[Dixielandjazz] Polcer/Gordon/Cocuzzi Concert & Clinic

[Stephen G Barbone]

> Nancy Giffin <NANCYink at surewest.net> wrote
> There was a committee putting this on? (Always last to know these  
> things.)
> Perhaps if there had been enough folks interested to form a  
> committee, the
> event would have made lots of money instead of just breaking even.
>
> There certainly were some great volunteers on the day of the  
> concert, and
> the hardworking STJS Sound Crew (first to arrive and last to leave)  
> received
> praise from the band.
>
> I could not have been happier with the band. The crowd loved them,  
> too, and
> let them know it with all their hooting, hollering, and standing  
> ovations,
> which only ignited the musicians to give more to be excited about.
>
> The lucky kids at Rio Americano who enjoyed a clinic with this band,  
> next
> day, are already playing well above average. With such valuable  
> feedback
> from the pros, they will truly be awesome. Comments varied from  
> musical to
> practical, like where to position the snare relative the tuba, and  
> how the
> piano player should not wear shoes that will make a loud tapping when
> hitting the pedal. For improv advice, they were reminded to use the  
> chord
> changes when selecting notes for their solos. When playing 2nd line  
> and
> street beat, they told the tuba player that he needed to focus on  
> holding
> the beat and pumping the band rather than getting fancy with their  
> notes. On
> and on, etc., etc. All valuable instruction that had the two band  
> leaders
> beaming with excitement about how the band would improve after this  
> clinic,
> which received an enthusiastic standing ovation from the entire room  
> full of
> young musicians who now have lots more than just bebop to play.
>
> BIG thanks to STJS and Vince Bartels for making this possible. Too  
> bad so
> many STJS folks missed the concert for lack of interest, but hurray  
> for
> those who were there, including a very happy BEV GUNTER.
>
> Thanks to Steve and Bob, and all who bought student tickets. The youth
> festival can still use donations, so please keep them in mind. It's  
> tax
> deductible! EIN #23-7132119. To "TJYBF" c/o STJS, 2787 Del Monte  
> St., West
> Sacramento, CA 95691
>
> If you want to see a tiny clip from Feb. 26, go to this YouTube link.
> I did not tape any more because I neither paid the musicians nor got  
> their
> okay in advance. The three in this clip did give their permission:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB0DnMaBXa0
> WARNING! The is NOT an OKOM treatment of Gershwin's "Summertime."
> Watch at your own risk, then listen to the crowd roar their approval.

Dear Nancy:

Thank you for your untiring efforts to get this program off the  
ground. Without you, it would not have happened. You should be given a  
medal for actively promoting OKOM  to the audience that counts. The  
rest of us old folks might learn from you.

IMO, the clip was wonderful. MKOM for sure . . . excellent.

Thank you so much for making a difference. Remember the words of the  
recently departed William Buckley:  "I get satisfaction of three  
kinds. One is creating something, one is being paid for it and one is  
the feeling that I haven't just been sitting on my ass all afternoon."

The payment is your donation to the kids who are the music's future.  
You go, girl.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone