[Dixielandjazz] Another Stake In The Heart Of Professional Musicians

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

My experience with subs has been mixed to the point that I prefer to find my 
own guy that at least I have heard or worked with.  Hiring guys from the 
union hall has been a disaster and I learned very early on to never do it. 
It takes special talent to walk into any band and do well.  There are some 
gigs that I won't take for any money.  One is playing lead alto in a big 
band on a book I have never read.  Any other part but that.  I'm also 
getting away from playing Mickey books too.  My reading chops aren't what 
they were 20 years ago.

Steve --Then as I became their major employer, they would cancel
> other gigs to take mine.

You can't blame them for that.

 Steve - Most band leaders let their
> regulars take a high paying gig outside,

The guy that plays cornet for me often takes other gigs and when he hires me 
I do the same but we both have access to other players that can do a good 
job.  We prefer to work together but when a buck calls elsewhere we follow 
it.  Both my gigs and his pay us as leaders much more than the other guy 
pays so we just have a working arrangement.  We try to give each other as 
much notice as possible.  It works for us pretty well that way.

One of the reasons I don't like to have someone send a sub is that piano 
players usually don't know other piano players and so on down the line or at 
least not many anyway.  I like to pick guys that will fit the gig and will 
fit with me.  I also know that there are some guys that just don't like to 
play with others.  I can't expect my side guys to know those things.  All I 
need is some guy to send a sub that another player refuses to work with or 
doesn't like.  If I do that it's my own fault.

Over the years I haven't had that many gigs blow up but like hitting my 
thumb with a hammer I do remember them and why.  I'm not anxious to repeat 
any mistakes or even take a chance on it if I can avoid it.

Larry
STL

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen G Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 20, 2008 7:03 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Another Stake In The Heart Of Professional 
Musicians


> Interesting viewpoints. Bob and Ed vs, Larry and Bill.
>
> My two cents is that working relationships among musicians are just  that 
> and depend upon the personalities involved as well as hierarchy.
>
> For example, when I was just starting out some players would cancel at 
> the last minute in order to take a gig with someone who hired them  more 
> often. Then as I became their major employer, they would cancel  other 
> gigs to take mine.
>
> But, being professionals, they always send a sub. Sending subs has  been a 
> time honored practice among jazz musicians for as long as I can  remember 
> and many of the top guys did so. Most band leaders let their  regulars 
> take a high paying gig outside, when offered because they  (we) realize 
> that "money" is what full time musicians need to survive.  As long as they 
> get a sub.
>
> Our bass player worked with Buddy Rich in Philly for several runs.  Once 
> Buddy wanted to take a day off from playing drums and sing with  the band. 
> So he got his own sub, Chick Heany (spelling?) here, who he  admired as a 
> drummer. Chick was like the guitarist in Sweet and  Lowdown. He couldn't 
> handle playing in front of his idol, Buddy so he  sent his own sub, a guy 
> who when Buddy heard him at rehearsal  immediately told to go home.
>
> Buddy later asked Chick about it and Chick said he was nervous because  he 
> couldn't read.   Buddy put his arm around him and said, "Shit  Chick, 
> neither can I." Chick finally did the gig and backed Buddy for  a couple 
> of songs. (Especially after Sinatra who was also in town and  musically, 
> a friend of Buddy's, confided to Chick that Buddy rushed,  but that's 
> another story)
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
> www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband
>
>
>
>
>
>
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