[Dixielandjazz] Here's Some Controversy/Putting People Down

[Steve barbone]

<jobriant at sunrisetelecom.com> wrote:

Hi Jim:

I appreciate your opinions and and put my views about them below.

 
> I don't think anyone disagrees or resents your stating those opinions,
> Steve, although in many cases you're preaching to the choir.
> 
> It's my opinion that for many on this list, the number of gigs they play
> is not the standard by which they measure their personal success.

There are some on the list who want more gigs and some who do not.
 
> For those folks here who lead bands, and particularly those for whom
> leading or playing in bands generates much or all of their income, then
> indeed, the number of gigs = the number of paychecks.  And, echoing your
> constant advice not to sell our services too cheaply, properly priced
> gigs = the size of those paychecks.

There are also some on the list who muck up the market price for music by
playing at below market rates.
> 
> But there are a lot of us here who DON'T lead bands, who DON'T (or
> seldom) play in bands, and for whom gig money is not a source of
> significant income or any income at all.
> 
> I'm one who falls into that category.  I have a full-time day job, a
> part-time job as well, and I play in a volunteer community orchestra and
> a volunteer brass band.  I'm pretty new at playing OKOM (though I've
> played tuba for more than 45 years), and I only occasionally get calls
> to sub for a couple of local bands.  I go to as many OKOM society & club
> meetings as I can -- usually only the ones with open jam sets -- to get
> as much experience under my belt as possible.  For me, OKOM success is
> currently defined as fulfilling the tubist's role in the rhythm section
> as solidly as I can, by getting the leader's nod for a solo now and
> then, and for having the solo come out sounding decent instead of lousy.

That's how we all started, I think. It's paying dues and a laudable pursuit.
 
> I suspect there are also a lot of people on this list who don't play at
> all, or very little.  Some are just folks who like OKOM, some are fonts
> of detailed and obscure knowledge about the field.  Their success may be
> defined by ferreting out the details of an obscure recording from
> decades ago, or by answering someone else's questions here, or by just
> reading about traditional jazz and going to listen to it.  Some may
> define success as simply having the chance to tap their feet to live
> OKOM instead of a recording.  And for some former players, success in
> OKOM today may mean recalling and sharing memories of their playing
> days.

Yes, this is a great, diverse list where many things about OKOM reside.
 
> I'm sure that you're aware of all of this.  But that awareness often
> isn't apparent in the messages that some others have referred to here.

English is an imprecise language on a forum such as this it is very easy for
us to misunderstand one another. Then again, is it the message, or is it
those few who don't like the messenger?
 
> And folks in my boat need to recall, too, that if very active bands like
> yours don't remain very active (i.e. getting a lot of gigs, as you
> constantly preach), and if we don't spread the OKOM gospel to all
> generations (as you also constantly preach), then OKOM will die out.
> I'll have no place to play, and we'll all be tapping our feet to
> recordings.  None of us wants to see that.

Well stated 
 
> Maybe most of us don't need to be hit over the head with a "more gigs
> success" hammer quite so hard or quite so often.  And many of us may
> need to recall that the hammer isn't aimed every individual who reads
> your messages.

Again, well stated. I'm not really sure just what the make-up of the 500+
list members is. And so my "gig" posts are surely not relevant to everybody
on it. By the same token, they are very relevant to some on it. Problem may
be that some who object, for one reason or another, take what I say as a
personal insult while others take it as solid advice.

By my count, gripes vs. requests for information, those seeking information
far exceed those who gripe.

When something posted on the list is not relevant to me. I simply read and
forget it, rather than trying to control the writers, and/or bitching about
what they wrote. Perfect example was all of the USS IOWA posts.

One thing for sure, I neither claim to speak for, nor to, all on the list.
It would be nice if as individuals we would realize that none of us speaks
for, or to all, as has been claimed by a few others more than a few times.

I appreciate your post and hope others do. I also wish you success in your
quest to play more Dixieland tuba.

Cheers,
Steve