[Dixielandjazz] European Band not playing in America /AmericanBands not playing in America

Sat Apr 8 10:44:21 PDT 2006

Tom: I totally hear what you are saying

The biggest problem that I have is that everyone wants a hundred dollar bill 
to do anything which instantly puts the band into the $700-$800 category 
other than that they almost won't come out of the woodwork and are not 
willing to do the work before the fact such as make those CD's.

I don't know how much time others take to cut a CD and I'm sure that the 
time varies widely but I would want at least three takes on a tune which 
could take at least a half hour so that would be about six hours minimum to 
make a CD of 12 tunes unless the guys were good enough to get it in one 
take.  This is possible if the band is working all the time together but 
most groups here just don't. I don't think the Indians from S.A. even think 
about this, they just do it as part of being musicians in business.  Their 
rehearsals are on the street corner.  I think (I don't know) that they have 
a different perspective to professional music than we do.

I have seen and enjoyed those various groups and almost always buy a CD from 
them.  There is one guy roaming the crowd selling CD's while the group 
performs.  Everyone wants the guaranteed money.  Over the years I have 
called guys many times and the first thing that comes out of their mouths is 
how much does it pay?  I have called piano players who flat out want $200 a 
gig.  (the very reason why I often use a computer for the rhythm section)

By the way I don't think they are paying ASCAP or anyone else for those 
tracks and they don't seem to mind being hassled by the police who mostly 
ignore them.  They set up in a public place, play for an hour or two, sell a 
bunch of CD's and split or they hook up with the local fairs, pay a fee and 
have at it.

As an aside, I have run into "my wife doesn't want me to play" (name the 
night) with three drummers straight!  This is a whole new thread.

Since I have been playing OKOM gigs the first thing they want to know is who 
is on the gig followed very quickly by how much does it pay.  Both questions 
have to be answered right or no dice.  Some of these guys are very picky and 
some guys hate each other and others will only play if certain others are on 
the job.  How the hell can you book that way?

I think that the only reason we don't have any street entertainment here is 
because the city's in their wisdom years ago passed laws against it.  This 
got the Gypsy's and blind beggars  with their accordions and white cups off 
the street but it also kept other groups from performing too.  I only know 
of one city (University City) in St. Louis County that allows it. I really 
don't know what their criteria is but I'm sure there are permits etc.  They 
pride themselves on having a diversified artsy community but the rest of the 
cities (@150) don't allow it unless you are hired by a business, mall or get 
a merchant's license and other permits which is very difficult.  We 
typically don't allow any street vendors of any kind in St. Louis city and 
county.  So CD sales and things like that are verboten.

All things conspire against the musician and I am most sorry to say is self 
generated by the musicians themselves.

So, sadly, it is difficult in St. Louis to take it to the people.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <tcashwigg at aol.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Friday, April 07, 2006 6:15 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] European Band not playing in America 
/AmericanBands not playing in America

Larry Is absolutely correct folks:

Those Lads have learned the fine art of "taking it to the people"  and
do not even seek Paid gigs, and therefore are not taking any work away
 from any USA or European musicians.   They play Farmer's Markets Flea
Markets, Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Barbara,
Long  Beach,  and any other Tourist Attraction they can find.
Community and City sponsored events etc.   They normally show up about
noon and play 45 minute sets until about 6:00 p.m. or so selling
merchandise to a new crowd every set.

I had two of these groups work with me for five years in California and
they both played about 200 days a year  ( note I said Days)  not clubs.
   I did their tax returns for years and they sold between $190,000.00 &
$225,000.00 a year worth of Cassettes and CDs.   Then they moved on to
Colorado, and Florida and brought tow more groups from Peru to replace
them in California,  they do the same all over Europe as well.

Yes if Dixieland Bands would do the same they would not only sell a ton
of product, but they would also get wedding gigs, and private parties
etc. that paid well too.   It's the best Advertising and promotion you
can get, and you can get local papers to write stories about you with
photos, and local Cable Tv folks to shoot video and air it on local
stations, not to mention the occasional exposure you can get form a
major Television station.

What does it cost you for all that FREE Promotion and Publicity ??
About as much time as you spend or at least should spend for a
rehearsal day, :))   Just do it in front of an audience and let them
contribute to your well being.   If nobody ever sees or hears you but
the little circle you play for things will never get any better or
bigger for your act.   But for some acts that is what they actually
want.   To each their own method of poisoning :))

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins

-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis <larrys.bands at charter.net>
To: Steve barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>;
dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Sent: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 13:41:19 -0500
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] European Band not playing in America /
AmericanBands not playing in America

    Post script: Occasionally we are inundated by Indians from South
America and their drums and flutes. They sell lots of CD's standing in
the middle of malls and other places. Most have a pretty good act and
seem to do well but then again their standards might not be as high.

  Last summer I was in Frankfort and saw several groups performing on
the street and doing pretty well selling CD's but again they had a
pretty good act and were worth the price of a CD. (15 Euro). I would
think that a Dixie group with a stack of CD's would do very well even
without a club Gig. I'm sure that it's not all that simple but looked
do able and would certainly make a couple of weeks vacation in Europe a
lot cheaper for a band so inclined.

 Larry Walton
 St. Louis.
  ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve barbone"
<barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
 To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
 Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 1:48 PM
  Subject: [Dixielandjazz] European Band not playing in America /
AmericanBands not playing in America

 > "Judy Eames" <jude at judyeames.co.uk> wrote (polite snip)
 >
 >> Steve Barbone asked why a European band wasn't playing in America.
 >
  > Actually, that's not what I asked. I asked why an American Band,
made up > of
  > New Orleans musicians was successfully touring Europe and NOT
touring in
  > their own home country, given all of the OKOM Festivals we have over
here
  > and the declared wish of many Americans to help New Orleans
musicians.
 >
 > I suspect they do not tour here because:
 >
 > 1) They were not asked to do so. or
 >
 > 2) They get better pay in Europe. or
 >
  > 3) We Americans pay a lot of lip service to helping New Orleans
musicians
  > but the idea of actually hiring them to play seems somehow not to
have
 > occurred to many of the music mavens in the US of A.
 >
  > Other than that, I sympathize with the travel problems of Europeans
and
  > others trying to enter and play some gigs here. But as others have
said,
  > there are many ways to get it done. Last month, for example, New
York City
 > had a large contingent of Italian Jazz Musicians gigging there. etc.
 >
 > Cheers,
 > Steve
 >
 >
 >
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 > Dixielandjazz mailing list
 > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
 > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
 >
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