[Dixielandjazz] Unwritten rules??/
Elazar Brandt
jazzmin@actcom.net.il
Fri, 13 Sep 2002 00:03:23 +0200
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Shalom again jazz fans,
You know, it occurs to me that I don't know why we're all arguing about this
business of sidemen passing out cards at gigs. Anybody ever get any calls
from any of those cards? The calls I usually get are from people who hear me
play. I mean, we're making music here, not cards. Right?
It may not be illegal or immoral. It might violate certain contractual
understandings or union rules. But in the end, I think we're talking about
courtesy, and not rights. I have the right to do all kinds of things that
would probably cost me friends and jobs and love and respect, costs that
would far outweigh any possible benefit I might get from exercising my
rights. I have the right to be a first class SOB. (I'm not suggesting that
Bill G is such, because I know nothing could be further from the truth.) But
G-d help me if I exercise that right. After all, don't we make better music
if we like each other, and trust each other, and respect each other? What's
next? Do we parade our band into a club and challenge the band on stage to a
battle to see which one the audience likes better? Do I, Mr. Sideman wannabe
leader, plant my own sidemen in the audience during a gig, and herd them
onstage during a break just to show folks what we can do? Gee, I wouldn't
charge anything for it. Does that make it OK?
However we construe it -- rights, respect, courtesy, policy, law or rules --
there is some boundary in there that is more than just a matter of feelings.
Personally, I'd rather not cross it while working with friends and
colleagues and trying to make people, including myself, happy.
But then again, maybe I'm just trying to clean up my act before Yom
Kippur...
Elazar "Take my card... Please!" Brandt
Chief Banjoist
Ministry of Jazz
Jerusalem, Israel
<www.israel.net/ministry-of-jazz>
Tel: +972-2-679-2537
P.S. I almost forgot another relevant story. Where's my head? Once at a gig
a guest came over to me and loudly announced that he'd heard me play banjo
somewhere else, and he's been trying to find me, and he's glad he ran into
me, and could he have my card. It was rather clear he was looking for me and
not the band I was working for that day. The band leader happened to be
standing nearby and heard the whole thing. I glanced in his direction and
smiled, he smiled back and nodded, and I gave the fellow my card. Courtesy.
The leader doesn't own me, but he does trust me because I do things like
that, and I trust him. Sometimes I get the gigs and he works for me, and the
courtesy is returned. By the way, the loudmouth guest never called me
anyway! See what I mean?
What if the leader hadn't been there? Oh, I'd have given the guy my card
under those circumstances, but I'd have told the leader about it later. So,
anyone out there want to hire an honest banjo player? Anyone want a card?
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<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Shalom again jazz=20
fans,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>You =
know, it=20
occurs to me that I don't know why we're all arguing about this business =
of=20
sidemen passing out cards at gigs. Anybody ever get any calls from any =
of those=20
cards? The calls I usually get are from people who hear me play. I mean, =
we're=20
making music here, not cards. Right?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>It =
may not be=20
illegal or immoral. It might violate certain contractual understandings =
or union=20
rules. But in the end, I think we're talking about courtesy, and not =
rights. I=20
have the right to do all kinds of things that would probably cost me =
friends and=20
jobs and love and respect, costs that would far outweigh any possible =
benefit I=20
might get from exercising my rights. I have the right to be a first =
class SOB.=20
(I'm not suggesting that Bill G is such, because I know nothing could be =
further=20
from the truth.) But G-d help me if I exercise that right. =
</FONT></SPAN><SPAN=20
class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>After all, =
don't we make=20
better music if we like each other, and trust each other, and respect =
each=20
other? What's next? Do we parade our band into a club and challenge the =
band on=20
stage to a battle to see which one the audience likes better? Do I, Mr. =
Sideman=20
wannabe leader, plant my own sidemen in the audience during a gig, and =
herd them=20
onstage during a break just to show folks what we can do? Gee, I =
wouldn't charge=20
anything for it. Does that make it OK?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>However we=20
construe it -- rights, respect, courtesy, policy, law or rules=20
-- there is some boundary in there that is more than just a matter =
of=20
feelings. Personally, I'd rather not cross it while working with friends =
and=20
colleagues and trying to make people, including myself,=20
happy.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>But =
then again,=20
maybe I'm just trying to clean up my act before Yom=20
Kippur...</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Elazar "Take my=20
card... Please!" Brandt</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002></SPAN><SPAN =
class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT=20
size=3D2>Chief Banjoist<BR>Ministry of Jazz<BR>Jerusalem,=20
Israel<BR><www.israel.net/ministry-of-jazz><BR>Tel: =
+972-2-679-2537</FONT>=20
</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT =
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT size=3D2>P.S. I almost =
forgot another=20
relevant story. Where's my head? Once at a gig a guest came over to me =
and=20
loudly announced that he'd heard me play banjo somewhere else, and he's =
been=20
trying to find me, and he's glad he ran into me, and could he have my =
card. It=20
was rather clear he was looking for me and not the band I was working =
for that=20
day. The band leader happened to be standing nearby and heard the whole =
thing. I=20
glanced in his direction and smiled, he smiled back and nodded, and I =
gave the=20
fellow my card. Courtesy. The leader doesn't own me, but he does trust =
me=20
because I do things like that, and I trust him. Sometimes I get the gigs =
and he=20
works for me, and the courtesy is returned. By the way, the loudmouth =
guest=20
never called me anyway! See what I mean?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT =
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D350032121-12092002><FONT size=3D2>What if the leader =
hadn't been=20
there? Oh, I'd have given the guy my card under those circumstances, but =
I'd=20
have told the leader about it later. So, anyone out there want to hire =
an honest=20
banjo player? Anyone want a card?</FONT></DIV></SPAN></BODY></HTML>
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