[Dixielandjazz] The state of Jazz in the UK (and USA)

[Steve Barbone]

John Petters <jdpetters at btinternet.com>
> 
> Greetings folks,
> Bandleader, drummer  and festival promoter Pete Lay wrote a very
> realistic assessment of the Traditional Jazz Scene in the UK which was
> published in Just Jazz a month or so ago. I responded. My letter has
> been printed in full and I offer it here for consideration and possible
> suggestions for solutions to the problems that jazz musicians are facing
> today. It is rather long so my apologies in advance.
> 
> "Re: An Open Letter to all Jazzers
> My thanks to Pete Lay for his well argued piece about the current
> Traditional Jazz scene. As festival promoters Pete and I are
> competitors, but it gives me no satisfaction to know that he is finding
> the business of promoting jazz breaks as increasingly difficult as I am.
> The financial risk involved with this activity takes nerves of steel and
> a willingness to lose one's shirt if it all goes wrong.

> The Dying Gasps of The Trad Boom . . . remainder snipped for brevity.

Well said John. Both the USA, and now the UK, if you are correct, are having
severe problems with the viability of Dixieland. Trad Jazz, or whatever we
wish to call OKOM.

We can talk about being entertainers vs. good musicians, about uniforms, and
all sorts of trivia. But the fact remains that if we do not talk about the
AUDIENCE, or lack thereof, the other stuff is really meaningless.

The viability of any performance endeavor has always hinged upon the
audience. And by putting OKOM into an old folks niche, we are dooming it to
a constant decline.

Yet is seems as if many people just don't want to discuss attracting younger
audiences. Perhaps figuring if we ignore it, the problem will go away. Just
the opposite is true. If we do not first recognize that we have a problem,
we certainly will never find a solution to it.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone