[Dixielandjazz] Unwritten rules??/

[Charlie Hooks]

on 9/11/02 2:47 AM, Bill Gunter at jazzboard@hotmail.com wrote:

> Hi Listmates,
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> Bob Romans poses the hypothetical situation:
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>> . . . 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 enjo=
yed
>> the gig, and you hope he'll call you again, so you hand him your card, a=
nd
>> 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, h=
as
>> 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?
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> I'm gonna take a stab at this question even though I am actually a curren=
t
> sideman in Bob's band "Cell Block  7"
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> 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.
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> 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.
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> I'd ask Bob a couple of questions.
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> 1. Suppose the sideman waits a day after the gig and then goes to the clu=
b
> 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 is=
n't
> it OK any time?
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> 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?
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> 3. If the answer is Never! Then do you assume only you have any right to =
the
> gig?
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> 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?
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> 5. What makes any musician think he has exclusive rights to a gig when th=
ere
> is no contract to that effect?
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> 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.
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> In summary, there is NO rule, written or unwritten, and no force of ethic=
al
> 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" a=
s
> only that behavior that benefits you. This is, of course, pure doo doo.
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> 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.
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> Respectfully submitted,
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> Bill "Anyone Interested In Booking a Washboard Band?" Gunter
> jazzboard@hotmail.com
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Agree with everything you say.  But I still wouldn't call the sunovabitch
again.  Ever. =20

illogically,=20
Charlie