[Dixielandjazz] New Year's Eve gigs

[David W. Littlefield]

At 05:15 PM 12/16/2004 -0800, Bob Romans wrote:
>Just wondering how NY's Eve is shaping up for my listmares out in Dixieland 
>Jazz Land! Cell Block 7 doesn't have a New Year's Eve gig...probably because 
>bands have priced themselves out of the celebration. Isn't it usual to ask 
>double what you usually ask...or triple? Putting up with long drives on 
>highways where there are a lot of people who have had "one or two"...better 
>to celebrate at home?
>Curious in Lodi...
>Bob Romans

My danceband is doing a retirement home 8-10:30pm, for the 3rd year. Band
biz is bad around DC. This year they upped the pay $50 to $200 per musician
so we'd book earlier in the fall than usual. In the old days we'd have
gotten between $350-400 per musician, but we've had no inquiries at all the
past 3 years. I and one of my sax cats would rather have a so-so gig with
full pay, but the other 3 guys are happy to make the $200 and celebrate NY
with their families.

Lacking a gig, my sometimes cornet/tpt player is having a party/jam
session. I was surprised that the turn-of-the-30s 10-piece band he's in has
nothing going...

I'd feel bad professionally, except that the booking agencies are b&m-ing
about not enough gigs for their variety bands...

--Sheik