[Dixielandjazz] Stirring the pot -> young trad. players

[Misrad HaJazz]

Shalom Marek and listmates,

This subject of "stereotypical Dixieland" dress comes up now and then on
DJML, and I must chime in. I don't know why players of the world's most fun
and colorful music would object to wearing colorful and fun outfits or
costumes when performing. Doesn't have to be straw hats and red vests. As I
always say, there is more to performing than just playing good music.
Presentation matters, at least if you want to work and get paid for it.

I have always insisted that my band wears band outfits whenever we perform.
We started out playing on the street. It's hot here a lot of the year, and
some guys objected to wearing vests and hats. I showed them a picture of us
playing in "comfortable" street clothes and another with us playing in
uniform. I asked them, "Which of these bands you would hire to play for your
wedding?" Since then we play in costume without the arguments. We did a big
gig in a parade last fall in Jerusalem, and it was hot. We wore vests, bow
ties and marching band hats with red feather plumes. I told them, "You are
getting paid to be hot. If you want to be cool, you can do it for free on
your own time."

Now the Jerusalem Municipality, who hired us for the parade, was so happy
that they want us back for the Jerusalem Marathon -- a huge public gig and
media event -- next month, with the vests and marching hats and feathers.
We're getting paid for these gigs for half a day or an evening what some
people make here in a week. With Liberace, I cry all the way to the bank.
Our music is good; our showmanship gets us the jobs.

I'll never forget the father of a bar mitzvah boy who saw us dressed and
getting ready to play for their party and said, "You guys look so good that
it already feels like a party, and you didn't even start playing yet!" Any
musician who wants to complain about that doesn't work for me again.

So I have to comment about my friend Marek's choice of words when he wrote:

"... For some reason, various "hot jazz ensembles" in the UK ... often dress
that way, but their music is, in general, excellent."

What's the matter with "AND their music is excellent"? That little word
'but' implies that there is something inherent in the costume that precludes
the possibility of the band playing well. It suggests a latent prejudice
against the outfits worn by those bands. If clothes make the man, then maybe
uniforms make the band. OK, it's no substitute for playing well, but playing
the music is only part of the job of entertainment.

My 2 shekels' worth.

Elazar
Doctor Jazz Dixieland Band
Jerusalem, Israel
www.doctorjazz.co.il
+972-2-679-2537