[Dixielandjazz] "Dixieland", the word as perceived by some band bookers.

[Stephen G Barbone]

Used to be, 15 years ago, that Barbone Street used the word Dixieland  
always to describe our music. Then we noticed that some (not all)  
people who book bands viewed the word as a turn off. Perhaps because  
they connected it with old people, or had booked bands in straw hats  
arm garters etc., that did not do well.  (Yes, some do that here)

Many of our summer concerts are in public park venues, and the  
municipality Parks & Recreation departments are the folks who book the  
music. We found(by trial and error) that if we used "Dixieland" alone,  
some of those people would say: "Oh, Dixieland is passe" and not book  
us.

So we now use the following sentence to describe our music: "Barbone  
Street musical programs are entitled 'Jazz, America's Music.' We  
perform a combination of New Orleans Jazz, Swing, Dixieland and  
American Songbook music which appeals to audiences of all ages."  That  
combined with a photo montage of our audiences including a 6 year old  
sitting in on guitar, a 5 year old swinging beads around her head,  
old, folks sitting and listening, and swing dancers from teens to 70  
year olds.

Works a lot better.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband