[Dixielandjazz] Preservation Hall JB revisited

[Steve Barbone]

Perhaps the issue is not whether PHJB is/was a good/bad jazz band? Consider
this:

There was a time when PHJB had an extraordinary audience count. MANY fans.
Slowly over the years, that fan base shrank. Now they have re-invented
themselves and seem to be expanding their fan base again.

We might ask ourselves why their audience shrank. IMO, not because the
perceived quality of the music, but rather because they did not appeal to
the younger people. And the old folks like you and I were dying off. Who was
getting the new audience? Rebirth Brass and Dirty Dozen. You could see that
at N.O. Jazz and Heritage during the last decade where they all appeared.

So, what does PHJB do? They RE-INVENT their offering and go after the new
audience. Seems to be succeeding.

Is their a lesson here? You bet your ass there is. "Fans are the mother of
re-invention." VBG (ouch)

Realize that the idiots who argue about what a trad band is or is not, are
pounding sand. Like those who write letters to American Rag and disagree
about whether a tuba/banjo must be present in a "trad" band, or whether the
tuba can be replaced by a double bass. Totally stupid. Soon, those kinds of
arguments will die off along with their perpetrators.

Cheers,
Steve