[Dixielandjazz] Doom-sayer

[Louis Lince]

Hi Bob,

It's not all doom and gloom. I've just got home after playing a most 
enjoyable gig for a charity evening at a large country hotel. Average age of 
the guests was 35-40.

It wasn't my band but I was the token oldie (71) the leader is 30, the sousa 
is 35, the others (tenor, drums and trumpet) are all under 30 and the 
drummer is just 22.

The band was booked specifically to play dixieland music which we did. We 
were applauded and ........wait for it.......the guests were up dancing like 
dervishes.

Best

Louis



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Brodsky" <rfoxbro at aol.com>
To: <louislince at neworleansmusic.demon.co.uk>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 22, 2014 12:26 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Doom-sayer


>
>
> Dear List mates:
>
>
> What I've always known would happen, is happening now- at least in the 
> USA. The remaining few players of live OKOM are rapidly aging, as are 
> their audiences. I'm sure all of you in the USA know this. I think we must 
> recognize that our kind of music has not caught on with the younger 
> generations, and that we will see live hot jazz disappear into the sunset, 
> probably within the next ten years. I, for one, do not see this as a 
> disaster, but only as our failure to have gotten our kids interested and 
> for not providing opportunities for Black players to make a living. I'm 
> covered - I've got a machine that plays 78, 45, and 33 rpm's and a web 
> connection that has most of the old music, and I can no longer dance, 
> anyway.
>
>
> What brings on this bathos is my receipt, yesterday, of my Monthly 'Dixie 
> Flyer", from my every fourth Sunday "Society for the Preservation of 
> Dixieland Jazz" (West Covina/Azusa, California) which contained dirges 
> from our President and our Editor. I quote from our distinguished 
> historian Dick Craven; "--------. When I started editing the Dixie Flyer, 
> we had over 300 members; last year we were down to about 80, and so far 
> this year fewer than 50 members have renewed" (I have). The President's 
> column suggests that we could attract a new set of members by offering 
> swing dancing - and conjectures that they might be converted to righteous 
> music.
>
>
> Through 19 "Serenades for Mouldy Figges" (see my book, "The World in a 
> Jug"), I have been trying make conversions. I assure you, it can't be 
> done!  I don't see any hope of a 'revival' such as occurred in the 40s and 
> 50s. SO my fellow Americans and Canadian friends, dust off your victrolas 
> and retain your memories. I remember Greenwich Village and 52nd St. after 
> the war, when there were over 10 venues that featured OKOM 6 nights a week 
> from 9pm to 4am, with an equal number of Black and White musicians.  Those 
> were the glory days!
>
>
> Age gracefully,
>
>
> Mouldy Bob
>
>
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