[Dixielandjazz] Hobby Musicians

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

There is another difference between a hobby band and a pro band.  That is the amount of praise you get when you play a solo or do well.  Hobby bands fall all over themselves telling each other how well they did even when they didn't.  Pros just don't do it or it's subdued a lot.  Another way is warming up on stage, practicing between tunes or on breaks or holding a conversation between tunes.

A more subtle thing is that hobby band guys will almost fight for a solo and the pros could care less most of the time.  The pay is the same.  There was a guy that would show up early and go through my book ( I subbed occasionally for the lead tenor player) and pull out the tunes that had solos that he wanted to play and swap parts then put them back later.  The same guy in another band got bent out of shape when he missed the lead alto part on In the Mood and I played it.  Some of these guys go to great lengths to protect their turf or to play solos.  I think it's funny (strange) when guys do that stuff.

Larry
St. Louis