[Dixielandjazz] JCJB Baxk from Russia

[Robert S. Ringwald]

Regarding the JCJB in Russia, I wrote:

> Congrats to the band. Isn't it amazing how much the folks "outside" of
> our country love our kind of music?
>
> Big business has certainly done a number on us here and the people
> fall for it.
(snip)

Steve Barbone replies:

I agree with what you say as a generality Bob, and certainly am happy for
the JCJB and the Europeans who love OKOM.

But I respectfully disagree that Big Business here is responsible for the
demise of OKOM, if that is the point you seek to make.
(snip)

BR- Steve, nothing is 100%.  However IMHO, big business is a large part of
the reason for the demise of OKOM.  Big business has not promoted OKOM to
any extent for many
years.

As far as I know, only one major label has released one contemporary OKOM
band recording in some 40 years.

Turn on your radio and see how many stations you hear that are playing OKOM.
Look in the CD stores (the ones that are left) and see if you can find a CD
of a contemporary OKOM band on a major or even semi-major label.

Turn on your TV and see how many of the live bands you see, are OKOM.


Steve continues:

We Dixieland Bands need look no further than ourselves for one of the
reasons the music is not appreciated by mass American audiences. We had as
much to do with the lack of musical appreciation in the USA as does big
business.
(snip)

I disagree.  Jim Cullum's band works in their own club 6 nights a week and
have worked very hard to get and maintain their radio show.  They tour all
over the country and now in Russia.  How often do
you see them on national TV?  How often do you see a mention of them
anywhere in the press?  How often do you hear them on the radio music
stations?

Do you think big business is really going to pay DJs or Program managers
payola to play the Cullum band?

In the past 40 years there have been several full-time working bands who
have struggled to make it.

Other than Louis Armstrong with "Hello Dolly," "Mame" and "Mack The Knife"
Turk Murphy came about as close to getting some national recognition as any
OKOM band.  However, mention his name to 99% of the American music audience
and you will draw a blank stare.

Pete Fountain got national exposure on the Tonight Show when Carson hosted
it but that came to an end when Leno took over the show.

Contrary to what you seem to think, there are lots of bands playing OKOM now
days that dress well, play well, present themselves well, play for decent
money, etc.  However, no one is knocking down their doors to give them
national exposure.

Big business in this country promotes who it wants and then just as quickly
discards them and moves on to the next artist that will make them the fast
buck.  And often the person they are promoting has little if any real
talent.

I recently saw a TV show where they took a normal every day guy who could
not really sing.  Showed how they took him into a recording studio, recorded
him, used pitch correction, put music behind him, added reverb, etc and wa
la, he sounded as good as any Rock star recording today.

Let's face it.  While the older folks have more money, they spend it more
wisely than the teen-agers and 20/30 year olds.  The older folks cannot be
brain washed as easily out of their money.  Thus everything is pointed at
the young folks.

It is the way it is and the way it has been for a long time.  And will
probably continue for a long time to come.

Regardless of what you do, or I do, or 50 OKOM band leaders do in this 
country, it is not going to change.

--Bob Ringwald