[Dixielandjazz] Doing the Best We Can?

[Steve barbone]

Dan Augustine <ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu> wrote (polite snip)
> Agonizing over the
> lack of dixieland in one place, berating others for not being able to
> increase the presence of dixieland in another place, complaining
> about pay-scales in other regions--hey, let's give it a rest, huh?
> Relax.  We do the best we can in the time we have and where we are.

Hi Dan:

Let me be devil's advocate here and state from a business management point
of view, that "We do the best we can in the time we have and where we are."
is simply not what most of us are doing.

Every business course I ever took (many) and every business mentor I ever
had (some of the best in the world, e.g. W.E. Deming & Peter Drucker)  would
unequivocally state that when someone said "I'm doing the best I can;"
beware, because it is usually not true, and is the most popular cop-out
uttered by those who aren't doing it. "I'm doing the best I can." justifies
all sorts of inactivity and/or questionable activities.

Over the past 45 years, I've heard those words said a lot of times. ,Mostly
they've been hogwash. Virtually always totally wrong. Except for folks like
Don Ingle who lives with the bears in the woods, opportunity to do something
positive about the music, knocks every day.

Those of us who push others to become change agents are simply saying, "for
goodness sake, answer the door". Some on the DJML have done so, others will
do so and some will say "I'm doing the best I can." and blame their lack of
musical performances on external factors. Not unique, but simply a fact of
life, with Dixieland as well as in every other business/artistic situation.

You can bet the ranch, even in California, that for every dummy band doing a
swing dance for $400, there is a band doing a swing dance for $4000. Same
here in Philadelphia, or in Texas etc.

There are bands in Texas right now who are making things happen. It doesn't
happen over night. Took me ten years to get where I am now. But, in order to
get there I had to develop a plan and then take that first step.

Had I relaxed, saying "I'm doing the best I can", like the rest of the pack,
I wouldn't  be playing near as much today and wouldn't be having the time of
my life at 71. (and wouldn't be paying so much income taxes ;-) VBG))

You may not want that, OK I can dig it, but please don't speak for those on
the DJML that are doing something about the music, or want to do something
about it.    

Cheers,
Steve