[Tradjazz] Capitol Focus Jazz Band

[Bruce McNichols]

Yessir George,

I already knew about Dave Robinson's fine work, but I had forgotten it.  I've forgotten a lot of things, over the years.  
  I never remember a name, but I always forget a face!
It's things such as Dave's project, that well might be our one hope, for keep our music going.  In Connecticut, they have a thing called Horns for Kids.  It's run by another wonderful cornet man (Fred Vigorito of the Galvanized Jazz Band).  They provide instruments for kids and they expose them to our music.  I think that they're connected with the Great ConnecticutTraditional Jazz Festival, where their kid's bands have played.

In 1970, two of my bandmates (Chicken Joe, tuba and Deacon Jim, banjo & guitar) and I formed a company we call Muskrat Productions.  The idea was for Muskrat to book our Smith Street Society Jazz Band, and a few sub groups.
  Since then, we've evolved into a specialty house which produces and markets novelty and theme entertainment.
One of our first ventures was into the world of educational school assembly programs.  We devised a presentation which demonstrated old time jazz, and explained the function of each instrument in the ensemble.  Then, we switched to electric instruments, and demonstrated more contemporary music.  We pointed out that the instruments in the currently popular bands, performed the same function as the instruments in early jazz and pop music.  

We were very successful and performed almost 100 shows per year.  Kids in the elementary schools ate  it up.  High school students really liked it too.  Our claim to fame is that we'd often get standing ovations, at (now get this) junior high schools.  To get any kind of response from that age-group is quite an accomplishment

Sadly, most school systems have very limited budgets for such things.  We were able to work out scheduling so that we could do two, three and sometimes four, presentations, in one day.  The time an effort to sell multiple engagements, that totaled less pay than one real job, was such that we slowly phased ourselves out of that project.  Without a doubt, I've never gotten more gratification from performing, than I did at those schools.

Corporate Sponsorship Anyone?

McN


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: GeoHunt1 at aol.com 
  To: tradjazz at list.okom.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 10:50 AM
  Subject: [Tradjazz] Capitol Focus Jazz Band


  Hi Bruce:

  On the subject of young Dixieland Jazz musicians:

  Dave Robinson is a great trumpet player from the Washington, DC, area, and also a music educator.  Robinson directs the Capitol Focus Jazz Band, an all youth organization.  See the web site: http://www.prjc.org/cfjb/ .  The CFJB is sponsored by the Potomac River Jazz Club, and we feature them when we can at the Tri-State Jazz Society.

  "Laissez les bons temps rouler" in New Orleans again,

  George Hunt




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