[Dixielandjazz] OK - here is some controversy..........

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

Thanks Dave, Mike, and Jon.

 And yes Tom is a Booking agent, and a damned good and honest one too.
  He is also a Promoter, and record Producer, and Band leader of some 
modest success.
  He has also just been asked by three publications to write columns for 
them which he unfortunately had to decline because he simply does not 
have the time to keep them up and tour.

  He will also not be so obnoxious on this forum in the future as this 
will be the last post he has time to make here as well, I am thankful; 
for the wonderful friends I have made in the past few years on this 
list, I have tried in my perhaps obnoxious way to share my life 
experiences and hard earned music business acumen with the generous 
folks on here who also make every bit as many quality contributions. It 
is indeed a mostly great list of folks.

  Those good friends that I have made here on have my address and are 
welcome to contact me anytime.

  Pissed at Mike Vax, no just a bit disappointed that fine musicians of 
his caliber do not Preach to their Choirs in the schools a little more 
often and maybe even slap some of them in the head if need be to teach 
them something about the music business other than how to play an 
instrument and go out and join the throngs of unemployed and often 
unemployable ones that they have been churning out of the schools for 
so many years.

  The main problem here folks is not a new one, it is that old FORK in 
the Road that many musicians face eventually:

  the road to the left leads to the Entertainment industry and often 
fame and fortune or at least a decent living as a professional 
Player/Entertainer, the road to the right leads to more schooling and 
greater musical education and better technicians on their instruments 
in many cases. But more often than not it simply leads to teaching and 
re-teaching all that you have been taught but that at least in My 
opinion does not make them a JAZZ Musician and certainly not an 
Entertainer. Many musicians and professors still need to learn that 
there is a lot more to being a successful musician than just playing an 
instrument and joining a union.

  I was happy to read that a college student on this list is finally 
starting to hear some of the things me and old Overbearing Barbone have 
been preaching to the Choir with many members who still wish to sleep 
thru the Sermons. oh Well!

  For those of you over the years that have expressed thanks off list I 
am personally gratified that I was able to impart something that helped 
you with your bands or careers from my personal first hand experiences. 
I would never stop doing that with or without this list. I find it 
interesting that all around the world's Real festivals that I am 
fortunate enough to play with my "ROCK Style Band that plays some 
Dixieland" that it is and has never been called a Rock Band once but 
simply American Jazz. Humm what do they know that we seem to have 
forgotten in the good old USA.

  Jazz comes in many styles and continues to reinvent itself as players 
of all cultures and genres continue to push the limits just like Jelly 
roll and Louis and Bix and all your other hero's did. So I am a bad guy 
for doing it and taking Some old tired Dixieland and turning on a few 
million ROCK BLUES, & JAZZ FANS WITH IT. Well so far Nobody has ever 
asked for the Money Back :))

  Just because your Momma didn't dance and your Daddy didn't Rock and 
Roll, please don't hold that against me, one of the kids who could not 
buy a job in Dixieland when I started in this business, because Turk 
Murphy had the ONLY ONE LEFT in TOWN when I wanted to play it. 
Fortunately me and lot of other youngsters went off and made our own 
way into the musical world and became reasonably successful at it. And 
folks on this list throw stones at old guys like Me and Mick Jagger and 
think we are ridiculous to be playing our hard driving dance able music 
to people that are still alive and enjoying life to the fullest.

Like Steve often says this music is so easy to play that even Rockers 
can play it not to mention 9 year old kids.   So there is nothing wrong 
with the music it is just the problems with the players who play 
various forms of it which do not conform to the others way of how it 
should be played.

  Wishing you all a fond farewell on a daily basis and all the good luck 
and health and wealth you can obtain, and for those of you with those 
un fulfilling day gigs, try doing what I do and they can be a lot more 
fulfilling, Make your day gig booking your night gigs. or vice versa. 
Like I do. Yes indeed it can be done, gotta run along now the big 
Yellow gig bus just stopped out in front of my house again.


"No more trying to teach a Pig to sing"  it is plain to see that I have 
just been "Frustrating myself and annoying the Pigs"

Ya'll got along without me before and you'll git along with out me now.

Musical content:  Walks off singing "Don't Fence me In"
 Cheers,

Tom Wiggins
Saint Gabriel's Celestial Brass Band
Ambassadors of American Culture
1234 Laurel Lane
Lafayette, California 94549 USA
1-925-952-4585  office

*****************************************



 To be sure Wiggins and Barbone are long-winded and sometimes get a bit
  over the top, but my goodness, what treasures their essays are for 
anyone
 trying to get a handle on the music business!!!

 As for their occasional obnoxiousness, I remind you that Tom was/is a
 booking agent and Steve was a lawyer who raised horses for
 ammunition--what else do you expect?

 --Sheik
 http://americanmusiccaravan.com

  > I have been lurking while on the road doing clinics and concerts in 
five
 > states in the past 8 weeks.
  > So I have a question! Is any one else tired of being put down 
constantly
 > by
 > Tom Wiggins and Steve Barbone????????
 > It still seems to me that according to them, none of us are "doing it
 > right."
  > Gee Tom, I'm sorry that I haven't produced big rock and roll albums 
and
 > lead
  > a rock type band that also plays some New Orleans Street Beat Stuff, 
that
 > does get lots of bookings.
 > And -- I think you are dead wrong about there being no jazz scene in
 > Sacramento. I see lots of things happening there.
  > Gee Steve, I guess I wasn't very successful last year. I only did 
about
 > 180
  > dates in 12 states and a few foreign countries, plus booking a tour 
for
 > the
  > Stan Kenton Alumni Band and producing a successful festival in 
Arizona.
  > I know that both of you mean well, but I am tired about hearing how 
great
  > you both are, and how you do so much more for OKOM than any of the 
rest of
 > us.
  > OK - now that you are both pissed off at me, I will go back to 
lurking and
 > deleting.
 > Mike Vax
 > _______________________________________________