[Dixielandjazz] Whores and Big Bands

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

Probably true but there are grades and variations in hookers.  Some are
better than others.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 04, 2004 11:33 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Whores and Big Bands


> Tom Wiggins wrote: (snip out of context)
>
> > We are all considered WHORES in this business and often forced to be
just
> > that,
>
> Hey, wait a minute, stop disrespecting whores. They work for a living,
> supply a much needed service and charge a proper amount of money for it.
>
> Not all bands are so inclined.
>
> In Philadelphia, we often face under priced competition from Mummers
Bands.
> Thank goodness they have limited appeal and do not undercut the market for
> OKOM. Occasionally we might lose a gig to one of them, but not often.
>
> On the other hand, we do face tougher competition from folks who undercut
> the market. They go specifically to venues where we play and offer "a
> similar band for less money." We do lose gigs to these bands, but that too
> is usually only a one time thing. Once the venue becomes aware of the
> difference, we get the gig back. We bring in more bottom line profit.
That's
> what we sell, net profit to the venue, not cost of the band.
>
> There is a balancing act as to how an emerging band can manage to play.
> Simply stated, play anywhere you can, for any price you want, AS LONG AS
IT
> DOES NOT UNDERCUT THE MARKET FOR SIMILAR MUSIC.
>
> Case in point:
>
> A few years ago a local OKOM band here wanted to play in a very famous
> "Modern Jazz Night Club". So the Band leader took the gig, once a month, 3
> months, 7 piece band, 3 hours for $400. (The club's maximum total rate
> because of small size) In order to hire 7 musicians, he subsidized the gig
> by putting in his own money to pay the going rate, even managing to bring
in
> high profile out of town players. It cost him a bundle, but he was happy.
>
> One of my fellow local OKOM musician/band leaders ranted and raved. Said
the
> guy was undercutting the market, making the club owner think he could hire
a
> 7 piece band for $400 etc., and that it would ruin the scene for all of
us.
>
> Not really. Because here is an OKOM band, playing where no OKOM band had
> ever played before. There was no existing market for OKOM there. This
leader
> had CREATED A NEW GIG VENUE, made the music available to a new audience
and
> not harmed any other OKOM bands. (No it was not me, I am in business to
make
> money, and do not pay to play)
>
> So I opined that the leader was well within his rights to present OKOM
> there, at whatever price he wanted and if he subsidized the gig to make it
> work, that's up to him. (The small size of the club guaranteed that any
band
> larger that a quartet could not be supported) As I saw it in this case,
> though I would not work that way; No Harm, No Foul.
>
> On the other hand, had he gone to a venue where OKOM is regularly played,
or
> one of the venues where our band plays and undercut the going rate, I
would
> have been mightily pissed.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
>
>
>
>
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