[Dixielandjazz] Fwd: Another Stake In The HeartofProfessionalMusicians

Sun Apr 20 19:50:05 PDT 2008

Larry,?in case you haven't been looking,?this technology has been around for 25 years and in all that time, they still haven't figured out how to keep those electric player pianos in tune, at least in those Malls and Medical Offices I've frequented. I take exception to the notion that musical reality is changing rapidly. That's simply not true. Check back on the Musicians Union Monthly tabloid for a long number of years. 
These devices are?also not very good at taking requests. But then again, neither is the St. Louis Symphony. They're also not too adept at changing keys, skipping beats and rushing to keep up with the?75 year old guy who thinks he can sing like Frank Sinatra - you know, the brother of the guy who hired you.?So far, I haven't seen one at any of the 150 or so Jazz Festivals that people on this list concern themselves with primarily. That's also true of DJs. 
Look, if you want to lower your professional self to the point where you drag a bunch of reeds out to be accompanied by a box full of electronics, that's your business. There's a guy I saw the other day that does the same thing at a local Flea Market with an alto sax case sitting out in front of him. Nice!!!
As a pianist, we've had to deal with "schlepping" keyboards around for at least 25 years. We've also had the unusual pleasure of working with drum machines for longer than I care to remember. I hate it. But I do it in large measure, because I enjoy working with other musicians, creating "live" music. Enough said for this, the DJML.
More than technology is nipping at the heels of those who decide not to hire fellow musicians. Wait until the day when everyone will have to be a keyboard player. That is something that is rapidly approaching. Respectfully,
Ed Metz

Musical reality is changing fast. People no longer need to hire anyone to have music. That music could be a DJ or an electric player piano sitting in a medical building. Those profound changes are now nipping at the heels of everyone. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis <larrys.bands at charter.net>
To: edmetzsr at aol.com
Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sun, 20 Apr 2008 5:09 pm
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Fwd: Another Stake In The HeartofProfessionalMusicians

