Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Pro musicians

[DWSI at aol.com]

The desire of some DJMLers to have a "professional" category is not 
understandable to me. In grad school we argued about whether or not "advertising" was, 
or could be a "profession" and got deeply into what a profession is and isn't. 
It usually ended up with someone referencing law, teaching and medicine for 
identification marks such as state controlled administration, independent 
association to assure quality, etc. But in the final analysis, who cares? We need 
to license doctors, lawyers and real estate agents so they don't get away with 
screwing over the innocent and naive people who depend upon them. But who 
depends upon a dixieland band for anything except pure pleasure? If it's all about 
making your living doing it, (vs. only some money sometimes, or even no 
money), what about some of the really competent players who left music to support 
their families yet play extremely well? I will never forget working in a 
department store in Champaign, Illinois, while going to college and one of the sales 
clerks pointed out another clerk with very thick glasses. "See that guy?" he 
whispered, "He used to be the drummer for the Red Nickels band but his eyes 
got so bad he had to stay here for a job." So what are we trying to do here, 
folks?    


Dan (piano fingers) Spink