[Dixielandjazz] I miss whoever that was

[David Richoux]

Carol,

I think Tom Wiggens gets high paying gigs in the Bay Area (and  
similarly, Steve Barbone does on the East Coast) for three big  
reasons - 1st, he works his butt off promoting his band, 2nd, he does  
have lots of contacts and connections to a broader field of musical  
styles and performers, and 3rd, he just won't take the lower paying  
jobs!

It has been pointed out a few times on this list that there is a  
surplus of good OKOM bands in the Bay Area and a lot of us work too  
cheap (I am guilty of that, sometimes - but I am a sideman - not a  
band leader.) There are hundreds (maybe thousands?) of other kinds of  
bands in our area also looking for gigs - some will even "Pay to  
Play." Even though the local unions do next to nothing for our kind  
of music performances we need to somehow promote the idea of  
demanding decent payment for our music. With the costs for  
instruments, fuel, parking, hotels, food and other expenses, getting  
$60 or even $100 for a gig is barely breaking even!

By the way - local San Jose area New Years Eve gigs were paying $200  
a man minimum 20 years ago - should be $500 or more now, but that  
isn't gonna happen...

We have to be professional about this, but it won't be easy...  
otherwise it will just be a low paying hobby (and it seems some on  
this list are fine with that.)

Solidarity!
Somehow!

Dave Richoux


On Dec 23, 2007, at 12:40 PM, JDut953944 at aol.com wrote:

> I'm getting $60 each for a five piece band.  We play for one hour  
> or  an hour
> and a half.  These gigs are at retirement homes.  I am using  the  
> five pieces
> for Mardi Gras.  New Years Eve I am using a trio and we are   
> getting $100
> each for about an hour and a half complete with a 15 minute break   
> and food.  I
> shouldn't complain should I.  But what Mr. Wiggens said  has  
> lingered in my
> mind and I keep thinking, HOW DID HE DO THAT?  I know  what he says  
> is true, just
> wondering HOW he gets astronomical rates.  Yes I  did read all the
> information about getting gigs and in fact am going to print it   
> all out to keep and
> refer to.  We are located in East Bay.  But I  believe that he   
> (Mr. Wiggens) has
> been on the scene for a long time, knows  a lot of people, and my  
> band is
> fairly new.
>
> Thanks.  Carol, Clarinet
>
>
>
> **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
> (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)
> _______________________________________________
> To unsubscribe or change your e-mail preferences for the Dixieland  
> Jazz Mailing list, or to find the online archives, please visit:
>
> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
>
>
>
> Dixielandjazz mailing list
> Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com