[Dixielandjazz] How Do You Respond -- Condon called it Music.

[dwlit at cpcug.org]

>> Russ Guarino asked what we call it when people ask;
> What kind of music do you play.

El Senor Wunnerful replied:
> Russ, ...  But, when talking to a client,
> you have to use words that the client understands.
>
> Today's average music buyer knows nothing of Paul Whiteman and Irving
> Berlin.  That is why, when I find they want a Dixieland type band, I
> always
> slip Louis Armstrong's name in there somewhere.
> --Bob Ringwald

I'm chuckling because we've had brides tell us, as part of their
descriptions of the musics they wanted my dance band to play, "anything by
Louis Armstrong". So you sort of have to read between the lines: in this
case they were really thinking of "WaWW" and "Kiss to build a dream on",
not even "Hello Dolly", let alone "Struttin' w/some BBQ ...

And "Swing" is not necessarily that of the classic big band era--nowadays,
judging from spam I get from "swing dance" promoters, it includes the
Hustle, of course "New Swing", plus some 50s rock'n'roll. rockabilly,
other stuff I can't remember. (If you want more detail, contact one of the
Swing DJs and check out his play list.

Many younger folks don't even have terms for TKOM, can't even give general
descriptions like "top-40s", or are too inarticulate to say rock, 60s-70s,
whatever. They'll say "Can't you play something more upbeat?" after we've
just played a hot jitterbug. See if you can chip out of them the names of
some groups they dance or listen to.

--Sheik