[Dixielandjazz] Gaslamp San Diego Mardi Gras

[Don Ingle]

The AFof M did the same type of thing severala years ago when they allowed
(armtwisted) the setup crew guys with rock groups to join as member ofthe
muscians union.
When I joined at the age of 16, in 1947, I had to do the following things
before I could get my Local 47 card:
1. Have my parent's permission  to join (my dad, a local member, signed my
application).
2. I had to take tests in sight reading, playing given scales, intervals, or
arpeggios on request. demonstate dynamics, and then play something solo of
my own choice. A three-man music screening committee graded me and I had to
pass with at least a 75 score in order to get my card.
   It was still considerd a skill craft guild, and you had to demonstate the
basic skills at an adequate level of proficiency.
  One should recall that Bix was turned down for a card in the Davenport
local because he could not sight read well enough to pass the test.
  Today, if your\ breath, show up, and have the initiation fee and the local
dues in your pocket, you are in -- whether or not you can cut it at any
acceptable musical level.
I held cars in L.A. Chicago, Denver, and Grand Rapids.
All cars were resigned in good standing when I was inactive in a local's
jurisdiction, working on the card where I was living and working. Iresgend
the Grand Rapids card two years ago. Most bands owrking the festivals are no
longer AF of M members, and no effort if made by AF of M to enforce the
union label -- just happy when a festival fires a union band, and no
business agent checks cards anymore.
So -- the point being this question -- If it walks like a dinosauer, acts
like a dinosauer, is it time to recognize it as a dinosauer whose time has
come and gone? Fossils -- like the musician's union -- are museum stuff  at
best.
Don (I paid my dues and then some) Ingle

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Durham" <mikedurham_jazz at hotmail.com>
To: <s3856lpa at webtv.net>; <Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2003 1:41 PM
Subject: RE: [Dixielandjazz] Gaslamp San Diego Mardi Gras


> Harold, the UK Musicians' Union has just decided to allow Disc Jockeys (or
> "turntablists" as they have now taken to calling themselves over here)
full
> membership in the union. For this I spent years learning how to read music
> and play an instrument? O tempora, o mores!
>
> Mike D.
>
>