[Dixielandjazz] Cruise Gig Abuses

[Steve Barbone]

A jazz musician who does cruise gigs told me that some Cruise companies are
now taking a rake off from band CD sales. Some twenty percent.

If true, what #@$%^%%$# Gall. First of all, they don't pay the musicians and
now they want a percentage? What's next, pay to play?

Yeah, I know, you don't have to pay for the cruise. BUT, no drinks, no
spending money for port visits. etc.

When are cruise jazz musicians going to wise up and realize that they are
playing FREE, harming the market and being ripped off by the cruise lines?

When are the booking agents going to realize that they provide profit for
the cruise lines. And therefore they should tell them to get stuffed when
they want to take a percentage of CD sales.

Or have both the agents and the musicians, No Balls?

Time for a "maritime musicians union"? Unless, of course, Pogo was right
and; "we have met the enemy and he is us."

Cheers,
Steve Barbone