[Dixielandjazz] Opportunity/Oppernockity/Hush my mouth

[Stephen Barbone]

> From: "John Farrell" <stridepiano at tesco.net>
>
> Steve Barbone and his soulmate Tom Wiggins frequently try to convince us
> that it is the money, not the music, that really matters. They urge us to
> grasp every opportunity to play anything from ragtime to rap in pursuit of a
> handful of gold -

John, John, John:

You hurt me to the quick.

When did I ever say or imply/infer the above blasphemous words? Surely you know better. I don't mind being quoted, or even categorized accurately, but to say what you just did is totally off the
mark. Surely I don't write the English language that badly, or do I?

FYI I am a devotee of the Maslow / Hertzberg theories of motivation. E.G. Money does not motivate unless you don't have enough to meet basic survival needs. Then you will steal it if you have to.
It is, however, a very good way of KEEPING SCORE. So it may not be a "motivator", but it is a "maintenance" factor.

Relating that to music, especially OKOM which is 90% of all the music I play, the rest being jazz most list mates do not think is OKOM, here is the bottom line of all my posts for the past two
years.

1. There is a vast untapped audience out there for Dixieland, OKOM, Small Band Swing, New Orleans Jazz, whatever we wish to call it.

2. Most existing bands do get it yet, so I preach how to do it sermons.

3. There exist many venues where OKOM should be played for MONEY.

4. Yet many amateur bands give it away, thus devaluing the musical form.

5. The worth of OKOM is what the audience is willing to pay and if the audience doesn't pay, then the music is worthless.

6. I believe OKOM musicians should make at least as much money as the local plumber.

7. My band finds a way to do that, through OKOM gigs generated by me.

8. While expanding the audience for OKOM.

9. What motivates us? The audience evaluation/reaction. What keeps score? The money.

10. Why do I post about it? To try and get other band leaders to realize that musicians can make a viable living playing jazz. And that's how you grow the audience, the music and the musicians.

I do not play Jazz for money. I already have enough to live out the rest of my life in the meager style to which I am accustomed. But I do hire sidemen who make their living as musicians. Ergo I
owe them the courtesy of paying well. The fact that they play jazz, and damn well, is proof enough that they play for love of the music, for the high they get in creating jazz. Because no matter
how much we get paid for playing jazz, it is not enough.

Regarding Mazlow and Hertzberg, if you are not familiar with their motivational studies, I would be glad to consult about them . . . FOR MONEY. It is very close to what I did for a living for 30
years and I do/did not give it away, else it would be/have been worthless.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. Hey, maybe we could put that 10 point litany to rap? :-) VBG