[Dixielandjazz] Re: Copyrights

[Dave at Creolejazz.com]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Broadie" <rbroadie at dc.rr.com>

> I'm under the impression that ASCAP only collects for broadcast and wired 
> music services and that live performances are not monitored.   Can anyone 
> confirm or correct this?   Dick B.
> ----- Original Message ----- 

Dick,

Incorrect. Just a couple of days ago I posted the following message which 
I'll repost now. It will clear up any question as to whether they monitor 
and try to collect on live performances....

--------

Some of you might recall my ASCAP story of a year ago. A brief summary now:

ASCAP suddenly started writing and calling the restaurant where we play 
every Monday night. The owner finally called me about it. He was already 
paying ASCAP for the canned music piped in through the speakers and resented 
that they were asking for another sum just because he now had live music 
once a week for two hours.

I called ASCAP directly and the rep admitted that, although we were playing 
some Irving Berlin tunes (for example), the funds wouldn't necessarily go to 
Berlin's descendants. The rep did not even know in what year a tune had to 
be written to now be public domain. 1924? 1930? No clue. She even said that 
ASCAP was formed in 1914 and any song written after that was theirs. Sheesh. 
Even I know better than that.

Finally I asked how they found out about our playing in the restaurant. She 
said that "Larry", a retired ASCAP man, had eaten at the restaurant and 
heard our group. He immediately went home, called ASCAP, and "reported" us.

Unbelievable.

Oh, how does it end? The owner is paying ASCAP the additional $280 a year to 
have us play two hours a week. Of course, he insisted that we cut our fee by 
$5 a week to help make it back.

I don't get upset easily but ASCAP pisses me off.

Dave
=============
Dave Gravatt
"It's a treat to beat your feet."
The Creole Dixieland Jazz Band
Ozark, Missouri
http://www.CreoleJazz.com