[Dixielandjazz] Tom's different  World

TCASHWIGG at aol.com TCASHWIGG at aol.com
Mon Aug 6 22:43:18 PDT 2007


Dear KC. Clarinet:

Obviously you have never seen nor heard of Saint Gabriel's Celestial Brass Band of which I am the founder and leader.  I built this band in 1990 and have since expanded it and created it's marketplace all over the world to the point that it has played with almost all the living major names in Jazz and on the same festival circuit for great money every time.

Why does this happen because we are solid pro players and know what the Hell we are doing, and have never once not reached back to share our experiences and knowledge with the other bands that are not doing the same.

The difference is that you folks are indifferent to what we have to say or simply don't believe it and pass us off as being arrogant.  well so be it,  I would rather go down in history as being an arrogant successful band leader than and ignorant starving to death begging for a gig wannabe.

Secondly we do not go anywhere and play from Charts, and yet not to disrespect guys who do so, another reason for our success is that we do not need Charts we have the real deal talent and expertise to play the music from the heart and keep it fresh and improvise as we go, playing off of each other and listening to each other.

It is not uncommon for some of the greatest names in Jazz to come and sit in with us on our International tours just to loosen up and play like they always dreamed it was in the golden olden days.

The problem with so many on this list is that you have never ventured past the city limits of where ever you live and stay in a close knit little incestuous circle of local legends and therefore nobody ever hears about you or invites you to go past the county line.

So if you are content to sit at home and work for chump change money then that is probably what you are worth and deserve, so do not expect some great sacrificing touring band to roll thru your town and discover you and your talent and take you on tour.

Do I live in a different world, you bet I do, because I chose to get the hell out of the one many of you have resolved yourselves into for so many years and continue to wallow in and sit around and watch your local admirers content with mediocre music and entertainment because they never get exposed to anything else but other mediocre music and acts traveling the same low paid circuit and often at their own expense out of pocket to play for an ever growing unsophisticated and underexposed audience who simply knows no better.

If it were all that easy all of you guys would be making the kind of money that my band consistently makes and steve Barbone's band and a couple of others make.   The only reason you don't is because many of you  ARE  SO THICK HEADED  and think you know more than the guys who actually do it every day of the week, and  who try to show you how to improve the scene for everyone.

I rest my case :

No more trying to teach Pigs to sing, it is obvious that I AM ONLY FRUSTRATING MYSELF AND ANNOYING THE PIGS.

All of you guys are correct and Barbone and Myself are dead wrong all the way to the BANK.

Cheers from a bandleader and nice guy who has probably made and spent more money on musicians than 95% of you have ever seen or will ever see.

Oink Oink, suie suie,,

Tom "Arrogant" Wiggins





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