[Dixielandjazz] Playing the breaks & Playing in Clubs/Cover Charges

[Steve Barbone]

Dave Hansons's idea:

> We always carry a small CD player and use it on our breaks. Just make sure the
> recorded stuff is yours or very similar to what you have been playing. If you
> know before the gig that there will be no breaks, you charge a higher price or
> play while one member at a time takes a bathroom break.

You nailed it Dave. The CD player, which can be stand alone if you are
playing acoustic or hooked into your sound system is a great way to fill up
the break time. You can also put it to good use at a wedding to play R & R
for the younger people, or the bride & groom's favorite song etc.

You can also bring CDs to play over a pub's background music player to keep
the mood flowing. 

When following the "continuous music" theme, 55 min on, 5 min off, please be
sure to charge the venue more. Those still in the union, or former union
members are well aware of the union rule and should, at least, use it as a
guide line. To avoid problems with clients, be sure to state the band's
playing time in the contract: e.g. 40 min on, 20 min off each hour. Some
people think a 4 hour gig time means 4 hours of continuous playing.

Fully continuous can be done by alternating who plays. Like 3 min of bass +
horn, then 3 min of piano + different horn, etc. You can rotate breaks for
individual players easily this way. For clients who insist on fully
continuous, charge something like $150 per hour per man and the client will
either back off or allow a CD player.

Why a cover in clubs? Probably started in earnest during WW 2 when the 20%
Federal entertainment tax was imposed on joints that had dancing. The club
owner seeking to maintain profits had a choice. 1) Keep the music, eliminate
the dance floor and put in extra tables. The extra people would make up for
the lesser amount of money they each had to spend on booze because of the
tax. 2) Keep the music and dancing but impose a cover charge and impose the
tax, but hope to attract an upscale clientele that has the money to spend at
an upscale joint. 

Either way, if his marketing plan was successful, the club owner prospered.
Later on the "cover" became more universal at any joint that had music.

About playing in clubs, there is A HUGE REASON why bands should play in
these type venues as much as possible.

The young people, WITH MONEY, are at clubs. They will respond to your band
if you have any semblance of an up close and personal stage persona. They
will then book you for weddings, engagement dinners, beach parties, college
frat parties, social events, etc., etc., etc.

THOSE GIGS ARE WHERE THE MONEY IS. . . No, I'm not being greedy. It is
simply that THE MONEY is what enables you to keep your band working
steadily. THE MONEY is what enables you to hire THE BEST JAZZ MUSICIANS in
your city. They will work for you rather than Joe Competitor who pays less.
(Even to the point of sending him a sub when one of your gigs conflicts) And
those professionals realize that lower paying club dates are part of the
dues you pay in order to get the high profile, high paying gigs that pay the
rent. Not only that, club dates, with an up close and personal audience of
young people who adore jazz musicians . . . well if you ain't dead yet, it
don't get any better than that.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone