[Dixielandjazz] New Orleans Jazz Band vs. Dixieland Jazz Band

[Steve barbone]

Interesting question Dick. (who is thinking of changing the name of his band
from Dixieland Jazz Band to New Orleans Jazz Band) Here is my 2cents.

Do it or not, your choice. What the rest of the world thinks about it is of
little consequence.

IMO, What is New Orleans Jazz?, or What is Dixieland?, or What is
Traditional Jazz?, or What is Hot Jazz?, is really indefinable as a
generality. Just about all of us probably have different definitions fixed
in our minds depending upon where we live.

Like New Orleans Jazz. Heck if Tim Laughlin, a New Orleans Resident (until
Katrina at least) plays jazz there . . . it is New Orleans Jazz. No? And he
is no George Lewis clone. New Orleans is the seat of a lot of different jazz
music. Dixieland was born there courtesy of ODJB, so Dixieland is New
Orleans Jazz also, no?

Today Dixieland and/or New Orleans Jazz is/are played all over the world. So
you should comfortably name your band as you see fit to gain the audience
you seek. 

e.g. my band name, Barbone Street Jazz Band, says neither N.O., nor
Dixieland in it, but I describe the music we play as Dixieland / New Orleans
Jazz/ Chicago Jazz/ Kansas City Jazz / Jump Blues / Straight Ahead Jazz /
Swing / American Songbook/ in various places on my promo literature and web
site. It works for me.

WHAT WORKS FOR YOU is what is important. What the rest of us think about it
is immaterial, other than as advisory from our perspectives, which should
have lesser weight than yours.

Cheers,
Steve