[Dixielandjazz] PRO - gripe

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

New year's eve one of my side men was overheard, by me, telling another that he had booked a gig that night  from my client.

I don't consider any client to be 100% exclusive territory but I think it's incredibly poor form for a sideman to approach a client on a job to book gigs.  It's one thing if the client calls the side man through his general advertising or as a referral but it's another to solicit right on the job.

Most band leaders would have flat out fired the guy on the spot.  I have made it a practice to never burn bridges but I'll tell you it's going to be a tough one for me to recommend him to others or hire him for my gigs .

It's difficult to hire anyone around here who isn't an independent booker or band leader in some capacity and the client base is not that large so some stepping on of toes is unavoidable.

I'm thinking about adding some sort of clause in my subcontractor's agreement discouraging the practice.  Does anyone do that?

I broke my own rule in this regard and that is when the client approaches the band or band members I try to put myself physically between them or in a position that the client will talk to me.  That way I discourage the handing out of business cards and the kind of chit chat that leads to gigs.  Actually it sort of slipped by and I didn't notice.  I need to be more observant next time.

While the cat's away the mice will play.
Larry
StL

P.S.
I decided to make a change for the new year in the subject line prefacing it with PRO that way those who want to talk and read about some facet of OKOM that doesn't pertain to the production of music, booking or running a band can just delete it out of hand.  That way I hope I don't bore those readers out there who are hobby musicians or just listeners.