[Dixielandjazz] Steve and Tom

[ross anderson]

Dear Rob, Steve and Tom,
I agree with every thing You (Rob),have said with regards to the help that
Steve and Tom have shared on and off the list with those willing to accept
their very valuable ADVICE !
I know I have and it has worked for ME !!
There are many more I would like to see go off the list before you three
wonderful contributors .

To the rest of the LIST,
This list can`t afford to loose these experienced and helpful guys.
To  those of you who don`t want to take advantage of their generosity just
press "DELETE" , but don`t deprive the rest of us !!
Ross Anderson, New Melbourne Jazz Band.
Australia.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rob McCallum" <rakmccallum at hotmail.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Cc: <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>; <tcashwigg at aol.com>
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 6:02 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Steve and Tom


> Dear listmates,
>
> The information posted to this forum by Steve Barbone and Tom Wiggins is
> infinitely valuable to bringing this music back as a viable art form,
> period.  Steve consistently shows that this music does not have to remain
in
> the realm of "specialist" festivals and hokey styrofoam hats, and more
> importantly, that this music is a part of a living jazz scene (albeit
> currently in a very small, but growing, way).  Steve presents a model for
> any jazz musician interested in performing early styles to take this music
> and revitalize it and develop a market for it.  To make it a living music.
> It takes initiative and work and a belief that it can be successful.  To
> inspire a potential is not an easy thing to do.  Tom provides so much
> technical music-business knowledge, it's foolish not to utilize his
> experience.
>
> So some of you aren't interested in this.  You play for your own
amusement,
> don't care if you take away someone's job by offering to play for free as
> long as you're having fun, or you're a successful musician who doesn't
need
> anyone telling you what to do.  Good for you and who cares?  You all have
a
> delete key (goodness knows I delete far more messages than I read from
this
> list). I believe that there are more musicians on this list than not that
> appreciate someone offering all the knowledge Tom and Steve do at no
charge
> (in an era with $5,000 per session motivational speakers you should be
> grateful anyone even bothers) illustrating how you too can contribute
> something to traditional jazz and make money doing so.  Why is music
> economics so important?  Well, in my case (and I'm sure for at least some
of
> you), if I make money gigging, then I can justify spending more time
playing
> music and gigging.  For those of you who are fiscally set and have nothing
> but leisure time to play music, you're very fortunate. Most people aren't
in
> an economic position to do so.  So, unless I only want to play for a
couple
> of hours on the weekend when I can fit it in, I have to be bringing in
some
> money playing. The more money=the more time I can devote to my art and
> contribute to this music.  Otherwise, I might as well be putting in some
> overtime at my job, which I would have to do.
>
>
> I've always found that professional musicians in general (of every genre)
> think the world owes them something (a living, a gig, an audience,
respect,
> a record deal, whatever).  If we look at ourselves honestly, I'm sure most
> of us on this list have felt that way, if not all the time, then at least
> from time to time.  Steve and Tom tell us that that is garbage (although
in
> a subtler way).  No one in this world owes any Dixieland musician a thing.
> So, if you're someone who wants to sit around and wait for the phone to
> ring, it isn't.  Steve and Tom believe that we, as musicians, should be
> taken seriously.  Both of them have always been willing to share their
> knowledge and experiences.  They remind us each day that this is worth
doing
> and it's worth doing right.
>
> To whine that they are overbearing? That they're always being critical?
> That's a crock.  That they are guilty of believing that this music can
make
> a viable resurgence?  Yes, guilty, a thousand times so.  And now they, who
> devote so much time actually contributing something to this list, are
> leaving.  Heck, Tom even posts musicians-wanted gigs for your bands on
this
> list. I can't recall anyone else on this list ever doing that.  These
> gentlemen give you something for nothing. They have helped me; I'm sure
> they've helped many of you.  Tom was even willing to chat with me on the
> phone for a lengthy conversation explaining some very detailed legal, CD
> recording and hiring issues, and seemed happy to do so.  I doubt I'd have
> been able to find a lawyer in my city to give such detailed and pertinent
> music-related info at any cost.  I don't doubt that he'd do the same for
any
> of you.  I can't blame them for leaving the list.  I suppose they were
> wasting their time.
>
> "Show me your achievement, and it will give me courage for mine."  --Ayn
> Rand
>
> Before you send me hate mail, I'm leaving as well.
>
> All the best,
> Rob McCallum
>
>
>
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