[Dixielandjazz] An extension on Brandsma

[billsharp]

First a quote from Bert Brandsma's observation about developing the 
younger players:


> "What strikes me in the current discussion is why we only talk so much 
> about youth bands. Maybe the existing bands should also give more 
> chances to young musicians.
I encountered several talented young people the last years who loved 
this kind of music but simply could not find places and bands to 
play.The biggest problem to them was that most older bands were afraid 
to ask them to help out. So now several of these talents don't play 
anymore.
Bandleaders should give such talents more chances."

Bert really hit another nail on the head.

Bert's statements gives me even another idea about what we could do to 
find a support good young players:  We should NOT just think that . . 
.(quote) Maybe the existing bands should also give more chances to 
young musicians.(end quote).


  MAYBE ?? ?  THERE'S NO "MAYBE" ABOUT IT !! ! !
  I instead would actually say:
  Don't let a band ( 4 or more members) play in a festival unless they 
include a player under the age of 25 with them. ( I'd actually like it 
to be under 22).  This would be a very "heavy-handed rule, no doubt, 
but  If we seriously mean business, let's take a serious step.   . . we 
could call it "The Arizona Reverse -law of Dixieland", where in this 
case we would be opening our closely guarded borders. [ can't you just 
picture the geezer band leaders rolling their eyes?   . . . and 
muttering, "They want us to do what ! !??"]

Several festivals try expanding their appeal to younger people  by 
branching off in musical directions other than dixieland.  I say stick 
with dixie, but get the bands to branch into new ways of staying alive, 
and this could be one of them.

This puts the responsibility directly on the bands to help keep this 
music alive, and takes it away from numerous boards of directors who 
for 20+ years now have been trying to come up with something to 
maintain and revitalize OKOM.

Whatever,
Bill (- would -you-step-up-and-be) Sharp