[Dixielandjazz] The Real Deals

Mon Jun 12 23:16:02 PDT 2006

Hi Steve and all:

Yes, it was a wonderful weekend in New York, to be instrumental in 
producing  the first Live Concert in a new venue concept like the Opus 
Theater was indeed a wonderful opportunity and a challenge for me.  A 
unique new kind of venue created and operated by some young MBA types 
who told me they had spent a lot of money on hiring Expert consultants 
that produced no rewarding results.  Then I cam in with a basic Blues 
production for them and sell out their venue in three weeks time.   
They are planning to open four more similar venues this year in 
Houston., Dallas, Philadelphia and Boston so far and now want to make 
them all live music venues.   That alone made the weekend and the 
project worthwhile for me.

Dan Ackroyd star from Saturday Night Live and the Blues Brothers asked 
me to bring the same show to open the House Of Blues latest new club 
expansion in Philadelphia in the Fall, and set up the situation to book 
both of my acts into the entire International House of Blues Circuit.   
we will also do more Shows in the near future for syndicated broadcast 
on the House of Blues Radio Network.

There was also another manager at the show from a performing arts 
center in Peekskill, N.Y. who approached me to book the show for their 
theater as well as additional acts.   So whooptee owl pucky some of you 
might say especially those on the list who occasionally find disfavor 
in me, but if you think for one minute that I did not pitch them on 
bringing in a Traditional Jazz show next then you don't know me at all. 
   This theater is an absolute Perfect Place and venue to do such a show 
and present it with as much class as the Lincoln Center, in one fo the 
country's fourth largest Shopping Malls with about 23,000 visitors a 
day milling around it.

Ironic that I go back in History and open the doors with Traditional 
BLUES just like Blues traditionally opened the door for JAZZ, folks 
history indeed does repeat itself over and over again, all we need to 
do is pay attention when opportunity knocks on the door.   Now if 
anybody doubts what I just said, don't worry, there are at least three 
Pizza parlors in that same Mall that will probably jump on the band 
wagon and bring in a cheap Dixieland Band that will work for chump 
change just to have a gig.   But when I bring a Dixieland show into 
that same theater it will be a first class show and will command good 
dollars and sell out as well.

I have stated on this list time and time again that there are always 
good gigs for Good acts and an audience willing to pay to see and hear 
them.   Treat this business like a business and it will indeed treat 
you like one.    This little gig was the equivalent of a typical Sunday 
afternoon dixieland Jazz Society event folks, but promoted on a 
Saturday Night, what was the difference,  Two Very good acts and a 
guest MC, a first class venue, and a good sponsor ( Harley Davidson 
Motorcycles)   who by the way had Two beautiful machines in the lobby 
for folks to sit on and make pictures of themselves if the wished and 
many many did just that.   I hope my DJML friend who wrote that note to 
Steve got her picture taken on that Hog , she could be the new poster 
girl for OKOM with that photo.  :))  And if she has one with the Saint 
Gabriel's Shirt on I'll pay to print them  ha ha.

It is indeed a pleasure and an honor for me to meet my DJML friends 
where ever I go and can get the opportunity to do so, and when they 
bring warm greetings from other DJMl friends who I respect greatly that 
would have also come if they could have just to say hello, is enough to 
keep me on this list of mostly great folks and I do cherish all of the 
friends I have been fortunate enough to meet on here.   and makes me 
sad to remember some of  them who have passed before I had the 
opportunity to meet them in person.   I sincerely wish I could one day 
meet ever one of you personally,  well OK most of you, :))   We may not 
always agree on our personal views but that is no reason not to be 
friends.   There is a lot more to life and friendships than agreeing on 
everything, heck if everybody agreed on everything what a
dull boring world we would live in, just sitting around nodding our 
heads in our rocking chairs all day without saying anything provocative 
or mentally stimulating to each other.  :))

Life is simply too short to sweat the dumb stuff,   "Let the Good Times 
roll"

And Thanks Steve for the introduction to your friend who wrote you the 
note she is a wonderful lady and a staunch Traditional Jazz Fan that 
every band should have in their audience.  It was my pleasure to meet 
her and be able to enjoy her company in person and even better to turn 
her on to another KOM that she enjoyed.   She will be a friend that I 
will cherish as long as we are both around and she will be welcome at 
any of my shows or productions as long as she wishes to attend.  She is 
indeed the ultimate fan of good music.  And to take time out of her 
very busy schedule that weekend just to meet and spend a few hours 
listening to music together was a real treat and pleasure for me.   
Till we meet again, Keep jazzin lady and enjoy every minute of it.

Tom Wiggins

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: DJML <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sun, 11 Jun 2006 23:27:02 -0400
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The Real Deals

    Sometimes, folks ask me if Tom Wiggins is the real deal. Well, 
here's part
of an e-mail I received from a friend today:

------- begin snip
I left NJ JazzFest about 5 and arrived in Nyack at the Palisades Center
where I was privileged to see Prof. Tom Wiggins in action!!!  He had
arranged for Bluesman Dwight Edwards and ensemble from Indiana to 
perform at
Opus dinner/music theatre and 2nd set Chick Willis replaced Dwight  
using
Dwight's ensemble!   ( ten piece Blues Band ) I'm not a Blues 
fan....but these guys are A-1 performers
and blew ME away.  The whole thing was for Blues Radio - Dan 
Akyroyd....who
intro'd both sets.

It was great to meet Tom....and to see him in action....and he treated 
ME
like royalty!  I have a picture of *us* I will send when I get a print. 
 The
good news is, he made contacts there to have him bring both acts to 
Philly
area.....so I pray it's not coinciding with any of your gigs so you can
finally have a F2F with Tom (if you didn't already back when you were 
in CA
and may have met and didn't know it).

------- end snip

and another snip from it about young Jonathan Russell's performance with
Kenny Davern at the NJ Jazz Fest:

------- begin snip
NJ yesterday...two sets with Ed Polcer, Johnny Varro, Kenny Davern, Tom
Artin, Frank Tate, Jeff Brillinger   and Yes...Jonathan Jazz!  His arm 
is
better...not 100% but he played 4 or five numbers each set. Kenny Davern
thought he could *get* Jonathan...and he found out.....NOT.  I think 
Kenny
was blown away by Jonathan.....rare to see him (Kenny) humble. :o)

Jonathan had his CD for sale and of course, I have it.
-------  end snip

BTW, Kenny had a ball with young Jonathan, just ask him the next time 
you
see him. Kenny said it was just about the most fun he has had playing, 
in
years. I think perhaps "J" reminds Kenny of his own early career when 
he was
similarly, a young kid phenom in NYC.

Jonathan will be with Barbone Street for a double header on July 4th. A
quartet date, American Songbook, over lunch (violin, double bass, 
guitar,
clarinet) and the regular Dixieland Band on the Wilmington Riverfront 
that
evening before fireworks.

We'll limit his violin performance time if his arm is not fully healed 
and
make it up with his vocals. :-) VBG

Both gigs for him "by request" of the event producers who heard him 
with us
last year. Something about the audiences love him etc., in case you are
wondering if you should book him. :-) VBG

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

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