[Dixielandjazz] Big Business Sucking Life out of Jazz

[Robert S. Ringwald]

    Steve Barbone writes:

 (snip)
> Many current bands seem to be stuck in a time slot that mirrors 2 above.
> "Making as few substantive changes as possible", while steadfastly
> declaiming that what they play is "The Truth" since it was good enough for
> grandpa 70 years ago, it should be good enough for everybody else today.
>
> Nor do they innovate.
(snip)

Steve,

I play what I enjoy playing.  I do not play it because it was good enough
for Grandpa.  I play it because I love it.

While you were earning a living and probably a very nice retirement being VP
of a large corporation, I spent those same years playing "Rain Drops Keep
Falling On My Head," "I left My Heart In SF," "Tie a yellow Ribbon," etc,
etc, etc, until I had nightmares.  I make a conscious effort now to play 
what I want to play.

 Have you ever stopped to think that there are lots of musicians who play
OKOM because they enjoy it and not because it was good enough for Grandpa?

 I own a business now so that I don't have to rely on music for a living.

You evidently gave up music for many years in order to make a good living.
You now play it, as I do, for fun and profit.  But you don't have to
scramble for every gig as I used to have to do in the Good ol' days."  I
don't have to scramble now either.  Thus I can play what I want to play, 
where I want to play, when I want to play, for whom I want to play.  I'm 
happy doing what I am doing and I am sure there are a lot of musicians on 
DJML who are happy playing what they want to play.

If you enjoy innovating, then innovate.  But don't try to tell the rest of 
us that we are doing it wrong.

 --Bob Ringwald K6YBV
530/642-9551
916/806-9551 Cell
www.ringwald.com
Fulton Street Jazz Band

"If you think health care is expensive now,
wait until you see what it costs when it's free"!
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