[Dixielandjazz] Musician vacations

Mon Apr 10 21:05:27 PDT 2006

How do you explain all those horns?
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Zenith @ ANS" <zenith at ans.com.au>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 6:14 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Musician vacations


> Hi List,
>
> Our experience after playing some 30 or so countries over the last 15 or 
> so
> years, suggests that paperwork can usually be avoided by simply not
> mentioning you are a musician and going through customs separately.  In 
> the
> cases where your passport actually says 'musician', if questioned, you are
> on holiday and/or "now retired" with "hobby" playing only.  As far as the
> tax man is concerned even musicians are allowed to go on vacation.
>
> We always sign our UK declarations saying our fees never exceed our 
> airfares
> from Sydney.  We usually try to visit more than one country and contra 
> total
> travel expenses against each country we visit if necessary.
> (Did I really give that hot tip out loud and for free too? - Hope Bob
> Ringwald does not have any taxmen/inland revenue people on this list)
>
> Any CDs can be labelled "not for sale" and/or "promotional material".  We
> always travel with stacks of unassembled CDs on each musician without 
> jewel
> cases, artwork being located elsewhere and carried by another so the 
> product
> is not immediately saleable on one person.  We have heard of a case in
> Germany where they confiscated CDs but they were returned again upon exit
> from the country.  However I think my friend Bill Haesler would know this
> yarn better where one band member did a Hitler goose march/salute past the
> customs officers and this was the main reason for the Australian 
> contingent
> having a problem in Germany.  We always pre-purchase a few hundred jewel
> cases in each country we visit although in Montreux Switzerland we sold 
> them
> for more money in 'back-up' slim plastic sleeves when we ran out.  At the
> Portland Oregon Jazz Festival in USA we actually sold out of all the CDs 
> we
> carried that year (2002 I think).  When entering/leaving USA, for example,
> we all split up and ignore each other when going through customs instead 
> of
> looking like a group or band.  We also travel with a few partners who tend
> to make us look less conspicuous and more like seniors on vacation.  So
> there you have it, one good advantage of being an older OKOM person.
>
> However, I do admit that the 9/11 new restrictions by the Dept of Homeland
> Insecurity, will make things a little more difficult for us in USA now. 
> If
> any agent/festival promoter will do a deal with us we can play for "free"
> (and/or expenses) but we would charge a one CD entrance price per person 
> to
> hear the band play.  If engagement probabilities arise I would arrange to
> have the CDs produced locally.
>
> Playing in UK July/August - Advert coming out soon.
> Gospel service with Big Al Carson from New Orleans.
> Tom (blatantly looking for 2007 gigs in Europe/USA) Wood
> www.sydneyzenith.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
> [mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com] On Behalf Of Robert S.
> Ringwald
> Sent: Saturday, 8 April 2006 8:29 AM
> To: DJML
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Problems for travelling musicians
> Larry Walton wrote:
>> You guys seem to think that no one can tour this country.  Not true(snip)
> Larry,
> I don't think anyone said that no one could tour the country.  I think 
> what
> was said was that the new restrictions by the Dept of homeland Insecurity,
> has made it much more difficult.--bob Ringwald
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