[Dixielandjazz] Russ' take on the Dixieland Monterey Weekend

[Jim Kashishian]

Russ Guarino wrote, about jazz at Monterey:
The joke telling was an essential part of the entertainment.  And, as time
went on and the performers tired, the jokes were taking up more of the stage
time.
 

Joke telling doesn't work well where I play...in a multi-language
environment.  The band, having fun on stage, does work.  I don't mean
leaping around, as such, but just oozing enjoyment can be seen/felt by the
audience.  I recall Gunter making a similar comment when the Boondockers
played in Hungary.

Our audiences, particularly at one tourist-visited club, may include 10 or
more different languages, so jokes would be futile.  We hold microphone
chatter down to a general greeting, and the only occassional utterance of
the name of a song.  Just let the music do the talking.  

Any discourse is done in Spanish, even though I'm the guy that talks in our
band.  That's kinda funny, as I'm the only foreigner in the band.  However,
I'm also the only cheeky one in the band, so I get the mike! :>   We are,
however, a Spanish band, and not a few locals backing some kind of visiting
"star".   

I wonder at the comment about the "performers tiring" in Russ's quote.  I
rarely feel "tired" during a performance.  Afterward, yes!  But, not during.
Too busy making music.  How can you have time to think about being tired?
Maybe it's during those long jokes?   :>  

We do 45 minute sets.  Quite often I'm counting off the next tune before the
applause dies from the previous one.  I think about what will be the next
song during the previous one, and try to figure out the audience mood as a
guide to which tune it will be.  Ok, I'm tired at the end of the night, but
never during the sets.  Too busy!

Things I consider when choosing songs "on-the-fly": 
this one is slow, shall we go fast or medium next (or visa versa)?, we've
done two songs based on the 32 bar format in a row, time for something with
a different format?....whoops, two songs in a row in Ab, could be boring for
the band, better try a different key?....looks like a couple of kids in the
front might get up & dance if we do a charleston based tune!....need a vocal
next?....what's a good one to end up with?...need to toss in a well known
tune now!....we did that one last nite (no need to repeat so often, can be
boring for the band)....etc, etc.  With all that going on in your head, &
trying to play at the same time, how ya gonna get tired?  Nah, I don't like
to make a song list.  Too strict, and doesn't allow the band to mold the
evening depending on audience reaction, or the band's mood.

Jim