[Dixielandjazz] Re. Woody

[Nancy Giffin]

Hi, Brian,

I completely understand what you're concerned about, and I hope I can help
you see what I am trying to communicate.

Speaking as one who represents the approximate middle of the age range for
that large festival, I would say that the overall atmosphere of the festival
would have the greatest influence on me and how I perceived whatever music
was on stage. Every festival has a vibe, and if it's a positive vibe, I will
tend to like the music as long as its energy is good and matches the
positive vibe of the festival. Regardless of how Woody plays, I'd be more
focused on the energy of the band as a whole, and how it affects the crowd.
As long as the backup band is playing hot jazz, then I don't feel Woody will
do any serious damage in the ears of a new audience that has come to the
festival with the intention of having a good time no matter what.

Brian, you have a trained and discerning ear for OKOM that younger listeners
do not possess; the younger crowd will not be concerned about Woody's
finesse as much as they will be concerned about how well the overall energy
of the band lifted their spirits and enhanced their good time at an event
that is as much about the social mingling as it is about the music.

Sure, there are many on this list who will disagree, but I honestly feel
it's better to have Woody's-band-than-no-band-at-all at such a major
festival. I agree with what Steve has been saying for years: bring OKOM to
the younger generation, don't expect them to come where the older folks hang
out and listen to it.

ASSOCIATION, good or bad, is the key. If they have a great time at a major
festival, and if Woody's band happened to be in the middle of it, then
there's a chance they might go home with a good feeling about OKOM and see
it as an art form that is timeless rather than dated and connected only to
their grandparents.

Love and hugs,
Nancy


> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2008 21:48:34 +0100
> From: "Brian Harvey" <brer.rabbit at tiscali.co.uk>
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Woody
> 
>> Nancy wrote...........
>> 
>> he is getting high-profile gigs for that band
>> and gaining exposure to a younger audience.
> 
> That was my original concern, originally voiced within this forum fve years
> or so ago after seeing the band in London. The concern being that young
> people seeing this band, and in particular its reclusive, monosybilic leader
> could be put off "our" music for life. In London he was as poor as musicians
> I have seen fired for similarly diabolically incompetent performances.
> Surely this type of show, far from atracting young people, is far more
> likely to put them off. That's what I said years ago and nothing that has
> been voiced here recently gives me any reason to change my view.
> Woody may be a fine comedian, film director and actor but a fne jazzman he
> is not.
> Brian Harvey