[Dixielandjazz] Kids gone wild on the dance floor - was Oriental Blues

[Stephen G Barbone]

> edmetzsr at aol.com wrote:
>
> Although we don't use it any longer, I wrote an arrangement of  
> Oriental Blues when I was in College that we played with our  
> Dixieland band - the City Line Five, and later with a Philadelphia  
> based band called the Cottontown Five. It was often requested in  
> those days, (50+ years ago) because of the popularity of Ernie's TV  
> show. Somehow, hearing it prompted people to let their hair down and  
> go wild on the dance floor. Steve B.,?that might still be true!

Hey Ed and listmates:

Well, they still do go wild on the dance floor, but we don't have  
Oriental Blues in our book. However, "Sweet Georgia Brown" or "Blues  
My Naughtie Sweetie Gives to Me"  work just fine.

The old version of Barbone Street played a swing dance for the  
Graduate School of Design kids, University of Pennsylvania last night.  
Bill Newnam subbed on trombone for young Cindy Lieby as she was at  
Carnegie Hall receiving her $10,000 award for being an outstnding  
music teacher. "Old" Bill remembers playing with Ed Metz way way back  
when Ed was in college in Philly. (He says hello Ed) So we averaged 72  
years old as a band last night playing for about 450 kids.

Theme was a Great Gatsby party and most of them were in costume. 1930s  
attire, or tuxes (band wore tuxes too). Venue was the Mutter Museum  
(College of physicians) which has two large ballrooms on the second  
floor. First floor and basement are crammed with medical oddities,  
like the woman whose body turned into soap. (She died of yellow fever  
in the late 1800s and was buried in soil that contained chemical  
properties that turned her into soap) Also, plaster cast of Chang and  
Eng etc. For more info see http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2207

Anyway, here we were, a bunch of old guys were, playing Dixieland and  
Swing for a packed house of kids all under 30. The background noise  
level was very loud, the room very live and no, the kids didn't listen  
with "expert" ears,  they just danced with abandon to everything we  
played. Tables in the second room where the food was, sported  
"reserved" placards for George Gershwin, Babe Ruth, F.Scott and Zelda  
Fitzgerald, etc.

Many of the kids had cameras and kept taking our pictures, especially  
wanting to get their girls with the band while we were playing. The  
main room floor was so crowded, they had to just dance in place. But  
my how they bobbed up and down, and gyrated seductively. The girls in  
flapper costume were just gorgeous. I got a bunch of them upon the  
stand with us and sang "I Want A Little Girl" to them. They loved it,  
perhaps because I know how to flirt, but more likely because they  
don't perceive us old guys as a threat.<grin>

We played from 9 to 11, because they couldn't afford more than two  
hour of us on a Saturday Night and a DJ filled in from 11 to 1 AM. He  
didn't have an amp or speakers (college kid) and I had arranged to  
rent my system to U Penn for them. I drove the bass player home at 11,  
(he had an early Sunday gig) and returned at 12:15, sitting in the  
corner like an old wallflower until the evening was over so I could  
pick up my equipment.

A pretty, young girl in a short flapper outfit came over to me and  
said, "your band was great, what a show. We loved it. But why aren't  
you dancing? "Too old and too tired" I answered, "but I enjoy watching  
all you young people having such a good time."

"But you must love dancing" she insisted, "come on out with me, my  
name is Jessica." So I did, feeling like an old fool because the DJ  
"music" was all heavy rhythm and everyone was just bouncing around,  
gyrating, seductively etc. You know the drill, Ed. She said, "I knew  
you'd enjoy it" and I surely did.

Bottom line, the kids loved what we did. Standing Ovation and begging  
us to continue. But we believe in leaving when the audience still  
wants more, rather than overstaying.  We loved what they did . . .  
DANCE to the music. The hell with the background noise, this is dance,  
party, good time music. Did they "know" what they heard? Probably not.  
Did they enjoy what the heard? You bet. I gave out every card I had,  
about 35, booked 2 University Party gigs for May on the spot and  
expect a few more throughout the year.

It just doesn't get any better than that. No hassles, just a wonderful  
time with kids who do what this music was intended for, Dance. Perhaps  
my one regret? That I was not 25 years old in body last night , for I  
surely was, in mind.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband