[Dixielandjazz] Growing the Jazz Audience Can't be Done; Maybe That's Okay-- blog

[Dixiejazzdata]

 Absolutely Dead on Jim:

Saint Gabriel's Celestial brass Band did exactly that yesterday at the Big Sacramento Music Festival,  attendance seemed to be up substantially from the previous two years at least in the Old Sacramento Area, not all of them however were badge holders, Old Sac definitely has the Nawlin's Vibe, and is certainly more conducive for a Real Traditional Jazz  Festival than the stuffy Hotels downtown, even though it is more difficult to navigate walkers and wheel chairs over the cobblestones for many of the older attendees.   However the ones who braved it were smiling greatly at our shows.   We had a good time.

We did two Street strolling Shows in Old Sacramento, and drew large crowds at each stop, and enjoyed a full house standing room only at the last one in the venue assigned to us.    I can't tell you how many people came up to us and commented about "we were the best thing they had heard and seen all day."   And comments like "Wow you guys are the real Thing just like New Orleans. Loose and having as much fun as we are."   We went to Preservation Hall style in the venue show, and saw ourselves looking full on into a Trad Jazz audience and we were not sure they would like or accept us at all,  but oh yes they did and we got a Standing ovation from them at the end of it too.   It was a pleasure to meet face to face with some of our DJML friends too that we have never had the pleasure of meeting.  And their kind comments were also well received, it's nice when you can get the audience and the musicians approval at the same time.  

Lots folks making pictures of us in the street and sending their kids up to get in the photos with us, too.

Indeed that Ugly Word  "Entertainment"  still charms even the most disgruntled OKOM fans, and a lot of those commenting to us were definitely in the 75- 90 year old age bracket too.

On Saturday we played the 76th Annual Horned Toad Derby Parade  and Festival, down below Fresno California, in Coalinga, Same thing happened, adults , kids, and teenagers cheering us and commenting  that we were the best thing in the Parade.   They made us feel so welcome and appreciated us so much that we played an extra 30 minute encore set for them for no additional fee.  Interestingly enough they knew the difference between Dixieland and Traditional New Orleans Jazz even down in that little COW TOWN.

The Horned Toad Races were cute too,  I love how small town folks can come up with ways to entertain themselves.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins

 


 

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From: Jim Kashishian [mailto:jim at kashprod.com] 
Sent: sábado, 26 de mayo de 2012 19:23
To: 'Norman Vickers'
Subject: RE: Growing the Jazz Audience Can't be Done; Maybe That's Okay--
blog


Ok, I read the whole link, although I'm not a jazz educator nor do I belong
to a Jazz Society.  I do live & work, however, in Europe (Madrid, Spain)
where there is none of this pidgeon holing of different styles, and there
are plenty of people out at night to wander into any joint that has
something going on.
 
So, rather than to discuss the differences between the U.S. & Europe, which
we all well understand already, I would like to look closer at two bits I
pulled out of the text in the link:
 
1.  "How do we make Jazz vital once again?"  
How to make it vital now?  Play it with vitality!  Ok, I'm probably playing
around a bit with that word, but you get the idea.  Even a ballad can be
dynamic if you really get into it.  The audience feels that vitality, and
knows something is happening.  They don't need to know what, they just need
to feel something is going on.  We're the ones that need to know the what of
it!  When musicians play for themselves, most folks don't get it.  Play for
the audience, they'll get that.
 
2.  "Most don't care about Traditional Jazz....music has simply evolved
beyond it."
You can play Traditional Jazz in an evolved manner, not trying to imitate
the originals, but still playing the old tunes.  Playing them with a
lighter, more swinging rhythm is one way of evolving.  Get those fast tempos
up!  Get the front line out of those chairs, up on their feet, playing with
all their body, is another way to make sure it doesn't get interpreted as
being "old" (even if the person playing is!).
 
I fully understand that we, of course, enjoy a lively audience over here
that is open-minded enough to accept any style.  Our audiences don't worry
about what style we are playing or even care about what it is called.  They
just enjoy it as long as we play in a way that causes this enjoyment.  
 
We also HAVE an audience, as there are people out on the streets at night,
walking, looking into joints & wandering by.  However, we still have to play
a lively, happy music that attracts them in, & keeps them in.  This is where
the vitality creeps in.  It is how a group of "older guys" playing Trad Jazz
can draw a young (& older) audience.
 
The audience is just not into worrying about what it is.  Neither are we!
We have little boundaries, and even less hangups (the band is all Spanish
except for myself), so magic can creep in.
 
I wonder if the teacher who wrote the article taught the kids how to enjoy
their music, and to project that enjoyment out into the audience?  I'm
really mentioning (hinting at) what some say is a nasty word:
"entertainment".
 
Jim Kashishian
 
 
 
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From: Norman Vickers [mailto:nvickers1 at cox.net] 
Sent: sábado, 26 de mayo de 2012 13:19
To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Subject: Growing the Jazz Audience Can't be Done; Maybe That's Okay-- blog



To:  Musicians and Jazzfans list;  DJML

From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola