[Dixielandjazz] Playing for old folks

[Steve Barbone]

"Marek Boym" <marekboym at gmail.com> wrote

> Hello Steve,
> As a pro, you should nevel look down at an audience!  What's wrong
> with playing for a few old folks?  Aren't they entitled to some
> entertainment, too? (not so old, even if senile) Marek.

It's not the "old folks" I objected to, it is the "few" old folks. Heck, I'm
an old guy myself, and there are 30 million of so like me in USA.

Trouble is they don't go out and pay to hear the music. Those few that do
expect 3 days, 30 bands and 36 hours of music for $95. Then they bitch that
there wasn't enough of their favorite jazz to hear.

They even bitch about the Jubilee not having enough trad jazz when in fact
the Jubilee has more than enough trad, as well as other Dixieland styles to
go round. Yet they bitch because Rebirth Brass is there and what are they
doing to the music? Go figure.

Yes, old folks deserve entertainment. We play for Retirement Homes, CCRCs,
Assisted Living Facilities, for example, about 40 times a year. Some
audiences as small as 40, most around 150. Not being so called jazz experts,
they don't bitch about the price, or the style. They just enjoy.

In my territory, few members of Jazz Societies actually go out to hear the
music in other settings. The younger folks do.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone