[Dixielandjazz] Unwritten rules??/

[John Farrell]

Despite a niggling feeling that there must be something sneaky about a
sideman who does such a thing, I have to agree with Bill Gunter's reasoning.

Taking Bob Romans' hypothesis a step further, supposing the sideman handed
his card to the club manager and said, "I have a band too, just as good as
this one but cheaper to hire. How about it?".

Given these circumstances would Bill still be of the same opinion?

John Farrell
stridepiano@tesco.net
http://homepages.tesco.net/~stridepiano/midifiles.htm

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Gunter" <jazzboard@hotmail.com>
To: <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 8:47 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Unwritten rules??/


> Hi Listmates,
>
> Bob Romans poses the hypothetical situation:
>
> >. . . your band is booked at a local country club. It pays $100 per man,
> >and is a very nice gig!! Everything is going great, the band is cookin'!
> >During the last break, you find the manager and let him know you've
enjoyed
> >the gig, and you hope he'll call you again, so you hand him your card,
and
> >he informs you that one of your sidemen just gave him HIS card, and
> >suggested he call HIM the next time if he wanted a band since he, too,
has
> >a band.
> >What would YOU do?? Is this an ethical thing for a sideman to do? Would
you
> >hire that sideman again for another gig?
>
> I'm gonna take a stab at this question even though I am actually a current
> sideman in Bob's band "Cell Block  7"
>
> Just because your band has been booked at a venue does NOT give you the
> exclusive right to all future bookings at that venue. The very fact that
Bob
> uses the words "unwritten rules" tells you instantly that it is actually
NOT
> a rule at all.
>
> It's not even a breach of etiquette or ethical conduct. I have a band and
> would not hesitate to tell the manager of a venue about the availability
of
> my band even though I might be playing there with some other band.
>
> I'd ask Bob a couple of questions.
>
> 1. Suppose the sideman waits a day after the gig and then goes to the club
> manager and offers his card with the suggestion the manager might be
> interested in hiring his band. Is that OK? If it's OK the next day why
isn't
> it OK any time?
>
> 2. If the answer is "No, it's not OK" then when is it OK for the sideman
to
> make a pitch to the club manager?
>
> 3. If the answer is Never! Then do you assume only you have any right to
the
> gig?
>
> 4. If you answer question 3 "Yes, only the original leader's band has any
> right to the gig" do you think you are living in the real world?
>
> 5. What makes any musician think he has exclusive rights to a gig when
there
> is no contract to that effect?
>
> 6. If you were a club manager would you sign a contract with band X that
you
> will henceforth only book band X? I very much doubt it.
>
> In summary, there is NO rule, written or unwritten, and no force of
ethical
> conduct preventing a musician from giving his card to a potential booker
at
> any time. To assume this practice is "unethical" is to define "ethical" as
> only that behavior that benefits you. This is, of course, pure doo doo.
>
> I suggest the leader ignore the sideman's conduct and get on with the
> business of leading the band to the best of his ability and not make any
> judgments about any sideman who exercises a perfectly legimite right.
>
>
> Respectfully submitted,
>
> Bill "Anyone Interested In Booking a Washboard Band?" Gunter
> jazzboard@hotmail.com
>
>
>
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