[Dixielandjazz] Mostly For Musicians

[Robert Ringwald]

RICHARD PEARL banjomobile at msn.com wrote:

Great Stuff - But - You must have awful lot of time on your hands to come up with all of this splendid management policy!


I didn't write it, Kit Johnson leader of the Black Swan Jazz Band in Portland wrote
it.
 And very clever and funny I might add  .  

Bob Ringwald

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Robert Ringwald<mailto:rsr at ringwald.com> 
  To: Rich Pearl<mailto:banjomobile at msn.com> 
  Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List<mailto:dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com> 
  Sent: Sunday, April 04, 2010 2:31 AM
  Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Mostly For Musicians


  Kit Johnson, leader of the Black Swan Jazz Band in Portland, OR sent this out to
  all of his sidemen and subs to explain what he expects from them in future as he tries
  to make improvements to his band.

  Subject: BSCJB: Operating Improvements
  Musicians who regularly perform with Black Swan CJB ~
  Periodically it is appropriate and even necessary to take a fresh look at an organization
  with an eye toward continuous improvement. This is especially true during periods
  of business decline caused by broad economic issues or other factors.  "Business
  as usual" may not be sustainable, and creative thinking is of paramount importance.
  To that end, there are certain changes that must now be considered for Black Swan
  as described below if we are to remain viable. Your comments and thoughts are appreciated
  and will be given all due consideration prior to implementation.
  Side Musician Sales Targets: For several years individual musicians have had an incredible
  chance to make extra money through CD sales. Single CDs have been available for purchase
  from me at the heavily discounted price of for $8 each - roughly half of the retail
  sales price and in some cases less than cost - thereby enabling a profit of up to
  $8 each for musicians who participate and sell BSCJB products at non-BSCJB performances
  or elsewhere. Unfortunately, no one has yet capitalized on this bit of fortune in
  a meaningful way, and it has become clear to me that it is because we lack goals
  and a measurement system. Therefore, beginning this year you will each be responsible
  for directly selling at least 25 CDs per month ($200 or more extra in your own pocket
  each period). For those who fall short of that goal, a deduction will be made from
  future performances to make up the difference ($8 times each unit short). If performance
  pay does not cover the shortfall then I will plan to send invoices quarterly. We
  simply cannot let this opportunity pass us by!
  Best Available Pricing: I was dismayed to find that Black Swan has been in many cases
  subsidizing your performances with other groups. Although I've always tried to pay
  at or above union scale, it has come to my attention that most of you have been accepting
  gigs for much less remuneration, in some cases playing for free or "beer and pizza".
  Obviously this puts BSCJB at a competitive disadvantage that cannot be maintained.
  Therefore, from this point forward I expect that you will perform for BSCJB at "best
  available pricing" as well. That is, please report at the end of the year what the
  lowest rate you performed for was during the year. That figure will represent your
  "assumed value" and will reflect the rate I will be willing to pay in the upcoming
  year for your services. A 3% COLA increase will be allowed.
  Obligatory Room Sharing: Festival organizers have also been dealing with "belt tightening"
  in order to maintain operations. In the past I've tried to reward those willing to
  share a room with a few extra dollars. However, that unduly penalizes those responsible
  persons who bring a date; a date who will likely spend money and increase the viability
  of the event. This is an inequality in our system that needs to be addressed. Therefore,
  going forward you will be obligated to share a room at festivals if you do not bring
  your spouse or significant other. Similarly, gender will no longer be considered
  a factor in regards to room sharing obligations. Like the military, we are too enlightened
  in this day and age to make a fuss over minor differences in anatomy.
  Song Requests: Critical to our continued success is the need to create demand for
  recordings. Unfortunately playing "audience favorites" time and again is not conducive
  to product sales, as it eliminates the requirement to purchase the CD in order to
  get their "fix". Therefore, song requests will not be granted going forward. You
  should simply direct folks to the CD table. If they do not wish to own a physical
  CD, they can simply pay for it in advance, donate the CD back to BSCJB, and then
  we'll honor the song request. Similarly, we will occasionally poll the audience for
  favorite tunes so that we can eliminate those at the top from our play list, thus
  avoiding the risk that the consumer is satisfied without actually requesting the
  song or paying for the CD.
