[Dixielandjazz] pidgeon holes, names & descriptions

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

Hi Jim:

After 37 years "If it Ain't Broke Don't Fix It"

You guys made the right professional decision 37 years ago, hope it keeps 
working for you another 37 years.

In this new age of so called Specialist in the professions in America 
everyone is a self proclaimed EXPERT in one field but many know very little about 
anything else, therefore they drastically limit their employment possibilities, 
not to mention professional growth.

A professional musician in my opinion should be able to play almost any style 
of music someone is willing to pay them to play with some exceptions of 
course and the freedom to choose not to play certain styles, which would leave the 
employment opportunity open for someone who does want to play that style. NO 
problem.


We must remember again as has been discussed many times on this list that the 
audience and the purchaser of live music is more often than not far less 
sophisticated about the music and the styles than most musicians and usually just 
start off with a thought pattern of  "We should get A band"   then they start 
asking around and looking for a band to play for their event, often with no 
particular style of music in mind at all, much less being asked to make the 
decision of whether they want Dixieland, Trad. Jazz, Be Bop,  New Orleans Jazz, 
Swing, or whatever is popular and it is being called this year.

  Band leaders can lose many gig opportunities that they could otherwise 
accept by limiting their style of music offered to only what they personally want 
to play.  It is professional to be able to play a variety of styles to suit 
the variety of tastes of the audiences and employers you expect to pay you. 

 It is All about THEM not YOU, we are in a service business and it is our 
duty to serve those who hire us and expect us to provide the kind of musical 
services they think they purchased, to do otherwise is misrepresentation and will 
certainly lead to fewer gigs as your reputation for baiting and switching gets 
around, and you can bet it will.

The major Record labels have always wanted a name for music to hype it and 
exploit it which has been the major contributing factor in so many different 
styles of overlapping music genres.  They exploit and promote and market it as 
long as it is selling in sufficient numbers to make them substantial profits.  
When it falls off they have another style to exploit to the next audience of 
music buyers (commonly believed to be between the ages of 13 & 25 years old).  
The major record industry still is of the idea that nobody buys recordings 
after age 25 but rather spend their disposable income on things like diapers and 
jogging equipment, ski equipment and other such adult toys.

They certainly do not believe anybody over 45 will buy a recording which is 
why they stopped making 8 Track cassettes :)   As far as they are concerned the 
old folks can buy used records if they can find them, but more than likely 
they already have all of them they bought when they were between 13 & 25 and 
ever wanted to buy anyway.

 

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins