[Dixielandjazz] The Beat of a Different Drummer

[Steven V. Apple]

>
> I did go to NY Times and read the whole article.  Let's not miss the real
> story.  The guy made a decision based on his passion as opposed to his
> income, that's admirable.  If this was a guy leaving the symphony to play
> and promote "OKOM" (and assuming he can squeak by on his $45,000 current
> income) would you still feel it was stupid?   I know you're probably kidding
> and I've mis-read your post.


 - Steve Apple


------------
>
> Message: 8
> Date: Tue, 06 Feb 2007 12:22:12 -0500
> From: tcashwigg at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] The beat of a different drummer
> To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> Message-ID: <8C9182A791058B1-964-52C4 at WEBMAIL-DC05.sysops.aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; format=flowed
>
> Dats vedddy veddy intresting but still veddy veddy stupid !!
>
> He must have a lot of money saved, or a trust fund to live on, or an
> overwhelming desire to be divorced and die homeless :))
>
> But look at the bright side, that makes more money for the roadies and
> the guitar players in the band to have a retired Pro working for chump
> change money.   Someting is definitely wrong vit dis piture me theenks
> !!   Ahhh I know vat it is, he joined da IAJE and got the divine call
> to be a teacher.
>
> I tink he has lost hees mind or soon will.   Maybe he got tired of
> having to spell percussionist and explaining to people what he did so
> decided to just be a regular old drummer and indeed march to a
> different beat, or it could just be the grade of hemp he smokes in the
> midwest, I hear that Buffalo fertilizer they use out there will make
> you crazy.
>
>
> Tom "Old Rocker" who vill be glad to take his old job for a year or
> two, vat the hell he probably only had to play 200 or 300 notes a year.
> :))
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: barbonestreet at earthlink.net
> To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> Sent: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 8:04 AM
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The beat of a different drummer
>
>     Too good not to post, though not OKOM. Here is one of the TOP
> percussionists
> in the world, leaving the Chicago Symphony to play . . . GASP/CHOKE  R
> & R.
>
> Like we always say, Them scraggly Rock & Rock Musos suck big time. :-)
> VBG.
>
> If anyone wants the full article, write me off list. It is an
> interesting
> story of a man who gave up a secure  $140,000 a year + first class
> expenses
> to earn about $45,000 through Rock & Roll club dates and teaching.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
>
> >From Lead Percussionist to Different Drummer
>
> NY TIMES - By DANIEL J. WAKIN - February 6, 2007
>
> CHICAGO ? As the principal percussionist of the Chicago Symphony
> Orchestra,
> Ted Atkatz had reached a pinnacle in his profession.
>
> He had tenure in one of the world?s great musical institutions, with a
> fat
> salary and benefits. Stagehands set up his battery of instruments.
> Touring
> meant luxury hotels and per diems. And he had, just as precious, the
> respect
> of the percussion world, a singularly obsessive group of musicians who
> play
> the triangle, the bass drum and everything between.
>
> But in May, Mr. Atkatz pulled a modern-day Don Quixote. He quit his job
> to
> devote himself full time to his alternative rock band. He now plays in
> joints across the Midwest, sometimes performing for the bartender or,
> on a
> good night, several hundred people. Orchestra Hall? Carnegie Hall? The
> Musikverein in Vienna? Forget it. Try the Mousetrap in Eau Claire,
> Wis., or
> Beaner?s Central in Duluth, Minn.
>
> Mr. Atkatz says he doesn?t regret his decision. ?I wanted to make sure
> that
> every time I played, I wanted to be passionate about it,? he said.
> ?Based on
> that criterion, it was a no-brainer.? . . . snipped for brevity
>
>