[Dixielandjazz] Copyright

[Robert S. Ringwald]

At our monthly Jazz Sunday of the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society, we
pay a fee to ASCAP.  The fee is figured on the place where we hold the
meetings.  A rep from ASCAP has determined that, because of the size of the
house, seating, etc, any event held in that club (The Dante Club) must pay
the fixed amount.

I believe the amount is $60 per meeting.  It really does not matter if we
play all ASCAP songs, or all public domain songs, we pay anyway.

A couple of years ago I appeared in a made-for-TV movie with my daughter.  I
played piano for her and she sang.
The song was still owned by ASCAP.  The producers tried to get her to sing a
song that was in public domain because using a song in a movie or on TV is
very expensive.  She could not find a song in Public Domain to her liking so
she refused.  She sang "The Second Time Around."

When the filming of the song was completed, one of the producers said, "Now,
just for back up, how about singing Yankee Doodle Dandy," which was in
public domain.

Molly was too smart for that ploy.  If she had done an alternate take on a
public domain song, which would have saved the company 15K, which take do
you think they would have used?

Bob
mr.wonderful at ringwald.com
Placerville, CA, USA, Earth, Sol's System, Milky Way
Amateur (ham) Radio Station K6YBV
Fulton Street Jazz Band
See: http://www.ringwald.com
Boondockers Jazz & Comedy Band
See: http://www.theboondockers.com