[Dixielandjazz] Saturday - some thoughts

Wed Jan 30 00:58:24 PST 2013

This discussion reminds me of the joke John Barnes (a British reed player)
when he starred at the Edinburgh Jazz FEstival with the Roger Nobes
quartet.  The quarted appeared in formal suits.  Barnes came on stage with
kind of Hawaii shirt and quipped: "I apologize for the band - they had no
time to change into my uniform."
Still, I admit that the Wallace Davenport band made great impression in
Nice when it came on stage wearing suits, while all other groups were
casually dressed - tee shirts, shorts, you name it.  But that band also
impressed with its sense of purpose at that mainlu jam session form
festival of pick-up groups, even if many consisted of real stars (such as
Vic Dickenson, Kenny DAvern, Bob Wilber, and more).
Cheers

On 30 January 2013 09:46, david richoux <domitype at gmail.com> wrote:

> This thread almost takes us back to "Straws & Stripes!"
>
> I have known Clint Baker since he was a sprout, and his band has played a
> most authentic OKOM to a very appreciative worldwide audience for several
> decades. If his band has chosen to wear whatever they want for
> a performance (usually at a casual restaurant in Menlo Park where they have
> played to huge crowds for many years) I have no problem with that. When
> they play at Jazzfest New Orleans (one of a very few non-Louisiana bands to
> be invited to the traditional stage)  I recall they wore a shirt and tie.
>
> But really, in the long run, the idea of "dressing up for jazz" is not all
> that big of a thing. If the music is right, most audiences will not care if
> the band is not wearing matching clothes. I have been playing this stuff
> for 40 + years - sometimes in "uniform" and sometimes not.
>
> Whatever, but it really is not all that important! If we are trying to
> continue the tradition to young musicians, I am not sure we need to enforce
> a dress code.
>
> David Richoux
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 29, 2013 at 8:56 PM, Larry Garrett <lrg4003 at aol.com> wrote:
>
> > I'm with my clarinet pal Dave on this one.  The venue and audience
> dictate
> > the apparel.
> > The Loose Marbles are probably better suited to whatever they woke up in
> > for their audience.  It's funky and it fits.    But playing gigs in New
> > Orleans in certain venues and in Kansas City, I opt for a classier dress
> > code.  When I show up at Fritzel's on Bourbon St. they'll probably let me
> > play in anything, but I feel more comfortable in a tie since that's what
> > they're wearing.  Mr. Jones and Mr. Laughlin, Tom Fischer, Gerald French,
> > Richard Scott, etc.---they show up classy.  And Lynn Zimmer and the
> groups
> > in K.C. do the same.
> > Just sayin.
> >
> >
> > KC Clarinet
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: David Washburn <tootn4u at gmail.com>
> > To: Larry Garrett <lrg4003 at aol.com>
> > Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> > Sent: Tue, Jan 29, 2013 5:21 pm
> > Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Saturday - some thoughts
> >
> >
> > I, for one, agree.  I play in a couple of groups in which the guys show
> up
> > in jeans and tee shirts.   When I front the group, however, I always ask
> my
> > client what will be the appropriate attire. And even if it is casual, I
> > like the band to look sharp.
> >  Just my opinion,
> > Dave in Dallas
> > On Tue, Jan 29, 2013 at 4:56 PM, <vaxtrpts at aol.com> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >  I enjoyed LISTENING to the videos of Clint's band.  But it would be
> > > interesting to see want others of you think about the LOOK of the
> video.
> > > I come from 50 years in the music business and truly lament the fact
> that
> > > musicians these days, come to the gig looking like they are sitting at
> > home
> > > watching TV or sometimes worse, like they should be working in the
> > garden.
> > > (Not so much the later in these videos.)
> > > I have a theory that to be a musician on stage or in another realm, a
> > > teacher infront of a class, you should look like you mean business and
> > > respect yourself, the music (or subject) and the audience (or
> students).
> >  I
> > > think that a big part of the problem with deportment and lack of
> respect
> > in
> > > our schools today is that the teachers look exactly like the students.
> > >  Other then on the "special Friday's" at Peggy's school - where the
> > > teachers wore Levi's and the school golf type shirt with the logo on
> it -
> > > Peggy always looked very nice when she went to school for those 32
> years
> > > before she retired.  Her students treated her with more respect than
> > other
> > > classes I saw where the teachers were wearing t-shirts and Levi's all
> the
> > > time.
> > > I truly believe the same goes for music.  When my band plays, the least
> > we
> > > wear are sport coats, nice shirts and slacks.  Sometimes we wear suits
> > and
> > > ties.  I even like the look of many of the bands that used to be on the
> > > trad jazz circuit who work nice slacks and golf-type shirts with the
> band
> > > name on them.
> > >  I remember a review by the wonderful Jon Hendricks in the San
> Francisco
> > > Examiner of my big band when we first started, back in 1973.  (I'm sure
> > you
> > > all know Jon as a very influential jazz vocalist, but he also did many
> > > reviews for the Examiner many years ago.)  He loved the band and the
> > music,
> > > but he put us down for not "looking" the part of an important (or
> > striving
> > > to be important) big band, and talked about how great the bands looked
> > > during the big band era.  HE WAS RIGHT.  And I never forgot that.
>  Since
> > > that time, I have never walked on stage, not looking like I "meant
> > > business."  Is it just me, or do others feel the same way?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > 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
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Thanks,
> > David
> >
> > www.threequartersfast.com
> >
> > Friend us at:
> >
> >
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