[Dixielandjazz] Hot Cruise Ship Gig Available

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

I am with you Jim:

I just passed it on, I feel that Two musicians or one and an electronic 
science major is still one step above the Karaoke bar or a DJ.    But 
then again in the USA the DJ's have out marketed the live bands for so 
long that they now get more money than most bands ever made for a four 
hour gig around these parts anyway.

These guys are often doing Weddings for $1,200.00 to $2,500.00  and 
telling the bride & groom that they could never afford a live band.   
How did this happen, because the musicians rolled over and played dead 
and did not fight back when they should have.

A few of us don't have that problem, because we stayed in the marketing 
game and fought and still fight for good paying gigs.

Many other mediocre bands with less marketing skills as well just sat 
back and let the Djs walk all over them.

The Cruise lines entertainment directors are generally simply some 
corporate twit just looking to cut the budget to the bare minimum and 
do not really care about the passengers having a good time on many 
ships, there answer to everything is just DRINK DRINK DRINK  and have 
FUN FUN FUN.   The pay scale on many ships for entertainers is about 
the same as flippin' burgers at McDonalds and the cruise gigs are a lot 
less glamorous than they sound like, especially on the Carnival Lines, 
and their food is about on par with Denny's coffee shops.   But they do 
have cheap cruises.

Sadly,

Tom Wiggins

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Kashishian <jim at kashprod.com>
To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Sent: Tue, 1 Nov 2005 19:07:51 +0100
Subject: RE: [Dixielandjazz] Hot Cruise Ship Gig Available

   Tom sent this to DJML:
>We are looking for a duo to perform on a 5-star cruise ship 
IMMEDIATELY.

My comments:  I know it's economics and all that, but it's a real shame 
that
live music is quite often down to two people these days, one usually on 
a
keyboard connected to a computer which is programmed with all the rhythm
section (& sometimes brass!) previously recorded.
No chance for a spark in that kind of music.  Don't know why they don't 
just
put videos on with recorded music?

I experienced several groups like this on an Italian cruise line 
(cruising
the Carribean) last March.  The wife & I + friends are off to the 
Carribean
again this next Easter on an American line.  The ship is 3 times bigger 
than
last year.  I hope to see more musicians on stage, but am likely to be
disappointed.  I've already noticed they have a Kareoke bar.  Egads!

It's a shame,

Jim






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