[Dixielandjazz] because they love their music

[Mike Marois]

Hey List;

Through the past few months I been working on a project and have found some
very interesting things out about booking gigs.  Recently I discovered that
some of the bigger jazz festivals in New Orleans the groups not only make
zero bread, they actually pay to play the festivals.  Talk about kicking
someone when they're down!

Mike Marois
http://www.TheDukesofDixieland.com
http://www.HireLiveMusic.com
http://www.MaroisApps.com

  -----Original Message-----
  From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
[mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com]On Behalf Of Randy Fendrick
  Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2003 12:16 AM
  To: JimDBB at aol.com
  Cc: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
  Subject: [Dixielandjazz] because they love their music


  I got in late of this discussion, which ain't unusual for me but, welcome
to the world of music. Gene Bolen calls bands that do that kind of stuff
"Tee Shirt Bands" In other words, they sell tee shirts to raise the money to
play their music. Which is all BS! In California, and I would imagine other
places too, rock musicians, and I use that term loosely, pay to work. In LA,
for instance, they rent a well known venue, sell their own tickets and the
club takes the bar. That's a good deal! Then they get to play their music in
hopes of being discovered. Big deal!
  In Southern California many of the jazz clubs will not come up with any
bread at all. In fact, it is almost an insult as to the amount of bread they
offer. My guys say no more pro bono stuff. At $2.10 a gallon for gas, you
can't drive 200 miles to make a gig and justify it to yourself or your wife.
I don't care how much you love to play.
  I love to play, and I don't care if I play in the Symphony, which I do, or
do a show, as I am doing for the next 6 weeks, or play in a wind ensemble,
which I do every summer, or play in a street band at the fair, which I do
each September, or I play jazz which I do at the least monthly, and daily at
the best, but I need to be paid for my services. Just like the Lawyer, the
Doctor, the Teacher, the Druggist, the Liquor store owner, the clerk, the
baker, you got the picture. So the friend, the independent farmer, and the
leader of the group is in reality taking bread out of all of our pockets,
but you already knew that.
  It's unfortunate that others don't recognize what is happening but within
a short period of time there ain't gonna be any work for anyone, not because
the audience that we are playing for have died out which they are, but
because the idea of a professional, that is one who is paid to do, wont be
paid to do.
  By the way, Jim, I'll bet there is another income in there somewhere,
  later,

  Randy Fendrick,



    Case in point: I have been working for several years with a name big
band that is run by someone who can be cheap past intelligence. With this
guy, money can and does win out over musical quality. In the past year,
there's been this drummer in our genre who is also a farmer in a state
hundreds of miles from our area. This guy makes good money with his farm and
also can afford to be away from it for periods of time.

    He took a cruise from me that I should have played because he bribed his
way onto the gig by helping to sell several cabins for the cruise . . . then
played for zippo. Just took another cruise from me because he offered to
drive halfway across the US to the five day gig for free. Then he took 2
nights last weekend from me here in Wisconsin, because he offered to drive
up from Nebraska for free as a "vacation".

    Meanwhile, I've got two young girls I'm trying to keep in private school
and pay two mortgages, etc. etc.



       Bill...was this last line a joke?  You can't be paying for private
shools and two mortgages as a musician.

       Jim Beebe_______________________________________________


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