[Dixielandjazz] The new OKOM audience

[Stephen G Barbone]

Hi Don: & DJML Listmates:

This is the face of "new audiences". It is why most bands and  
festivals are not gaining audience. Simply because they are preaching  
to the choir of old folks who heard the music 50 years ago. New folks  
like this lady haven't heard it and never will unless we target them  
by playing where they are, or figuring out how to get them to  
festivals. They surround us.

This from a new OKOM Jazz Fan gained through the H.L. Mencken Chat list

**** begin note

" Hi Steve:"

"Norm Vickers said I should drop you a note and tell you what I told  
him after visiting your my space page. Your page was included in your  
most recent response to him."

"From my note to Norm,"

" I never thought I liked jazz, but if that's jazz...I'm a believer.  
I've bookmarked it so I can play it anytime. I checked iTunes to see  
if he was available thru them, but they don't have him listed in their  
huge collection. I'd never heard of him and I guess that's because he  
started in 1992 when I was long gone from the Philadelphia/South  
Jersey area."

"Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy listening to your band, and  
I look forward to listening for a long time."

"Thank you for sharing it."

********** (a member of the H.L Mencken Chat List)
Virginia Beach

****end note


I e-mailed a thank you note and snail mailed 2 CDs of Barbone Street  
no charge. The CDs should arrive tomorrow. There must be millions of  
people like this in the USA who don't know what OKOM is, have never  
heard it, and are not aware of bands playing it. Reaching them is our  
challenge.

BTW, this is not an isolated incident. It happens to Barbone Street  
all the time when we play at public venues (not jazz oriented), for  
regular folks from 8 to 80 years old. They love the music. Fortunately  
we have developed a large following in the Philadelphia Metropolitan  
area because we play where the people are.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband