[Dixielandjazz] Talking to fans

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

Unfortunately here they arrest street musicians.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Elazar Brandt" <jazzmin at actcom.net.il>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2004 7:42 AM
Subject: RE: [Dixielandjazz] Talking to fans


> Hi Tom,
>
> "Fire in the belly"? And I thought I was just hungry!  "Run out of hot
air"? Never! Don't worry.
>
> Actually I do enjoy playing for the sheer joy of making music and making
people happy, and if I were in a better financial position
> I would do more without worrying about whether I got paid for it. (This
does NOT mean I'm into taking commercial jobs from other pro
> players by undercutting. I try not to do that.) Israel is a small enough
place that it's relatively easy for one person to make a
> difference and get noticed--if you call playing street music for 8 years
easy, that is.
>
> Next to the steak house where I have a weekly solo banjo gig, there is s
new Chabad cafe that meets in an old stone windmill, and is
> meant to be a gathering place for singles. So far it's mostly young
singles, and more gals than guys. (Aw, gee, do I HAVE to go play
> there?) More than once a young, gorgeous 20-something who is the counter
person for the evening has followed me into the steak house
> and asked, "Oh, Dr. Jazz, would you mind coming by and playing a few songs
for us later after you finish here?" Ha! YOU try saying
> no to an invitation like that! I come in a couple hours later, watch half
a dozen or so young faces light up, one brings me a chair,
> someone else brings me a coffee, and I go to work. If they know the songs,
and some of them do, they'll sing along. One of them says
> she plays trumpet, but I haven't talked her into playing anything with me
yet. Ask me if I worry about getting paid for these little
> impromptu gigs.
>
> After a few times, the Rabbi, who calls me "Doctor" or "Dr Jazz", hired me
and my partner for their Hanukkah party, gladly paid me a
> nominal fee we agreed on (they're a new, nonprofit outfit) plus a tip and
bought one of our CDs. (Did I mention we have a CD for
> sale? Details on my website.) They tried to book us for another night of
Hanukkah too, but we were already booked for that night.
> Later on he told me he wished he had us rather than the band they did get
for that night. He said we were much more alive, and the
> people liked us better. Now often when I go into the place, our CD is on
their stereo system. (The young staff of waiters and
> waitresses at the steak house also play our CD a lot when I'm not there.
Nice to be developing a good response from 20-something
> Israelis. I keep telling my partners we need to get out and play more for
this age group.)
>
> Last week while leaving the steak house, one of the young cafe gals stops
me and asks if I would stay for a moment and play a song
> for her friend, who just got engaged, and who is on her way to the cafe.
Of course I agreed. I didn't ask for any money, wasn't
> offered any, and would not have dreamed of taking it for that. This sort
of thing contributes to the "legendary" aspect of my
> reputation--committing senseless acts of jazz, putting smiles on people's
faces, in a land going through a troubled time. I can live
> with that legacy. There are enough jobs that pay the bills... well usually
anyway.
>
> Happy holidays to all,
>
> Elazar
> Doctor Jazz Band
> Jerusalem, Israel
> <www.israel.net/ministry-of-jazz>
> Tel: +972-2-679-2537
>
> P.S. So Tom, where are you, anyway? Maybe we can meet one of these days.
>   -----Original Message-----
>   From: TCASHWIGG at aol.com [mailto:TCASHWIGG at aol.com]
>   Sent: Friday, December 17, 2004 9:08 AM
>   To: jazzmin at actcom.net.il; dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
>   Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Talking to fans
>
>
>
>   I would say Elazar has the Fire in the Belly,
>
>   Stoke that fire Elazar and may your bellows never run out of air, and
walk softly but carry a Big Tuba.  :))
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