[Dixielandjazz] Putting People Down?

[Steve barbone]

Vaxtrpts at aol.com wrote (polite snips)

> So I have a question!  Is any one else tired of being put down  constantly by
> Tom Wiggins and Steve Barbone????????
> It still seems to me that according to them, none of us are "doing it  right."
. . . . . and

> OK - now that you are both pissed off at me . . .

Hi Mike:

No I am not pissed off at you. But I am surprised at your belief that "you"
are being put down by me. I can't imagine myself putting down a musician of
your stature and cannot think of anything I have ever posted that puts "you"
down. If you could point to some words, in context, from me that did so, I
would be forever grateful and publicly apologize immediately.

"None of us are doing it right?" My view is opposite. Quite a few of us are
doing it right as evidenced by some recent posts from other band leaders.

I have a very simple agenda. To make everyone I come in contact with aware
of the fact that Dixieland or OKOM lives in the present. And is successfully
presented in the present by bands other than mine. And that one can get OKOM
gigs at all sorts of venues.

Do I put some people down? Yes, probably so. Especially those who put other
music genres down, or other musicians down, or continue to espouse the
erroneous view that kids don't respond to OKOM, etc. As far as I can tell
from here, that does not include you.

I am not on this list to be popular, or sell CDs, or promote myself. I am
here to promote OKOM in the USA via other bands who have not yet figured it
out as well as you or I. Nor am I here to tell people I am a great player,
person, or band leader. Seems to me I constantly refer to myself as a hack.

If that somehow offends you, pleased forgive me. By the same token, please
examine the message content and ignore the messenger. Or, as you say, since
you are doing it right, just delete. Or, perhaps as a third alternative, you
might share your success stories with those on the list who would like to be
as busy with gigs as you are.

Cheers,
Steve