[Dixielandjazz] Gate City Jazz Band

[Cebuisle2 at aol.com]

Hello listers-
 
Went to an advertised jazz performance of the above mentioned band last  
night. It was in the gazebo of a senior retirement facility. 
 
This group, a very rare example of OKOM here in central North Carolina was  a 
quartet-however a rare instrumentation, even for a Dixie band. There were two 
 banjos, a tenor and a plectrum, one tuba (who was twenty minutes late in  
arriving for the one hour gig) and a cornet who led the group and sang on most  
of the selections. When all four played it was reaso-nably good jazz. However, 
 when the cornet dropped out it became more like a pizza parlor sing along 
group.  Not jazz at all, but a banjo band.. I don't know if the group was this 
small  because there wasn't enough money to go around,  or if it was this  size 
all the time. Didn't stay around after it was over to ask.
 
The audience was understandably all gray headed or beyond that (no hair at  
all) I did notice two attractive young females, but maybe they were part of the 
 staff. Halfway through the performance one of the elderly ladies had to be  
removed, and shortly thereafter an ambulance arrived , siren screaming, to 
take  her away. Perhaps too much stimulation.
 
I assume the audience was (with my exception) quite affluent, as they lived  
in separate homes in a campus-like atmosphere. There were no Af -Ams in the  
audience . reflecting either a disinterest in jazz or a lack of affluence- It  
was open to the public-
 
And there is my  review!                                       Ted ( who 
desperately seeks any OKOM in 
                                                                              
  this music  wasteland)