[Dixielandjazz] "THE" look

[vaxtrpts at aol.com]

I agree about "dressing the part" but good Flying Spaghetti Monster, this
is THE Clint Baker you're talking about (or at least what started this
thread). The man plays like 12 instruments better than most people play
just one. I'm sure his audience wouldn't mind if he showed up in rags or
even his birthday suit. Can you say "perspective"? Ha ha ha ha!
If you're reading Clint, long live the Shakey Underground!
-Patrick Skiffington


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Ah Patrick, but "THE" Louis Armstrong, "THE" Pete Fountain, "THE" Al Hirt and so many others did have their bands dress nicely.
And even today - "THE" bands that are popular on the trad jazz festival circuit - almost always have the band look nice or even in some sort of uniform, even it it is a Golf Shirt with their logo and slacks.
I guess what some people don't look at isn't whether "the audience would mind," but rather would be what is respectful to the music, the musicians, and yes even the audience.  This is why I feel the way I do about the way musicians dress.  
In these times of everybody being more concerned about themselves, being "politically correct" for the masses, and yes, even being happy with the lowest common denominator in almost everything, I'm sure there are plenty of people in the audience and in the bands who really don't care about "dressing up" at all.  Call me old fashioned or a curmudgeon or whatever, but the world is a poorer place because of the permissiveness of so many and the lack of caring about "class."
Off the soap box for awhile.
Mike Vax