File under “Putting it out to the universe.”

The next two posts should probably be filed under “Putting it out to the universe” or “If I had unlimited funds.”

I am putting it out there in the hope that if we get enough people to see it, we can build a team to make this happen. It started as a Facebook Posts this week, and I got enough responses from people who said they’d be willing to help, it should be documented.

How the idea hatched

I was at the AHS Big Band Dance last week, and I realized a few things:

• The AHS Jazz band is really good. Exceptionally good. Not coming from a dad, but a veteran jazz musician, rock musician, and music critic.
• AHS is doing a service to the kids by teaching them an art form that has been neglected.
• Gen X is the last generation to know these songs from exposure from their family. I feel like the last of the folks who were alive when these songs droped should be celebrated.

The Idea Already!

If I had infinite funds, I would hire the Ashland High School Jazz Band to perform a show featuring music from 1940s-era band leaders.

I would then hire vans to bring any old-timer who wanted to attend, providing them with door-to-door service.

• There would be a dance contest.
• There would be a booth for the old timers to record their stories.
• There would be staff on site to scan any photos the old timers wanted to bring. The stories about the photos would be documented.
• Even though I have unlimited funds, I would encourage high school-age kids to volunteer to help seat everyone, document the stories, and operate the recording booth.
• would hire Ira Glass to give the volunteer kids a crash course on documenting stories.

I would probably want to make the setlist. Just so I could go around asking old timers about the bangers of their time.

What next?

Nothing. I just wanted to get this out into the universe.

Unfortunately, my funds have a limit, as does my time. But if enough people were to see this, and break the night down into smaller pieces, it would be completely doable.