[Dixielandjazz] Dont Knock the Amateurs

[Bill Gunter]

Hi all,

Ed Bideau writes:

>Dont knock us amateurs or freebies too hard guys.  Our little band is the
>only thing going in SE Kansas and we are doing a lot to spread dixieland
>around and get young people exposed to it.

etc. etc.

Amen! Knock you too hard? Hell, I wouldn't knock you at all!

I would never knock anybody for doing whatever they want to do wherever and 
whenever they choose when it comes to the performance of music.

Music doesn't "BELONG" to the "professionals" - it belongs to anyone who can 
pick up an ax and blow the thing whenever and whenever he wants.

It's up the public to determine whether or not they want to stop long enough 
to give a listen.

If you want to stand on the corner and blow your horn for coins in the music 
case from the passers by I may even stop and drop a coin. I'll certainly 
give you my blessings for your dedication.

If, on the other hand, you are first chair horn in the local Symphony and 
you go on strike for more money and choose to withhold your services to the 
orchestra you will also have my blessings for your dedication.

But nobody has any right to determine where anyone else can blow his or her 
horn (unless there is a contract involved which is signed by all parties 
involved).

If you have a signed contract for qig and someone undercuts you by offering 
to play for free that is a different matter . . . you can sue the party who 
breached your contract!

BUT - if you don't have a contract you can go piss up a rope. You have no 
authority to tell anybody else when and where they can blow their horn.

And I mean that in the nicest possible way . . .

Respectfully submitted,

Bill "Thimbles" Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com

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