[Dixielandjazz] BMI

[Margaret Squires]

A restaurant/grill here in Modesto, CA was slapped with a $500 fine.  The owner has live music almost every Friday and Saturday nights and sometimes on Thursdays.  He has opened his restaurant to allow us to put on benefits for local musicians who are suffering from cancer and other illnesses.  Students from the studios at the music store where I work have performed there, as well as our New Horizons Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble.  
   
  Since he has been so supportive to the music community here, we decided to have a rent party to pay his fine.
   
   
  Margaret

Tom Belmessieri <tbelmo at hotmail.com> wrote:
  List-Message-Recipient: saxymargeaux at sbcglobal.netOne more time...!

I received this from a non-DJML member but it asks an interesting question. 
Have any of you had a similar experience with BMI (or even ASCAP for that 
matter)?

Tom B.

-------------------------------------------------------
>From: "Phil" 
>To: 
>Subject: BMI
>Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:11:10 -0700 (Pacific Daylight Time)
>
>I am curious how many of you have experienced the strong arm tactics of 
>BMI.
>I just became aware of them recently.
>They threatened the Pasta Pelican in Alameda with a lawsuit because Gene
>Maurice's band (And That's Jazz)played old copy writed tunes from Jelly 
>Roll
>Morton, Armstrong, all long dead. They always threaten the establishments
>rather than the band leaders.
>John Soulises Mission Gold Band has now experienced the same thing.
>I am curious if those of you that are playing regular gigs in eating
>establishments or bars have had the same bullying experiences. They don't
>get any money because all of you know there is little money to get. They
>just succeed in preventing one more band from playing publicly. I'd bet
>dollars to donuts that the relatives of these old jazz musicians get next 
>to
>nothing and those bastards get it all.
>I'd be interested in any comments that any of you have about this.
>My best regards to all of you who help keep this great music alive (in 
>spite
>of the SOBs at BMI),
>
>Phil Eggers

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