[Dixielandjazz] Turning off the young

[Steve Barbone]

David Richoux <tubaman at tubatoast.com> wrote (polite snip)
 
> While we are on this topic, something that happened recently to a
> local youngish "sorta-dixie" band is disturbing. Without naming any
> names, a trad jazz society had hired them to play a monthly session,
> then the music director was replaced for unknown reasons. When the
> band leader called the new music director to get a bit more
> information on the gig he was told there was no contract, no gig, and
> goodbye. (I do not have all the details yet so I cannot say more
> about this.)
> 
> This sort of miss-management  really turns off young musicians who
> are trying to continue performances of OKOM. I know that changing
> directorship in mid-year for volunteer organizations can often lead
> to problems, but this seems to be a bit over the limit.
> 
> We are going to burn bridges before they are built if we don't try to
> welcome newer bands to this somewhat  "closed clubhouse" circle of
> jazz societies. I am sure there are many of you on this list who are
> doing all they can to encourage new and younger bands in your area -
> but maybe we will all have to work harder on this!

Oh my do I agree with you Dave. Lets face it, the OKOM festival circuit is
sort of a "closed clubhouse". Same bands re-appear every year. You can play
my festival if I can play yours and that sort of thing. Kind of like an old
boy network.

Interestingly enough, IMO, the Modern Jazz Festivals do a much better job of
varying the band appearances every year. From the ones I've been to, or
seen, only about 10% or so of the bands are repeaters.

Hopefully the example you cite is rare. That kind of stuff is a real turn
off and destructive. But then, so are the entrenched music directors who
want the same old, same old back again next year.

Forget that stuff about the existing audience voting for favorites. They'll
all be dead in a few years anyway and then what? :-) VBG.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone