[Dixielandjazz] Touring (Off topic, I guess)

[vaxtrpts at aol.com]

 I truely feel that any band that does touring and reaches new audiences for ANY kind of jazz music is important to all who love jazz, no matter what the era or style of the music that is played.  So with that I will again mention the Stan Kenton Alumni Band Tour in the East that just ended a week ago.  
We played 12 concerts in 14 days, in 11 different cities in 6 states plus Washington DC.  We performed for over 4000 people.  We reached 46 high schools and colleges in clinic and festival situations.  We traveled over 3000 miles on the bus.  (Not including flying in the musicians from all over the USA to start the tour in Ohio.)  Of the 20 people in our big band, 8 have performed at traditional jazz festivals.  In our workshops with the young musicians we always talk about the history of jazz music and how important it is for them to go back the the beginnings of the music to learn how to play it properly.

 

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