[Dixielandjazz] PRESERVATION HALL

[Steve Barbone]

Not to like Preservation Hall is Dan's and Fr. Mike's right. That's fine.

But to then attempt to transfer a personal like/dislike to the general
audience at large, well, that's just plain wrong.

Preservation Hall responsible for people not liking trad jazz? What a quaint
idea. They probably have more real fans than all the other trad bands in the
world put together. Please seek other reasons for people not liking trad
jazz. And look at the current crop of OKOM businessmen/band leaders/festival
producers if you wish to assign a share of the blame.

Would the Israeli's have loved them. Darn right they would have, just like
audiences all over the world love them.

Once again, realize what it is that Preservation Hall does. They re create
the original "art" form as they think it existed 100 years ago. ON PURPOSE.
They advertise that. They seek an audience that wants to hear a group
recreate "Old Style Jazz". They get that audience. That audience may not
include you, but then, you're not a member of the mass audience they target.

Is that so wrong? Not the way I see it. They successfully reach THEIR goals.

They also play gigs with bands like mine, same stage, same night at modern
jazz festivals. Personally, I think we blow them away every time we appear
with them. But my personal opinion is just that, a personal opinion. And the
audience gets to hear the same jazz form separated by 100 years of advances.
We both get our adulation.

Please realize that MONEY is indeed the scorecard in the worth of any
musical form. And MONEY is what drives the business of music. MONEY is what
makes OKOM jazz Festivals possible. MONEY is what keeps the top musicians in
any genre, in that genre. LACK OF MONEY is also what forces top musicians to
leave the genre.

Any band can make MONEY, but too damn few try. Content instead, to bitch
about those who do, railing against Kenny G, not even a jazz man, but a
player of Instrumental Pop, or Preservation Hall, or Wiggins, or Barbone.
How unproductive is that?

Preservation Hall? Bless them. I wish all of the other OKOM bands had an
audience as large as they do. Want to get a start on that? Hire them for
your next OKOM Festival, along with Mighty Aphrodite and market the musical
diversity of old men and young chicks. And put them in a separate venue,
seating 1000 people or more charging $40 a pop for two sets.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone