[Dixielandjazz] open jam

[Marek Boym]

Hi Phil,
I am not a musician, but what you've described sounds like my kind of
music!  When I heard the old guys at Preservation Hall in 1980, they played
a lot of tunes which were not in the standard repertoire of most trad
bands.  I have mentioned repertoire on DJML more than once.  There are so
many great tunes around, many of which have been forgotten.
And DAve, I wish you success.
All the best,
Marek


On 17 September 2013 01:07, Phil Wilking <arnold.wilking at earthlink.net>wrote:

> I have been in your place.
>
> Since you are the perpetrator of this, it falls to you to keep it
> organized.
>
>  From sad experience, I can caution you to have someone (almost certainly
>>
> you) in charge of assembling bands ("sets") from the musicians who come.
> This is a job guaranteed to irk some players, but you must do it or
> everything will fall apart within 15 minutes. You will find that many
> players will try to always play with the same people. A little of this may
> be OK until you get a feel for what's going on, but they tend to form
> "clubs" and ignore everyone else. You will need to break up these cliques
> or
> they will drive away more players and regular customers than they attract
> by
> always playing the same tunes in the same way and "freezing out"
> non-members
> of their little clubs.
>
> Encourage the trying out of less familiar tunes. You will hear loud whines
> "Let's play something we all know!" Well, the only thing we all know is the
> chorus of "The Saints" and (maybe) the chorus of "Bill Bailey." How many
> times do you want to hear those? Early jazz, at least here in New Orleans,
> was dance music. If you get known for playing danceable music, your
> audience
> will grow, which will please the club owner. Encourage playing something
> beside straight-up 4/4; how about a tango? One strain of "Saint Louis
> Blues"
> plays well as a tango. How about a rumba or cha-cha, or (GASP!) a waltz?
> Oktoberfest is coming, you might want to a polka or two in your repertoire
> (and some waltz songs).
>
> Keep the sets short, 30 minutes with 10 minutes to change bands works to
> start. After you get everyone used to a "traffic pattern" (come on here, go
> off there, do your visiting away from the stage), you can adjust the times.
> Have sign-in sheets so you can make up bands in advance. Warn the bands
> that
> "Grand Entrance" time comes out of their playing time, so get on - play -
> and get off expeditiously.
>
> Keep the bands small, one of each instrument. With rare exceptions, when
> you
> get duplicate instruments, they get into a contest and start getting louder
> and louder and very quickly no one listens to anyone else.
>
> Do not, repeat NOT, use amplification for your front line instruments
> (possible very rare exception: a good toned but low volume clarinet) OR the
> drum. Brass and saxes do not need amplification indoors. If anyone
> complains
> that the audience is not listening to him, tell him to play so well that
> they shut up to hear him. If there is a vocalist, tell the instrumentalists
> to play more softly rather than have a voice microphone cranked up. Keep
> reminding everyone that this is music, not rock and roll. (Is my bias
> showing?) If you can't hear the entire band, YOU are playing too loudly.
>
> Experience will teach you much more.
>
> It sounds like a lot of fun, I wish I could be there,
> Phil Wilking - K5MZF
> www.nolabanjo.com
>
> Those who would exchange freedom for
> security deserve neither freedom nor security.
>
> -----Original Message----- From: dave orr
>
>
> I have approached a local club owner about hosting a Trad. Jazz jam and he
> is enthusiastic about the idea.
>
> While I'm mostly inclined to "see what happens" I also think there should
> be
> at least some structure,
> and welcome your comments and ideas to help set up a workable format, as I
> am far out of my depth here.
>
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