[Dixielandjazz] Street Corner Music

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/29/03 11:48:19 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes:

I asked about his life. He would pick a street corner, open up his sax
case for donations and start to play. Not a bad musician. Played Bird
licks, modern jazz etc. along with popular ballads. He said:
> 
> Earnings average $150 per 6 hour day.
> Cops sometimes hassle him and so he moves around.
> Works 5 to 6 days a week.
> Moves South in the winter.
> Considering the non taxable aspects, that's not a bad gig if true.

It is probably conservative Steve.

I know many street players in San Francisco who do $300.00 a day an often 
much more if they are reasonably good.   The tourists love them and are happy to 
drop a buck or two in the case.

I also have a trio that was offered a steady spot outside by Disneyland from 
That Mega Corp. who could certainly afford to pay real wages.   They pay these 
guys $100.00 for four hours on Monday & Tuesday and they sell an average of 
40 CDs a night @ $12.00 each.

They just came back Sunday from a 7 day trip to the UK, where they were 
offered a three day stint at a Street Festival for $200.00 per day, not even enough 
to cover the airfare for one of them.  They went and played the three days 
for the festival and then played in a busy plaza the other days and sold 
$6,000.00 worth of CDs.  Got a great review in the newspaper, and were visited twice 
in three days by Mose Allison who wants to do a recording project with them.

Ya Gotta Go Where the Action is and make your own gigs if you are just 
starting out, and even if you have been out of the mainstream for many years, you 
have to go get back in the race and do it again until such time as you are 
getting more peole walking up to book your act for better money.  When they ask you 
how much you charge, you have a basis to quote them, if you are making 
$500.00 or better playing on the sidewalk why would you want to go play their 
wedding in a country club for $200.00.

Those raggedy street players you see all over the world have outsmarted the 
unions and the establishment system for many years and many of them are doing 
well.  I saw one a couple of weeks ago pack up his Sax and walk down the street 
to parking lot and get into his Lamborghini and drive off.

> Cheers,
> Steve
> 
>