[Dixielandjazz] Jazz in Schools/Kittrell Concert

Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis larrys.bands at charter.net
Wed Oct 3 13:50:03 PDT 2007


That's great to hear that they are sponsoring something.  Unfortunately I don't think you will attract many young people with the "Folk Music" title.  I know almost everyone in the group and I can't say that I would define them as Folk Musicians.  At least not yet.

You pointed out that Jeannie doesn't advertise out there.  Advertising is incredibly expensive and the market is small and a lot of it ends up in the waste can.  Americans just turn off advertising.  

The Sheldon does advertise it's programs although I don't ever remember seeing any except there.  Paying groups don't get any from them.  Even if they paid $300 a man (doubtful) and if the place was 75% full they made some big bucks at $40 a ticket.  That's good and bad.  Good because if people make money off of Trad they will try it again but bad because I'll bet the players didn't get much although they probably did OK.
Larry
StL
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Gluetje1 at aol.com 
  To: larrys.bands at charter.net 
  Cc: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 10:52 AM
  Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Jazz in Schools/Kittrell Concert


  No sponsor.  Was one of the Sheldon's own.  But here's something interesting.  The Sheldon has a series called Jazz at the Sheldon, but all concerts are post-Dixieland.  Kittrell, et al were booked in the Fantastic Folk Series.  I have had my own "brain episodes" musing about Dixieland as folk music.  Our tickets were birthday tickets for me and for $40 per person for first row, center balcony.  Saw buses from Illinois bringing "folk" as well as area residential facilities.  Scattered youth, but still the average age of audience was no doubt beyond 70.  Glad to bring it down by a couple of years in spite of a birthday.  LOL.

  But I want to keep the emphasis on how good the music was.  It's also relatively hard to come by.  Jeanne and pals do lots of CDs, but do not really market them beyond local or carting them along to festivals. >http://www.jeankittrell.com/<  No sound samples on web site, not even mention or link of where to shop.  Here's a spot for checking a few sound samples, although their last two CDs are not here and a recording studio is not a concert.  >http://www.jazzbymail.com/search.aspx?s=Jean%20Kittrell<
  Ginny

  In a message dated 10/3/2007 9:21:38 A.M. Central Daylight Time, larrys.bands at charter.net writes:
    Did anyone sponsor the group's performance?  Many groups rent that hall (the 
    Sheldon)  Depending on the day of the week the cost is about $1500 so you 
    need about 100 paying customers at $15.  The last time I played there in a 
    pretty good musical review the guy that was putting it on lost his ass.  The 
    Sheldon's policy is: if you got the money honey I got the time.  The only 
    thing that you need is the desire to play there and enough advertising to 
    bring in paying customers.  Not an easy thing.  I hope they made lots of 
    bucks but by the time you pay the musicians and advertising you need a 50% 
    crowd or more just to break even.
    Larry
    St. Louis







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