[Dixielandjazz] Question to ponder about ALL STAR Jazz Bands

[Dixiejazzdata]

Ever wonder why there are sooooooooo many ALL STAR Bands ?


#1.  Every player who ever auditioned for a spot in any band with a Star or well known Leader  put's it on his/her resume and becomes an instant All Star player, some of them may have played in the chair next to the guy, that sat next to the guy, that sat next to the guy, who eventually actually became a star player.  :))  LOL   And some actually played in the next room where the other band rehearsed.   Or they actually may have grown up and attended and played at different schools together. :))




The facts usually are that they are all members of the "Formerly Withs"   which is how so many ALL STARS actually get to be All Stars and Legends in their own minds, when they start believing their own resumes and press releases.  :))


If we really had all these ALL STARS out there playing gigs all over the World we would not have any shortage of gigs because people actually PAy to go out and see and hear Real  ALL STARS at least until they drive their audiences away, which also happens far too often.


Heck I recall playing a lots of All Star Bands  when I was younger,  


Sniffin' Benny & his All stars
Sammy Simpson and his All stars
Lenny Jones and his All Stars
Alfred Hill and his All Stars
Bobby Johnson and his All Stars
Denny Larson & his All Stars


etc  etc etc.


Every musician that got a gig offer showed up with HIS ALL STARS and none of them were stars at all.   No wonder people laugh when a musician says his band name is Jimmy & His All Stars.  


To most sophisticated and not naive buyers of music that is the sure sign of the guy has no band at all, but will throw one together to get the gig.   And those buyers lost all respect for most musicians because of decades of this 
kind of booking of bands, and none of them could draw enough people to pay their wages and many could not hold a crowd for more than 15 minutes either.


Now the buzz word amongst the younger players is to post ads claiming to be PRO Sax Player,  Pro Drummer, etc.   and Looking for Pro Keyboard player for a SHOW  with five other bands, it is a PAID GIG too
each band needs to be able to draw 5- 10 people and they charge a $5.00 cover charge at the door and split it between five bands a night.  P.S.  You must know at least 5 songs.




Happy Gig hunting ya'll      Everybody is a STAR.


Tom Wiggins