[Dixielandjazz] Long Gigs

[Steve barbone]

"Stephen Heist" <steveheist at earthlink.net> wrote (polite snip)
 
> Sorry, but I once played at Inner Harbor at Phillips in Baltimore, the gig
> was SUPPOSED to go from 1 to 5...

Small world Steve, I used to work there (1995-2003) in strolling trio form
as first call sub for Hennig Hohne and others, if I was available.
Banjo/impressarion Jay Wachter was the booker and he probably was your
booker there. Know that piano gig in the bar area well. No longer there
because I have no open days for them, even though Inner Harbor is the same
distance as downtown Philadelphia from me. (wonder if we crossed paths?)

Regarding long gigs. No doubt the older guys on the list recall jazz gigs in
the past that were 6 nights a week, 6/7 hours a night. You turned into a
zombie after a month of those. I did three months like that one summer in
the 1950s and was glad to get back to school and only 2 nights a week.

Also brings back memories of the good old days for musos in Las Vegas during
the 1960s and early 70s. Huge demand as every Casino had a big show band and
several lounge groups. As some of the old timers who played there can tell
you, they were working doubles and triples, sometimes 7 days a week for
short spurts, but 5 & 6 days a week regularly.

MANY jazz musicians went there to, shudder, make money. And while most of
them made over $70,000 a year, the really good ones made over $100,000 a
year. Those great days died in the mid 1970s and there was a sad exodus of
musicians, some of whom never again making that kind of bread.

Similar happening in Atlantic City in the 1990s, before most of the live
music was cut there. Banjoist Debbie Schyrer and husband Tom, worked a 6
day, 4 hour gig there for many years. Free lancing too and no doubt grossing
$90,000+. Bought a condo, etc. When those Casinos cut back, they sold the
condo for a tidy profit and moved back to Minnesota.

Cheers,
Steve