[Dixielandjazz] possible venue for OKOM

[Joe Hopkins]

I want to share a success story that might give musicians another idea for gigs. We approached a small art museum in Surprise, Arizona and proposed the following. We (my 52nd Street Jazz Band) would put on a two hour jazz history show that included swing dancers (one couple) demonstrating the Charleston, Balboa, Collegiate Shag and the Lindy Hop as we played music from 1910 to 1940. I interspersed comments about the history of jazz and how it developed as we introduced each tune. 

The museum charged $8.00 admission, 30% went to the museum and 70% to the band. They set up chairs for 180 people hoping for the best. They also set up a wine and cheese bar in the lobby area. 

260 people showed up, as they frantically set up more chairs.....it was the largest crowd this tiny museum had ever seen for any event. We got a long lasting standing ovation as we finished playing Struttin With Some Bar-B-Que as our closer.  In the audience were about 20 of our closest most loyal fans and the rest were seeing us for the first time. 35 folks gave me their email addresses so they could be kept informed of future gigs.

We did get good coverage in the local small weekly paper that Surprise, AZ offers. I think offering this in an unusual venue in a small town worked to our advantage. We have done this show in the Performing Arts Centers in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler and Higley, Arizona. But it is tough to get those contracts nailed down for the right price for the band.   

Joe Hopkins
www.joehopkins.org