[Dixielandjazz] Jazz Societies in the USA.

[Stephen G Barbone]

> Marek Boym <marekboym at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Steve also mentioned something of importance - that the kids promised
> to come back for the Midri Brothers.  And if they do, they may come to
> more OKOM as well.
> While here we have mixed audiences for most jazz performances, albeit
> more so at swing dances (missed one last Saturday night, but I have
> not yet perfected being in two places at the same time), but I
> understand that in the States there is a clear age segregation.

Thank you Marek.

What I wanted to post on the DJML was not the standing ovation bit,  
we're used to them, but a report of  a how a marketing program by  
bands and Jazz Societies might help expand the audience. I was too  
tired to post this last night as I had just returned from a 275 mile  
round trip to perform that Jazz Society concert. However I did reply  
to an off list message that included you Bob Ringwald and Norm  
Vickers. Bob snipped and posted it on the DJML.

Here's the background or our gig, and what worked for us.

The Pennsylvania Jazz Society, like many others in the USA, has faced  
declining membership and concert attendance over the past 2 decades.  
We old folks are dying off, and the young folks do not join or attend.  
When I first played for this society about 20 years ago, the average  
age was 60 something, membership was about 1500 and typical concert  
attendance was 400. Today they have less than 500 members, average age  
is about 80 and typical concert attendance is 125.

So, for our concert, I tried to get some swing dancers and students to  
attend. I googled "swing dance" in  the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton  
area and contacted both the clubs and professors who were teaching  
jazz in local colleges. I made a pitch to them to come out and see  
some old jazzers who could tell their students about jazz musicians  
and the scene in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, and/or swing dance.

We did not get any students, but we did get a group of local swing  
dancers even though they were not fans of ours because we rarely play  
that far from Philadelphia.

The dancers loved it and I made a pitch from the Bandstand for them to  
come out for the next concert and Swing Dance to the Midiri Brothers  
who play several Benny Goodman reprise swing numbers. I will send my  
contact information to the Society for them to follow up on and re- 
contact for the Midiri concert.

The jazz society now offers Swing Dancers a special rate of $10 which  
is a bargain for 3 hours of dancing to a swinging band. And the kids  
who attended our concert  were interested in coming back.

Point being that in spite of the difficulties of attracting young  
people to Jazz Society Concerts attended by old people, t can be done.  
And like any marketing program, the contacts and sales pitch should be  
repeated about 6 or 7 times before a real breakthrough can be  
achieved. It takes that long to successfully market any product.  
Repetition is the key and folks should not quit if the first pitch is  
less than you hoped for.

No doubt some bands market like this now, but if more bands and  
Societies would try what worked for us and continue it I am quite sure  
they could attract young people. Below is a note I, and members  
received from the Society today.

Greetings from The Board of your Jazz Society!

A great time was had by the Jazz Faithful on Sunday at the  
Pennsylvania Jazz Society concert.  The Barbone Street Jazz Band  
entertained with real Jazz spirit.  They played tunes rooted in  
tradition, but newly shuffled.  One attendee was wearing a tee shirt  
imprinted with the words "Life's too short to play the same solo twice  
- Improvise!"  The Barbone Street Jazz Band obeyed and filled their  
repertoire with sparkling improvisations.

Swing Dancers delighted the audience while "strutting their stuff".   
In addition, our neighbors, the Tri-State Jazz Society and the New  
Jersey Jazz Society were liberally represented.  Hope we'll see them  
again soon!

See you on June 10th when The Midiri Brothers come to play.  Mark your  
calendars!



Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband