[Dixielandjazz] Jubilee Feedback

[Steve barbone]

Careful Bill. That kind of post will categorize you as pompous, arrogant and
trying to be better than everyone else.:-) VBG

But then, I applaud your courage in telling it like it is. With the new
competition up the road a short distance in Sonoma that same weekend,
presenting the very best in contemporary Jazz Music and Entertainment,
Sacramento does not have an easy road to continued success in drawing mega
crowds.

Hopefully your insights will help.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone.


billsharp <sharp-b at clearwire.net>
 
> 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.  I'd like to find out what their
> opinions are compared to mine.  I have been to every Jazz Jubilee since
> its inception, and as a result have certain perceptions about the
> matter.
> I always hold in awe the fact that it happens at all, regarding the
> huge amount of work that it takes to schedule everything, hire the
> bands, and coordinate everything, not possible without intelligent
> people doing their jobs, most of whom (Over 2,000)  were volunteers.
> My hat is definitely off to them.  Jill Harper and her crew had a tough
> job, it being a first for her, but they pulled it together.
> Now for some serious critiquing:   The crowds seemed to be quite
> small, and at times I don't even think the word "crowd" is an
> appropriate word to use to describe the amount of people at some of the
> performance sites, or on the streets.  The words  "sparse gathering"
> would perhaps more adequately describe the situation at many of the
> venues.  I"m not sure if expenses were met, since no one has heard,
> which would be tragic for such a potentially exciting event, and here's
> where I get to put in my 2 cents about what could be better to insure
> that the crowds continue to come to Sacramento:   1)  The board needs
> to realize that there is still a tremendous amount of dead wood being
> carried by the festival.   I personally saw very well-known bands who
> played extremely well, bands that have played all over the world, with
> numerous recordings, but who, when they weren't playing the wonderful
> songs, sat like bumps on logs and bored the audience to death.
> Contrast this to Igor, who, though not trad, and is thusly not liked by
> the trad "purists", draws huge crowds simply by the energy and
> enthusiasm the band generates when they play.  The musicians in both
> bands know the tunes and their instruments well, but one draws a crowd,
> while the other one doesn't.  The  "bump-on-a-log" band should be
> considered to be dead wood, and not be carried along from year to year.
> 2) Here's where I really make enemies because I know many of the
> people of whom I'm going to speak, but we're talking Jubilee survival,
> and bluntness just may be the word of the day.  (I will however attempt
> to protect myself somewhat by not mentioning names)    Much of the dead
> wood comes from several of the Sacramento bands hired as favors to the
> musicians in the bands, who have positions in the Sacramento Jazz club,
> and because they support the club, the Jubilee committee hires them.
> However, many of these "dead wood" bands performing  at the Jubilee,
> they are, as the people I've talked to have said, b- - o- - r - -i- -n-
> -g.  There is definitely dead wood among some some of the bands hired
> just because they have traditionally been hired nearly every year the
> Jubilee has taken place, and no one wants to tell them that they no
> longer belong because they simply draw no crowds.  (Some don't even
> draw sparse gatherings.)
> Here's what the committee should be using as a test:  Stand at any
> bus stop and casually strike up a conversation with people in line and
> ask.  "Is there any band you've heard that you'd recommend?", and after
> only a few conversations you will begin to find out which bands the
> people are enjoying.  Then if you ask the question, "Who would you not
> bother with?'  you'll  begin to identify the  dead wood.. I did exactly
> that, which is what led me to make several of my earlier remarks, which
> came from surveying actual people, and led to writing this letter.  I
> am also a musician who has performed in numerous Jubilees (28 of the
> 33), and most of my remarks are in line with comments made by numerous
> other musicians to whom I talk. I myself have been quite surprised to
> hear a lot of poo-pooing of well known bands because, though the bands
> contain fine musicians, they tell me, "Don't go see them because you'll
> be bored to death - -both you and members of the band will fall asleep
> between songs."  Local bands that do not fall in that category are
> bands like Cellblock 7, and the Boondockers who, though they have been
> around since B.C., continue to perform with enthusiasm and vigor,
> thusly drawing significant crowds.  Where the festival organizers fall
> down is that they have not been strong enough to "face the music" (pun
> intended) and eliminate those bands they hire as favors to some one.
> Some groups have been performing 10 years past their prime - - I saw
> groups 10 years ago who did not drawing crowds, and are surprised every
> year that they continue to be on the program . . . so I figure, they
> have to know somebody.
> 3)  Why do we have guest artists going around sitting in with various
> bands?   . . .so there you are in the audience listening to a band of
> your choosing, and then appears some guest artist who plays a few
> numbers, often taking numerous solos to demonstrate prowess, then flies
> off stage to go do the same thing elsewhere. . . .  Does it make me
> enjoy the band I chose to listen to any better? No.  . .  So, some
> really fine musician got to briefly strutt their stuff.  Do I actually
> care?  Not really.  The Jubilee could save tremendous money by not
> bringing in these "hired guns" .  What is their purpose anyway? - -to
> clean up dodge City?
> That's the end of my remarks thus far.  Now I'll sit back and watch
> the fur fly, because there are definitely contrasting, or perhaps even
> similar remarks out there in etherland.  (Maybe some of the discussions
> will even get your mind off the Dixie Chicks.)