[Dixielandjazz] Where are the musical jobs?

[Misrad HaJazz]

Shalom Jazz Fans,

I've been busy lately, and I am happy to say, with relatively a lot of music
work. One very odd job came across my path a couple weeks ago. The manager
of a large disco in downtown Jerusalem saw my partner and me playing on the
pedestrian mall in town. He liked our lively music and colorful costumes. He
called and asked if we would play in the stairwell inside the entrance to
the disco as a sort of surprise greeting to customers coming in. We were not
visible or audible from outside, so the idea was not to draw people in, but
only to make them smile on their way into the club.

I can tell you, the noise from the disco was so deafening in the concrete
stairwell that we could hardly hear ourselves. People came in and out
smoking, some drunk already, others left drunk, most talked on their cell
phones. Musically it was a nightmare for 2 hours. But we did make people
smile, and apparently enough people liked it enough that they asked us back
a few days later. The pay was almost as good as we get for a party ... and
twice in one week. It exposed us to a younger crowd that would not otherwise
hear or pay attention to us. You never know what will come of it.

We play routinely on the street because that is hands down our best form of
advertising, and it doesn't cost us anything. In fact, we make at least some
pocket money, sometimes more, and sometimes we also sell CDs. But I'd say
90% of our gigs come from people who heard us on the street, took a business
card, and called us when they had an event.

Yes, we take virtually everything, not only for the money, but because our
experience is that people respond well to our attitude of wanting to make
people happy, and we go wherever that takes us. As a result, we have a
growing reputation and a reasonable amount of work.

Blessings from Israel,

Elazar
Doctor Jazz Dixieland Band
Jerusalem, Israel
www.doctorjazz.co.il
+972-2-679-2537

P.S. My wife Krina and I are coming to the US next week to visit family.
We'll be in Ft Lauderdale, FL, next Tuesday through Sunday, and LA area
Monday through Jan 1. Anyone who has any public gigs please let me know, and
we'll se if we can make it.


-----Original Message-----
From: Bert Brandsma [mailto:mister_bertje at hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2010 8:50 PM
To: jim at kashprod.com
Cc: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Where are the musical jobs?



It look likes that versatile musicians keep in demand.You have to be very
flexible these days, is also my experience.
Don't look down on anything and enjoy what you have, don't complain about
better times in the past.After 1929 a lot of musicians were heading
difficult years, look at many N.O. veterans.The most flexible however, where
able to change with the times and stayed.
Louis, Omer Simeon, Earl Hines for example.
I myself take every job I can get now as well, big band, combo, weddings,
just name it.In februari I play the pit of the cologne opera house, since in
winter there is no other work here.
Kind regards,
Bert Brandsma
www.dixielandcrackerjacks.com


> From: jim at kashprod.com
> Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2010 17:43:49 +0100
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Where are the musical jobs?
> CC: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> To: mister_bertje at hotmail.com
>
> Steve wrote:
> >We jazzers are not alone in the diminishing musical work scene.
> Consider the now struggling,  once flourishing free lance classical music
> scene in NYC as described below.
>
> Dunno...it doesn't seem to be doomsday for one of my friends who
freelances
> in the Philly area in shows, dancebands & classical music on trombone:
he's
> got 35 gigs this month & had to turn down 12 due to lack of free days!
>
> Jim
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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