[Dixielandjazz] Church Gigs

[John Petters]

Steve Barbone wrote:

> Play Free at church gigs? If you do, you are foolish. And forget artsy soft
> music. With all the ambient noise of the rides, bingo, diners, dancers etc.,
> you need heat and lots of it, as well as a sound system. 

Agree Steve - except the sound system. whenever we play walkin' With the 
King in UK churches we always play acoustic. We close the show with the 
Saints and parade around the church.

We did played a church just outside London on an 80 /20 split @ £10 a 
ticket and got about 250 people. The church was happy and we were happy. 
We were invited back and they asked if they could pay us a fee. I agreed 
a reasonable price and they sold 450 tickets second time.

Guess what? Most of the audience were not our regular jazz crowd but 
pulled in by the church. A lot joined the mailing list and have come to 
other straight jazz gigs.
Praise God with the sound of the trumpet and the loud clashing cymbal Ps 
150 - so we pay hot and I do an extended drum solo - so no polite music 
there. The show is all hymns and spirituals and no secular jazz. These 
are some of my most successful gigs.
Keep swinging

-- 
John Petters
www.traditional-jazz.com
Amateur Radio Station G3YPZ