[Dixielandjazz] A Venue Suggestion

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/17/04 8:53:13 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
lists at jazzpiano.com writes:


> 
> >barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes:
> >...after our 16 hours of music presented over two days...
> 
> Ouch.
>   
> ~ Chris
>   
> 
> 
Hi Chris:  and all the other listmates:


Whadda ya mean OUCH?

With all respect: the above statement is exactly what is wrong with live 
music and the entertainment business in general:

Almost every other profession in the world is required to work an eight hour 
a day or night job to make a living, and many like doctors and nurses work 
double shifts, as do a lot of other highly skilled folks, like engineers, bus 
drivers, plumbers, electricians, hotel workers, etc.

Who the Hell ever decided that a Professional musician only had to work a 
four hour a day gig with three or four fifteen minute breaks between 
performances?  Get free food and booze and take the liberty of 30 minute or longer breaks 
between sets, transportation expenses, hotel accommodations if out of town as 
well as additional meals.  Not to mention the riders demanding three or four 
bottles of top name liquor and cases of Beers soda and soft drinks and food 
backstage just in case they should want to invite fifty or sixty of their 
favorite friends on the free guest list to party with them at the promoters expense.

Somewhere down the line the picture got reversed and the Party became for the 
Musicians rather than the people hiring the band to play for their party.  
Musician seemed to for the most part lose all class that they strive so hard to 
get.


In today's real world most so called professionals are hard pressed to 
deliver a 90 minute show without repeating three or four songs, including some of 
the top recording acts in the business.

I grew up in an era where we played eight shows a night from 8:00 p.m. until 
1:00 a.m. and on Friday and Saturday nights we went on to play after hours 
clubs 2:00 till 6:00 a.m., and then went off to play a session from 8 a.m. to 
12:00 p.m., took a break for lunch and ran a jam session from 2-4 p.m. at another 
joint, then went off for dinner and or whatever and then back to our show gig 
again at 8:00 p.m.

Today's acts are a bunch of overnight wonders and wimps, Wild Bill, Louis, 
Bix and Oliver never did it that way folks, they became legends because they 
worked at it many hours a day not even counting rehearsals.  That in my opinion 
is a major factor in the short longevity of most acts in the past forty years 
or better.

Many of them became great from just playing gig after gig after gig, they got 
so good they did not need rehearsals, and they played with like musicians who 
made a decent living in their day from doing it like a business.

In today's world most musicians and all stars just want to treat every gig as 
a walk on jam session for an hour or less and get paid well get free booze 
food, loose women and travel expenses get their ego massaged by being called all 
stars.  When in fact they should be working their butts off to book their own 
hot bands all around the globe and keeping music professionalism at a much 
higher standard.

In my side of the business folks this is called believing your own press 
releases, and sooner than later usually will come back to bite you in the butt.


Cheers,

Tom Wiggins
Saint Gabriel's Celestial Brass Band

You bet I like a 1 hour hit and run, but I am prepared to do five of them a 
day if they are available within driving range.