[Dixielandjazz] Musicians as Guests

Mon Apr 30 09:37:47 PDT 2007

Many venues EXPECT you to socialize
with customers. I make it a point to go from table to table in a club or
restaurant setting, between sets, thanking the customers for being there.

LW - absolutely good business - I expect my band to do this too.

However I
> have been, and am continually invited to homes of clients socially. That
> includes Du Ponts et al, the rich and anonymous, and the politicians of 
> the
> Philadelphia/Wilmington area. That was the point which Bob missed.

LW -- How many come to your pad and hang out with you on your turf? 
Actually they are using you sort of like wallpaper to enhance themselves. 
Exactly the same way that they hang the artworks that you mentioned on the 
wall.  It's all the same.  Poorer people like to talk about us the same way. 
There is a musician here that never stops talking about that he used to play 
with me.  For heavens sake that was when I was 15.  Lets face it, musicians 
are a luxury item and in many circles we are paraded out like fine silver 
and talked about highly but in the end we are put back in the drawer until 
they want us again.  If this isn't the case you are very lucky.

>And luckily, I can hold my own in a conversation with the high
> society or political types.

LW-- I'll bet you only say what they want to hear because if you told them 
how you really felt on things one of two things would happen.  First you 
would earn a friend for life or an enemy.  Since we aren't in the business 
of doing the latter I would suppose you blow with the wind or keep your 
mouth shut.

 Each case is different and we should be smart
> enough to adapt.

LW --- Absolute good advice for everyone.

Steve many of us have been there and done that not only as leaders but as 
sidemen.  It's really hard to impress me with names or places that you or 
someone has played.  You and Bob are sort of in a pissing contest with who 
has played for whom.  I really don't care.  We are all in the same business 
and have common problems and I would worry that someone out there might get 
a distorted picture of what the music business is really like and how to 
conduct themselves with a normal client.

I think it would be more useful to hear how you parlay one client into 
another.  How do you get them to mention your name to their friends?  Do you 
ask them or do you just let things happen?  How do you build that network?

This is a difficult nut to crack and word of mouth is very good advertising 
and while I'm sure it's different with every leader there might be some 
common threads that the rest of us can use.

A few weeks ago I got some great response from a flyer that I sent out and I 
told the gang that I would send it to anyone who wanted to take a look at 
it.  Only one guy responded but if there was one tiny thing on that flyer 
that would translate into a gig for him then it was worth the time.  If it 
didn't help then it was just so many electrons flying around the internet.

If you have something share it.

Larry
St. Louis

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 9:55 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Musicians as Guests

> Ha, I seem to have rung Bob's bell.
>
> My point is very simple. The MAJORITY of my gigs are those at which we are
> treated as GUESTS because they are for friends. Yes there are some that 
> are
> corporate or otherwise for strangers. But after one gig, most of them
> becomes friends too.
>
> I therefore expect myself and my band to be treated well. And as a result,
> we are. It is really that simple.
>
> Henry Ford is dead so I have not been invited back to his house. However I
> have been, and am continually invited to homes of clients socially. That
> includes Du Ponts et al, the rich and anonymous, and the politicians of 
> the
> Philadelphia/Wilmington area. That was the point which Bob missed.
>
> Why? Simply because as a jazz musician, be it ever so humble a player, I 
> am
> perceived to be an artist and therefore a mild curiosity to such patrons 
> of
> the arts. And luckily, I can hold my own in a conversation with the high
> society or political types.
>
> We musicians are in charge of making our own world as far as how we are
> treated is concerned. There are no hard fast social rules unless we box
> ourselves in by coming up with our own. Expect more, get more.
>
> Stuff like "don't drink with clients", or "don't socialize with guests" is
> all hogwash as general rules. Each case is different and we should be 
> smart
> enough to adapt. Had don't drink with the customers applied when I was a 
> kid
> going to see Bechet, DeFranco, Scott, Parker, and all the rest, I never
> would have been able to talk with them. Many venues EXPECT you to 
> socialize
> with customers. I make it a point to go from table to table in a club or
> restaurant setting, between sets, thanking the customers for being there.
>
> We are very proud of what we do. And we do it well so we are not hard up 
> for
> gigs (in fact we have too many) and have no fear when it comes to turning
> some down because the clients treat us like hired help. (which they 
> perceive
> as lower forms of life)
>
> I've spent 16 years building a local jazz band reputation. And a local
> reputation as a jazz "artist" (as perceived by clients/friends).  And I 
> know
> how to schmooze with clients. The result is a rather high visibility among
> the locals, be they swing dancers or high society types.
>
> That means quite simply that we are treated well by those who employ us. 
> And
> as an employer, I treat my employees well, be they plumbers or musicians.
>
> Isn't that the whole secret to a happy life?  Didn't some well known
> philosopher state that about 2000 years ago? Ask Fra Mike if in doubt.
>
> I suppose, philosophically, I might be a little different than the other
> bands/band leaders on the list and frankly, viva la difference.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
>
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