[Dixielandjazz] Making a living in the music business?

Fri Feb 11 12:11:59 PST 2005

Mike:
I  one hundred percent agree with you and Tom but there is a problem.
Musicians are like rodents if they don't chew they die and in our case if we
don't play we die.  Most areas of the country including St. Louis just do
not have a lot of work and to read, and play we need the discipline and
practice in groups.  Those groups no matter if they are bad or good usually
perform for little or nothing.  I play with a community band on Wednesday
nights.  They also play Sr. citizen homes for $100 or so.  They are an 18
piece band and I work as a Duo for twice the price.  It's hard to book
against that and the only thing that saves me is availability and I think a
better show with more color and flash.  I am available 24/7 and they aren't.
There are a lot of volunteer groups around ranging from really bad to pretty
good.

Now I have a choice.  Play with them and I get a practice night and a chance
to smooze with the people that might hire me sometime or do I say no way?
They then get another sax player and play the job anyway.  The result is I
get less playing time and zero job contacts.

If you are a horn player you must play or perish it's just that simple.  You
can afford to be more picky in a good job market.  Guys that were picky over
the years aren't playing any more.

At one time there were few volunteer groups but today they are all over the
place.  We have a festival here that features a parade and dozens of music
groups scheduled in the 3 days.  All free!  no one is paid.  Some of the
groups are quite good.  They get the AF band to show up as well as larger
groups.  As long as groups line up to play free the communities will let
them.  Wouldn't you?

The average non pro musician wants to play and they aren't really concerned
with how much they make or don't make.  A guy I know has a big band.  He's a
pretty fair lead player he is also a bank president who probably makes $150K
or more.  The band plays for $50 a man.  What does he care if he makes $200
or $10 what he wants is people to come up and tell him how great the band is
and how wonderful he is.  His wife plays trombone with the group and sings.
both are pretty good musicians.  She teaches at a High school and most
likely makes about $60K with her degree and experience.  Maybe more.  Their
combined earnings are formidable.  It's tough to fight that kind of thing.
Three of the big bands are fronted by two doctors and 1 bank president.
They aren't in it for the same reasons that I am in music.

Although I like for people to complement me I want to be paid too.
Unfortunately my Union is of no use to me in this regard.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Vaxtrpts at aol.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 2:31 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Making a living in the music business?

> In a message dated 2/8/2005 12:01:11 PM Pacific Standard Time,
> dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com writes:
> Is there a lesson here for all those OKOM bands that perform free, or for
> next to nothing?
> Why are comics/musicians underpaid? Because we can be underpaid and then
> bend over for more, not doing a damn thing about it.
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> While I am not a big fan of the musicians' union, I DO agree with this
> statement by Steve.
> Musicians love what they do TOO much.  They are willing to play in some
bar
> where the owner is making pretty good money, for "the door" and maybe a
few
> drinks.  Then the bar owner expect the musicians to do all the advertising
and
> bring the crowd in.  They also go and sit in for free, just to play their
> instrument.
> I have long felt that even the trad festivals have taken advantage of
> musicians.  While things have gotten considerably better in the past ten
years or so,
> I still believe that most festivals could hire a few less bands and spread
> the extra money amongst the musicians that are playing.
> I know this is a "touchy" subject, but in traditional jazz more than any
> other form of the music, people who make very good livings doing something
else,
> have played at festivals for very little pay (or in years past - NO pay,
just
> expenses) because it is fun for them to play for the audiences.  While
this is
> really fun, it has hurt those of us who have to try to make a living in
the
> music business, and therefore we can't afford to play as many festivals as
we
> would like to.  As many of you know, I have almost stopped playing trad
> festivals. (Although I think I want to start doing a few more again and am
in the
> process of forming a new band with some real "all-star" types............)
> I proposed years ago to the then "International Association of Classic
Jazz
> Festivals" about having a two tier pay scale.  One for "amateur" bands (NO
> disrespect intended for the many GREAT bands out there who don't play full
time
> for a living!!!) and one for musicians who actually played full time.  It
never
> got off the ground and I know all the reasons why.  It will never happen,
but
> at least now, most festivals pay around $40 per set and expenses.  Some
even
> include all your food, which really helps.  But then again, how many
doctors or
> lawyers or even business people, would work for those kinds of wages?
> Especially after spending years studying, practicing and getting a college
> degree......
> Just some more thoughts on the problems of making a living in the music
> business.
> Mike Vax
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