[Dixielandjazz] Working for Free was Stumptown

[barbonestreet at earthlink.net]

Gluetje1 at aol.com wrote
 
>Like you said originally nothing was "wrong" with the marketing guy  asking.  
>Nothing's "wrong" with musicians who accept, or refuse.  As I  see it, Mr 
>Event Man is offering what he thinks, or at least hopes, is a deal  someone will 
>take him up on.  He thought he was offering something in  return.  Sure, it's 
>insulting as a musician to get such an inquiry.   No one likes others to be 
>ignorant about what their job demands.   But what's writing Event Guy insulting 
>letters going to  accomplish?  More friends for OKUM?  I don't think so. I 
>admired your  first original point; i.e., open the dialogue.

I agree with half and disagree with half. :-) Disagree with your thought that nothing is wrong with the band that accepts. IMO, the acceptance of such an offer diminishes the value of the music. Agree about the validity of the offer itself.
 
>I just don't get resenting the bands or musicians who think the terms of  the 
>specific cruise you brought up; i.e, JazzSea (since it is the only  one now 
>booking full charters of that size and/or having a specific program  for a 
>banjo band) is a fair offer for the musicians.  Being jealous of  a deal some 
>bands and other musicians worked out some years ago  that keeps getting repeated 
>to them is something I can understand.

Once again, IMO, by playing on the cheap, we musicians diminish the value of the music. That is the basic reason why the bands on the cruise you mention don't get paid. And in fact, since the crew tip money ($100 per person on the cruise) is collected from them, actually pay to play.

>Let's look at it another way.  All passengers pay more to hear one  band 
>every day of the cruise, so that band can get paid money for every  hour they 
>play.  Now add that band's transportation and expenses  including room cost at 
>full fare--since the travel agent now has very  limited sales and can't get 
>things like comp rooms.  How much more  would that add to the cost of the cruise?  
>More than all but that band's  richest fan would pay.  And meanwhile the 
>band's accommodations are in the  most modest rooms just like in the good old days, 
>right?  So no cruise  happens because there are no customers.  Who gains then?

Thats a hypothetical. Take the existing cruise. Travel and rooms are an expense.That's no excuse for not paying the bands. (Otherwise why wouldn't land based jazz festivals simply ask the bands play free because they are paying air fare and hotel?) Regarding costs. What does paying 4 bands add to the overall cost? Figure it out, 24 musicians, lets say, now get $500 for playing on such a cruise. That adds $12,000 to existing band expense. And say 1000 paying passengers were booked. That's only $12.00 per person extra in order to pay the bands. Shoot, why not splurge and pay the musicians $1000. That still only adds $24 per person for the music. What is the big deal in that? Or why no go top shelf, get the two finest Dixieland bands in the country to play and pay them $2000 a man? Why can't that happen? Because other musicians give the music away. The trouble with most of us musicians is that we don't take the time to do the math.
 
>A whole different subject is professional cruise ship  entertainers.  Those 
>who want to "make it" with an OKUM emphasis,  can't.  I'll stop. :?)

OKOM cruises are a business. The organizers treat them like a business. The organizers make a profit. The bands playing on the cheap are getting screwed and bending over for more of the same. While diminishing the value of the music they play and screwing up the market for other musicians.
 
>P.S. No need to resent the guy who plays the baseball game for great seats,  
>beer and a hot dog either--it all depends on the team and the game.

Ha Ha. Reminds me of that old joke about the guy who goes up to a beautiful woman and asks her if she would sleep with him for a million dollars. She thinks for a second and says yes. He then asks if she would sleep with him for Twenty dollars. She replies huffily; "What do you think I am? Says the guy; "We've already established that, now all we're negotiating is the price."

Cheers,
Steve Barbone