[Dixielandjazz] The Business Side To The Music Business (Unions)

[Dave Hanson]

Mike,

Perhaps you need to update your digital press kit for the agent at the Union or any booking agent for that matter. The days of cassette tapes and pages of printed material doesn't make it any longer. Streaming audio a short bio, short tune list and flexibility to play several styles if your group can do it, will help sell your band. The International Union also has a web site ready to help you sell your group. It's called GoPro, but you need to be in the Union to take advantage of these services and is perhaps a little easier for people to find you rather then having your own stand alone web site. But any web site can help and you can link to other web sites that friends allow you to hook up with.
 I'm in the Union but there are many non-union musicians and groups that are doing quite well, but the digital age is here and that's what people want. No more than about 5-8 minutes is what you can expect people to watch or listen to. The "inner circle" is only as big as you want it to be.

Good luck in booking the "good" ones !

Dave Hanson
Vice President
Atlanta Federation of Musicians
Local 148-462 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mike 
  To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com 
  Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 4:36 PM
  Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] The Business Side To The Music Business (Unions)


  Thanks for your comments Larry. Most helpful

  So the union books their friends first and foremost? I thought 
  the union was supposed to be for all union musicians? What if 
  you're a starving musician but you don't happen to be in the 
  "inner circle"?

  Mike


  Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis wrote:
  Some places and corporations will only book through an agency. 
  My Local
  > AFofM union has an agency but I have only booked one gig through them 
  > and that was two years ago.  They tend to send their friends or book 
  > things for themselves first.  There is also a web site for Union bands.  
  > I haven't availed myself of that yet.
  > 



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