[Dixielandjazz] Sacramento Jubilee

[Bill Gunter]

Hi Tom and all,

You wrote (regarding Bill Sharp's comments on the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee):

>I go to hear the music, not to be entertained between numbers.  But, since 
>most attendees would take entertainment over music, if given the choice, 
>Bill's point is valid for the survival of the jubilee.

You almost make it sound like the "music" and the "entertainment" are 
mutually exclusive.  Now I know that this is most likely not what you 
actually meant, but the statement "I go to hear the music and not to be 
entertained between numbers" makes the idea of performing in an entertaining 
manner a trivial thing.

That's like saying "I prefer food for it's nutritional value and not it's 
flavor" or "I drink adult beverages because of the alcohol, not because it's 
Scotch or Bourbon or Vodka or Gin, etc."

I don't think attendees prefer "entertainment" OVER "music - I think they 
like good music as much as you or anyone else does, but attendees ALSO enjoy 
being entertained as well.

Look - when you attend a presentation (be it music, dance, drama, whatever) 
if you are not "entertained" then you are automatically "bored" -- (boredom 
is the other side of the entertainment coin).

I heard a band I've loved for years at the Jubilee and I couldn't believe it 
when between numbers they sort of stood around ignoring those of us in the 
audience while they discussed the next tune. I enjoyed the music, but I 
resented the attitude that we in the audience were the least of their 
concerns.

Presenting music without entertainment is virtually an oxymoron and those 
bands that attempt it will find gigs slowly drying up over the years.

So, Tom, do you want to qualify your position a bit or will you stick with 
the "entertainment is not important" point of view.

Also, you said one or two other things which I might take issue with, but 
perhaps at some other time. You do present provocative points of view which 
capture my interest.

Warmest regards,

Bill "Music AND entertainment" Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com




>From: "Tom Belmessieri" <tbelmo at hotmail.com>
>To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
>Subject: RE: [Dixielandjazz] Sacramento Jubilee
>Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2006 16:23:38 -0700
>
>
>>Bill Sharp wrote:
>>During the Memorial Day weekend was held one of the one of the world's
>>largest and best known trad jazz festivals in the world, yet there seems 
>>to
>>be little discussion of it by DJMl members, of whom I know there were
>>several at the festival.
>>
>>
>My thoughts on the Jubilee...and this may be my perspective alone.
>
>I go to hear the music, not to be entertained between numbers.  But, since 
>most attendees would take entertainment over music, if given the choice, 
>Bill's point is valid for the survival of the jubilee.  Personally 
>speaking, there are less and less really good dixieland bands playing there 
>any more and so I only go up for one day to hear them.  A real shame for 
>what used to be strickly a dixieland festival.  The number of sets and 
>venues have been reduced for all the bands.  It has changed to one that 
>includes all kinds of music.  I've heard country, rock & roll, swing, 
>lounge, etc.  It was changed to increase the attendance but last year they 
>lost money.  I don't know how they fared this year yet.  I fear that, in 
>the not too distant future, they may take the word "jazz" out of the title 
>completely since OKOM is getting squeezed out slowly.
>
>My 2 cents.
>Tom B.
>
>
>
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