[Dixielandjazz] Trad Jazz, Revivals, Keeping the music fresh, etc.

[vaxtrpts at aol.com]

I read the posts about playing Traditional Jazz and repetition of the same old tunes with much interest and I certainly agree with much that was written.
As a jazz educator for the past almost 50 years, I have always felt that Jazz Music was never meant to be just a museum piece.  
Hear-Hear! To Rick Campbell for his quote from Don Gibson, talking about what the music was like in the early days.  I have always said that the musicians playing in those early days - even into the late 20's and early 30's were playing avant garde music.  What they were playing had never been played before.  They were true creators!  I  really believe that if some of those early greats would have lived longer, they would NOT have been playing at the end, the way they played earlier on. They would have progressed in their thinking and playing.  There are still good examples of that. Wouldn't it have been great to be able to hear what they did through today's recording techniques?
I can tell you from personal experience that when I started my band on the Trad circuit after moving back to California from living in New Orleans for 3 1/2 years (1979), we were blackballed right away for not being "Trad enough."  We played much of the same repertoire as the other bands, with a few surprises thrown in of newer and even a few "pop" tunes.  But we played them in a more modern way - WITHOUT trying to make bebop out of them. We even played a few country and western tunes in Dixie style - even before Igor was on the scene.  My guys used to joke about how many white haired people ran for the exits in the first tune of the set. (Now - we are the white hairs -------- HA!)
Well, I am proud to say that while we were one of the first to really try to change things up a bit, since then many of the bands have done so and very successfully.  And many of the younger bands have included some of their own experiences into the music, while still enjoying Traditional Jazz.
While my band - first known as the New - New Orleans Jazz Band and later the Great American Jazz Band, has never been one of the most popular bands on the circuit, we did have a strong and loyal following.  (I guess my "real" success on the circuit came with Draga/Vax, but that is another story.)  It seems that the festivals today have gone to either VERY Trad bands and even more, what I would call Dixieland Show Bands with all kinds of "schtick," so my band hasn't been invited to a festival in years.  I do miss the great audiences and wonderful friends that we made over all those years.
We still do a very successful New Orleans Jazz Brunch once a month here in Prescott and play a few gigs around Northern Arizona.

Mike Vax
Friends of Big Band Jazz, Prescott Jazz Summit, 
Stan Kenton Alumni Band
www.mikevax.net
www.bigbandjazz.net
www.prescottjazz.com
www.getzen.com