[Dixielandjazz] Million dollar question
JimDBB@aol.com
JimDBB@aol.com
Mon, 15 Jul 2002 14:16:18 EDT
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In a message dated 7/15/02 11:36:28 AM Central Daylight Time,
jfendrick@bak.rr.com writes:
> X-INFO: INVALID TO LINE
> You look at the festival lists in the American Rag or the Mississippi Rag
> and you can almost take the line up from one and carbon copy it to the
> next.
> It would seem that Festival organizers and band committees are not
> interested in creativity but have become "bean counters" and are interested
> in only the bottom line, how much they make. While it is necessary to make
> money, as festivals won't exist unless they do, it would seem to me that a
> little more creativity could go into the hiring of bands.
> later,
>
> -Randy Fendrick-
> Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra
As one who has played on a number of Festivals as a sideman, an
'All-Star' and with my one band, I would like to add my own comment. First,
there are a number of 'Trad' groups who go around to fests for little money,
enought to cover expenses. It is a holiday for them. They are naturally
attractive to these fests. There are very good groups around the country who
do not go to fests or only go to local ones because most fests don't want to
pay worthwhile money except to the traveling name 'All-Stars.' As most of
you know there is a click group of 'All-Stars' who go from one Fest to the
next. Some are worth what they get and some are not worth it. And
understand that no one in the trad festival circuit is getting really good
money...it's all relative.
On the Fest side, these people put a lot of work in for no money ( usually)
and are often beseiged by armies of trad groups that want to play on their
festival.
The Trad fest audiences are not the most sophisticated in the world and for
the most part they prefer the amateur cornball bands who often dominate the
festivals. they also make the rounds of the fests and many of these bands
have their own fan clubs who follow them around.
The situation is pretty much... the same musicians going around to the same
festivals, playing the same tunes for the same people.
I was called to play the Sacramento Fest some years back but they had some
crazy system where they paid you at the end of the year. I took a pass on
it. I remember Brian Shanley telling me that Sacramento was a zoo and he
wouldn't go near it.
JimBeebe
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<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2>In a message dated 7/15/02 11:36:28 AM Central Daylight Time, jfendrick@bak.rr.com writes:<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">X-INFO: INVALID TO LINE<BR>
You look at the festival lists in the American Rag or the Mississippi Rag<BR>
and you can almost take the line up from one and carbon copy it to the next.<BR>
It would seem that Festival organizers and band committees are not<BR>
interested in creativity but have become "bean counters" and are interested<BR>
in only the bottom line, how much they make. While it is necessary to make<BR>
money, as festivals won't exist unless they do, it would seem to me that a<BR>
little more creativity could go into the hiring of bands.<BR>
later,<BR>
<BR>
-Randy Fendrick- <BR>
Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
<BR>
As one who has played on a number of Festivals as a sideman, an 'All-Star' and with my one band, I would like to add my own comment. First, there are a number of 'Trad' groups who go around to fests for little money, enought to cover expenses. It is a holiday for them. They are naturally attractive to these fests. There are very good groups around the country who do not go to fests or only go to local ones because most fests don't want to pay worthwhile money except to the traveling name 'All-Stars.' As most of you know there is a click group of 'All-Stars' who go from one Fest to the next. Some are worth what they get and some are not worth it. And understand that no one in the trad festival circuit is getting really good money...it's all relative.<BR>
<BR>
On the Fest side, these people put a lot of work in for no money ( usually) and are often beseiged by armies of trad groups that want to play on their festival. <BR>
<BR>
The Trad fest audiences are not the most sophisticated in the world and for the most part they prefer the amateur cornball bands who often dominate the festivals. they also make the rounds of the fests and many of these bands have their own fan clubs who follow them around.<BR>
<BR>
The situation is pretty much... the same musicians going around to the same festivals, playing the same tunes for the same people.<BR>
<BR>
I was called to play the Sacramento Fest some years back but they had some crazy system where they paid you at the end of the year. I took a pass on it. I remember Brian Shanley telling me that Sacramento was a zoo and he wouldn't go near it.<BR>
<BR>
JimBeebe</FONT></HTML>
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