[Dixielandjazz] RE: Playing for Free

[Elazar Brandt]

Shalom Jazz Fans,

My band learned about playing for free a few years ago. A large settlement in
the West Bank called Ariel was putting on a carnival during our 8 day fall
festival called Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). They claimed they had no budget
for entertainment, and asked if we would come from Jerusalem -- a one hour-plus
bus ride each way, and only at certain times during the day -- to play several
1/2 hour sets over a 4 hour period.

To play the times they requested, we had to leave and return to Jerusalem on a
schedule which required the entire day, more than 12 hours. They offered to
cover bus fare, which is only a few $$ each way. I thought I was being smart
when I asked if they would give us a symbolic payment in respect of our time of
$25 each player, to which they quickly agreed... too quickly. Oh, and they
offered to provide "food and drinks".

Well, we arrived to find the site of the event filled with booths with arts and
crafts and food for sale, some for workshops and puppet theater, etc., and a
huge stage and sound system. The sound system included speakers throughout the
entire park, so one idiot with a wireless mike can blather all day and sound
like the voice of G-d, merrily drowning out any other attempt at audible
communication. They must have spent tens of thousands of dollars on the event.

OK, so we're there. Where do we set up? Oh, it doesn't matter, but not on the
stage, which is for the headliner. Ah, but it does matter. There was no shade
provided for us, no tarp, not even a friendly tree. They put us in the hot
September sun. While setting up we were told 3 times to move because we were in
someone's way. Finally we managed to get set up with no further complaints.

Every time we started to play, the idiot with the wireless mike started
blabbering endlessly, including shouting, "Where's the jazz band?!", as though
we were shirking our duties. The truth is he couldn't hear us because he never
stopped talking! After the first set we inquired about the promised food and
drinks. What they provided was cake and coffee, kind of like offering sand to
someone who is lost in the desert. If we wanted real food or cold drinks, we had
to buy them at the regular prices.

A couple sets later we hear this inane chatter coming over the wireless mike.
It's some kiddie show TV star who showed up in plain street clothes with a
little portable cassette player that played his sound tracks so he could do his
kiddie show shtick. The whole park had to listen to this guy's nonsense as he
shouted into the mike for the couple of dozen kids who had the patience to sit
in front of the stage. For this they spent G-d knows how much for the stage and
sound system, and no doubt this fellow did not perform for a symbolic payment
and cake and coffee.

In other words, not only did we play practically for free, but because we were
free we were not considered of sufficient value to be taken care of properly. We
were an afterthought. And we promised ourselves, never again! They could have
paid us a respectable but not exorbitant amount that would have left us and
everyone else happy, and not put a dent in their budget which they allegedly
didn't have.

If you really want to be obnoxious, which fortunately I don't get there very
often, you can ask if the person requesting your free services is offering his
or hers for free. You have to be careful there because sometimes they are. But
often they are well paid. I am frequently asked to write scholarly articles on
religious subjects (in my other life), also for free. Oh, they're a religious
organization, and don't have budget to pay the writers. I ask them if they have
budget to pay the editors, formatters, graphic artists, typesetters and
printers, never mind the janitors, secretaries, and so on, and I suggest they
let them write the articles. Why should the ones who produce the content be the
ones who are not compensated for their services?

Which leads to my last jibe -- sound men who get paid when the musicians don't.
I say, let the sound men put on the show if their services are the more
valuable. My performances have been ruined too many times by incompetent sound
people. I often opt to step away from the mikes or turn them off and play
unplugged while the sound idiot sits there trying to figure out what to do.
Nothing personal meant toward any of our sound people on DJML. I know there are
competent pros around. I just haven't worked with many yet.

OK, I'll go back to my room now.

Elazar
Doctor Jazz Dixieland Band
Tekiya Trumpet/Brass Ensemble
Jerusalem, Israel
<www.israel.net/ministry-of-jazz>
Tel: +972-2-679-2537