's 
group and from his web page he is "hip" but if I copied him we would be 
a bunch of old white guys trying to look black. Not a pretty picture 
and it wouldn't float. 
 > Simple as, what works, works. And BTW, the 
 > original thread was not really about uniforms, but about the public 
 > perception of Dixieland. (in the USA) 
 > 
Yes indeed which is what I think is often ignored by some  members of 
this list, so they thik guys like us are just jerks trying to tell them 
what to do.


 > Public Perception: 
 > 
  > general public perceives "Dixieland" as older, white musicians, 
dressed in old time outfits, playing yesterday's corny music. 
 Guilty although I don't think it's corny.

And neither do Steve and I if the occasion calls for that, but in the 
general overall acceptance of Jazz you should not wear that image at 
all gigs which so many bands continue to do.

  I took in the Preservation hall band in New Orleans several years ago 
and it wasn't corny at all just badly performed by guys that were way 
over the hill. Not that I have any objection to that actually but not 
in a venue that's supposed to be a showcase . The group that day 
sounded like a green sheet job to benefit retirees.

Absolutely and totally correct observation Larry:




  There is one band around here that is really bad also but they seem to 
work a lot. 
  > They do not see its relevance as jazz, some have never heard it. And 
the music critics avoid 
 > reviewing it because they perceive it as passe.

And unfortunately every other band in the neighborhood is judged by 
that band's appearance and sound as being the same.


  I used to think that way too That is the baggage "Dixieland" carries. 
If we intend to get more attention by the public, to 
 Dixieland, then we must change that perception. 
  > Trad is generally ignored here although in all fairness so is a lot 
of other jazz too. It would be hard to characterize St. Louis as being 
anything. Typically we don't have many headliners hit here. As you 
point out good reviews don't come very often. We do have some fantastic 
players working some of the venues. 

That is primarily because musicians off all genres simply do not take 
care of the Proper Public Relations Business, not to mention their OWN 
IMAGE.

 They  dressed in uniforms of their present times, not the past. 

NOT A THING WRONG WITH THAT!   FIND WHAT REALLY WORKS AND USE IT !


  > We are back to T shirts and Jeans. Just wearing a tie is no longer 
the norm and as someone suggested that bands of the past dressed 
elegantly in white tuxes and tails. Yes that's a fact as many photos 
suggest. I suggest that those bands had to dress that way just as 
society bands dress in tuxes today.


Not at All Larry:   They actually dressed that way because they knew 
how to Command and demand Respect from the public, who were many times 
made up of hard working Blue collar or lower classes who felt GOOD when 
they got dressed up in their finest  Sunday Go to Meetin' Clothes and 
got a chance to go out on the town and be all dressed up and look like 
"SOMEBODY"  also known as "Puttin' on Aires" and lookin' good to 
attract other friends .

This was also in the day when Musicians were actually respected as 
PROFESSIONALS just like Doctors and Lawyers, Judges, etc,

  I put on my tux every Saturday night. There is another angle and that 
was that they wanted to be accepted as more than street musicians and 
they did it through often elegant clothing. 

Exactly:   And especially with early Black Americans, who liked the 
fact that they actually did get respect when they wore a Uniform, 
whether it was from the movie Theater Usher job, a branch of the 
Military, or even as a member of a Marching Band.
Respect was where you could find it.


  > On the other hand if you are in venues that like that old timey 
stuff, get  as corny as they want, complete with straw hats, vests, arm 
garters etc. I would think that a club would be the wrong place to wear 
the vests etc. However on the street and a lot of other informal kind 
of gigs I think it is appropriate and a whole lot more comfortable than 
some other outfits might be.

Like Bob said,  there indeed is a time and a place for everything it is 
just that some bands don't fully understand that and think that they 
should wear the same outfit every time, which is what has given the 
Dixieland image such a bad taste to so many folks.
 
  I don't think the music is corney however it is dated but I guess that 
assumes that the performance is somehow less than standard and I 
dislike doing anything that is less than standard. 

I absolutely agree with this as well, and if the gig paid well enough I 
would buy the damned Vests and Straw hats and garter belts etc, and 
make my guys wear them.   Unfortunately those that wish to see that 
kind of attire seem to be in the category of the Cheaper paying clients 
which cannot or simply will not pay a decent amount of money for a 
Higher caliber Entertainment act no matter what it is or how good it is.

  > But  don't be surprised if the mass audience and the guys in the 
trenches laugh at you. 
  > Go for it but I have found that a lot of musicians like to do that 
anyway to anyone they perceive as lesser musicians or not as cool than 
themselves or not "in". It doesn't say a lot for us. 
 > Cheers, 
 > Steve Barbone > 

Yes, we often do portray an snootier than thou attitude towards each 
other, tis a disease akin to the trade I suspect, backbiting bunch of 
SOBS that we often are.

Cheers,

Tom  " so Wear What you Wanna"  Wiggins

Bye the way folks,  Every one of my Uniforms were purchased by clients 
who wanted something special.

I got GOLD ROBES for Gospel shows,  White Tailed Tuxedos for concerts & 
Funerals, Red White & Blue Stars and Stripes for 4th of July 
Celebrations and Parades,  Lone Star Texas uniforms bought by a Texas 
client.   All Black Tuxedos bought by a client.

And the other stuff I ADD as I go to make changes to suit the 
particular situation,   You can dress me as Funny as you want to if you 
are paying me well enough.   And my clients don't seem to have a 
problem with that.