Snip - DON'T HIRE THEM.?
?
I don't.?
?
Integrity, reliability and courtesy is everything in the music business and it sounds like you and I'm sure many others personally have it. I hope that you don't think I am lumping in all musicians with the jerks. The vast majority of gigs come off without a hitch but it's like driving a nail. You really remember when you miss and hit your thumb.?
?
I am simply saying that horn players and the very bands that they are in are at the whim of the piano player. If that piano player decides to take a gig at a piano bar and dump other musicians or take his own gig no one even notices because it's so common. The keyboard player can operate independently and if push came to shove will without a thought about me or anyone else.?
?
What it boils down to is that as horn player I can now compete in a market that at one time was exclusively the domain of the keyboard player. Does that put keyboard players out of work? Yes but not the better ones -- Yet.?
?
Musical reality is changing fast. People no longer need to hire anyone to have music. That music could be a DJ or an electric player piano sitting in a medical building. Those profound changes are now nipping at the heels of everyone. Today you can have a whole background band on an ipod.?
?
I rarely hire rhythm players now because I too can operate independently if I choose and if economics dictate it. I have said it many times before that I regret the necessity of it but after all is said and done I intend to continue playing. The beauties of it all is that I make a whole lot more money per gig and don't have to put up with the problems. My biggest worry now is blowing a fuse.?
?
Do I care about musicians out of work? Sure I do but I care most about if that musician is me. I despise the collapse of the musicians unions and the changes that have happened the past 30 years. I choose to go with the new technology that's out there. Technology will never put the really good player completely out of work but it will cut his income and probably already has in most markets. On the positive side technology will keep the really smart musician, no matter what he plays, performing when others are wringing their hands?
?
Technology is the 500 pound gorilla in the room and he doesn't wear any pants to pull up.?
Larry?
St.L?
?
?
?
----- Original Message ----- From: <edmetzsr at aol.com>?
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>?
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>?
Sent: Sunday, April 20, 2008 10:25 AM?
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Fwd: Another Stake In The HeartofProfessionalMusicians?
?
> Right on Bob.?
> ???? Further, if the piano players that you know Larry, are so unreliable, > DON'T HIRE THEM. I don't like to see all of the great, reliable pianists > being put down because of some jerk in St. Louis who cancels two days > before the gig.?
> ???? For your information, I've never once walked out of a gig, or even > threatened to do so. Nor have I missed or cancelled a job that I accepted, > at least not one that I committed to without warning the leader that there > might be a possibility of not getting back from out of town travel or the > like. I turn down those gigs with a questionable aspect to them when I'm > called so as to avoid having to cancel at "the last minute".?
> ???? All I can say, is that if you want to work with the "Big Boys", those > players in high demand (like New York is full of), then stop your bitching > when they can't make it. Pull up those big boy pants and deal with it.?
> ???? Good grief!!!?
> Ed Metz?
>?
> .Larry wrote:??
> ??
> (snip)??
> I have to confess to a certain amount of pleasure now that technology is??
> catching up to even the kings of the music business.??
> (snip)??
> ??
> I can't believe that a working musician would be happy and have pleasure > in??
> seeing something that will put even more musicians out of business. Not??
> just piano players but all musicians.??
> ??
> --Bob Ringwald??
>?
>?
>?
>?
> -----Original Message-----?
> From: Robert S. Ringwald <robert at ringwald.com>?
> To: Edmetzsr at aol.com?
> Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>?
> Sent: Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:00 am?
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Another Stake In The Heart > ofProfessionalMusicians?
>?
>?
> Larry wrote:??
> ??
> (snip)??
> I have to confess to a certain amount of pleasure now that technology is??
> catching up to even the kings of the music business.??
> (snip)??
> ??
> I can't believe that a working musician would be happy and have pleasure > in??
> seeing something that will put even more musicians out of business. Not??
> just piano players but all musicians.??
> ??
> --Bob Ringwald??
> ??
> ??
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Walton Entertainment - St. > Louis" <larrys.bands at charter.net>??
> To: "Bob Ringwald" <robert at ringwald.com>??
> Cc: "1-DIXIELAND JAZZ POST" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>??
> Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 5:11 PM??
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Another Stake In The Heart??
> ofProfessionalMusicians??
> ??
>> First of all let me say I would rather play with live musicians than a??
>> computer but having said that there have been times when I have wished >> for??
>> my computer to magically appear on the stand because some dunce wasn't??
>> doing??
>> his job or more usually wasn't versatile enough to do a wide enough??
>> variety??
>> of tunes.??
>>??
>> The piano player for as long as I have been alive has enjoyed an almost >> un??
>> broken reign as the king of the band. Without a good piano man the band??
>> would suck. The demands made by many of them have caused a lot of heart??
>> burn to me??
>> personally over the years. It ranges from simply walking out in the??
>> middle of the??
>> job to demanding far more money than the gig even paid for the band. It??
>> also includes such tricks as taking another gig a day or two out and??
>> calling??
>> at the last minute to simply not showing up.??
>>??
>> Over the years piano player antics have cost me a lot, if not always in??
>> money, in good will.??
>>??
>> I have to confess to a certain amount of pleasure now that technology is??
>> catching up to even the kings of the music business. What completely??
>> amazes??
>> me is that many are ignoring it. Most are completely resentful but not a??
>> one ever felt sorry that a trumpet player or sax player might not be??
>> working or care very much for what a leader might have to go through.??
>>??
>> One of the best piano players I know is using BIAB in his act. I am??
>> really curious as to what he's doing with it. He's not only a great >> piano??
>> man but is smart too. I think more piano men should have a digital plan??
>> "B" out there if I were them. He's the only one that I know of is using >> a??
>> computer and playing too.??
>>??
>> The band I have played with for almost 10 years is now for the most part??
>> defunct. Why? The piano man has decided to take a gig in a piano bar.??
>> This will happen as long as they can find better pay as a single??
>>??
>> I respect and want to work with guys that are good players but I also >> want??
>> them to at least be loyal to the gig that they have accepted.??
>>??
>> Personally I find rhythm section guys to be a very mixed lot and the??
>> biggest??
>> problem is having a strong section because one poor player in the rhythm??
>> section can wreck a band.??
>>??
>> I went to a medical center this afternoon and they had one of the player??
>> grand pianos just setting there and plunking away. They seem to be??
>> popular in medical buildings.??
>> Besides being a great tax deduction it's cheaper in the long run to buy??
>> the piano rather than the??
>> piano and then hiring someone to play it. I will have to say that >> whoever??
>> made the midi file (or whatever) wasn't the best piano player I had ever??
>> heard. They might not have to pay for the use of the recordings either.??
>> Larry??
>> STL??
>> ----- Original Message ----- > From: <BillSargentDrums at aol.com>??
>> To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>??
>> Cc: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>??
>> Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2008 8:21 AM??
>> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Another Stake In The Heart of??
>> ProfessionalMusicians??
>>??
>>??
>>> Payback is sweet.??
>>>??
>>> This is just payback for all those keyboard (piano) players who have >>> put??
>>> so??
>>> many other instrumentalists out of work over the years. (Think drum??
>>> machines,??
>>> bass players, string players, etc.)??
>>>??
>>> The wheels of justice sometimes turn real slow, but thankfully they >>> still??
>>> turn.??
>>>??
>>> :-)??
>>>??
>>> Bill??
>>> 414-777-0100??
>>> BillSargentBands.com??
>>>??
>>> Just released: "The Best Of Bill Sargent Bands - Volume 1"??
>>>??
>>> Available at: http://billsargentbands.com/recordings.htm??
>>>??
>>>??
>>>??
>>>??
>>>??
>>>??
>>>??
>>>??
>>> **************Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used??
>>> car??
>>> listings at AOL Autos.??
>>> (http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851)??
>>> _______________________________________________??
>>> To unsubscribe or change your e-mail preferences for the Dixieland Jazz??
>>> Mailing list, or to find the online archives, please visit:??
>>>??
>>> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz??
>>>??
>>>??
>>>??
>>> Dixielandjazz mailing list??
>>> Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com??
>>>??
>>??
>>??
>>??
>> _______________________________________________??
>> To unsubscribe or change your e-mail preferences for the Dixieland Jazz??
>> Mailing list, or to find the online archives, please visit:??
>>??
>> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz??
>>??
>>??
>>??
>> Dixielandjazz mailing list??
>> Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com??
>>??
> ??
> _______________________________________________??
> To unsubscribe or change your e-mail preferences for the Dixieland Jazz > Mailing list, or to find the online archives, please visit:??
> ??
> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz??
> ??
> ??
> Dixielandjazz mailing list??
> Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com??
>?
> _______________________________________________?
> To unsubscribe or change your e-mail preferences for the Dixieland Jazz > Mailing list, or to find the online archives, please visit:?
>?
> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz?
>?
>?
>?
> Dixielandjazz mailing list?
> Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com?
> ?