  Practice Regimen & Documentation: Apparently my geniality and understated approach
  to management has resulted in a rather cavalier attitude toward preparation. Words
  are forgotten on vocals, entrances are missed by instrumentalists, press rolls get
  turned around, and certain solos demonstrate a decided lack of inspiration. I could
  go on but you see what I mean, I'm sure, and as professionals are embarrassed by
  these lapses as I am. It is clear that more practice time is needed. Beginning immediately
  you will be required to practice BSCJB material 30 minutes per day, five days per
  week. This will be increased to 90 minutes per day for the five days preceding each
  performance. To facilitate this change in behavior, I will email blank practice sheets
  to you shortly. Please print them, fill them out daily and submit a signed copy to
  me at the end of each month.
  Memorization: Beginning July 1, 2010 all 300 original arrangements in the book must
  be memorized. Music stands and books will not be allowed on stage subsequent to that
  time for any of the four or five gigs we are doing per year except in the rare case
  that a musician is performing with us for the very first time. This will allow us
  to make a better connection with our audience and will sate their need to experience
  performances where the artist is always near but not quite at the precipice of disaster.
  The implementation of the new practice policy (see above) is anticipated to enable
  this objective without further change required.
  Replicating Accidental Successes: In some cases audience members cannot seem to tell
  the difference between a sophisticated musical passage and a fat clam, and reward
  the latter with their applause more than the former. We must avoid the tendency to
  be arrogant and "intellectually superior". In fact, we need to take a cue from these
  accidental successes and seek to replicate them. In all likelihood our own perception
  was wrong and the fat clam did sound better than the sophisticated musical passage.
  So make sure to note any such accidental successes and incorporate them in your subsequent
  performances so that we maximize audience enjoyment and our resulting popularity.
  The new practice regimen should help here as well.
  Representation Fees: Black Swan has invested significantly in marketing and promotional
  material over the years, including brochures, web sites and such that directly promote
  the individual musicians as much as the band in total. This material has contributed
  to musicians receiving offers to perform with other groups, to travel internationally
  and generally profit. It is therefore appropriate that some compensation be made
  to Black Swan for this benefit. Please submit 15% of gross performance proceeds from
  this point forward for any non-BSCJB performance that might be styled as "ragtime",
  "jazz" or "gospel". Retroactive payment is also required for relevant performances
  since you regularly started performing with BSCJB. However, a one-time 33% discount
  of all retroactive amounts due will be granted if paid prior to June 20, 2010.
  Style & Geographic Exclusivity: As performances become scarcer it is essential that
  we maintain some solidarity. Therefore, musicians who wish to regularly perform with
  Black Swan must embrace exclusivity in style (ragtime, jazz and gospel) in any location,
  as well as exclusivity in North America regardless of style. This will create demand
  for the band as a whole and avoid a "survival of the fittest" tendency to only look
  out for "number one". Violators will be required to make compensatory retribution
  to all other band members for missed opportunities in the amount of 75% of normal
  compensation each (discounted from 100% since the musician did not actually need
  to be at the performance).
  Period Instrument Requirement: In order to be taken seriously as musicians who perform
  only archaic music, it is important that we look and act the part. Accordingly, you
  need to replace your modern instruments with those that originated between 1890 and
  1929 and bring these generationally-appropriate axes to each performance. Be sure
  to plan for additional time and space requirements, if needed. Cartage will not be
  provided for larger instruments; remember, you chose it in the first place! I recognize
  that it may take some time to find vintage drum kits, pianos, Albert system clarinets,
  etc., so implementation of this new policy will not occur until June 1.
  There may be other changes required as we seek to improve Black Swan's artistic and
  financial success. These will be brought to your attention as soon as possible. Meantime,
  please comment as you deem necessary, but prepare to embrace this new guidance upon
  implementation.
  Kit
  P.S. Happy April Fools Day!!!


  --Bob Ringwald K6YBV
  rsr at ringwald.com<mailto:rsr at ringwald.com>
  Fulton Street Jazz Band
  916/806-9551

  Check out our latest recording at www.ringwald.com/recordings.htm<http://www.ringwald.com/recordings.htm>

  Doesn't "expecting the unexpected" make the unexpected expected?


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