[Dixielandjazz] Where are the musical jobs?

[Bert Brandsma]

Hello Steve,
Of course you are totally right.What I wanted to point out is that there might be a similar situation with 1929, the great depression. But also 1948, decline of the big bands.When I read the stories, suddenly a lot of musicians lost their job then, like we see now not only in your country, but the same here in Europe.The arts are not very important these days, if you see that the Dutch government will raise the taxes for performing arts with 13% in January 2011.Only for the arts, not for Fun parcs, not for the circus.........At the same time they have serious plans to stop supporting several Symp. orchestras, trying to cut 200 million.
I'm pretty convinced that economic and political changes had a bigger impact on the arts then we might be inclined to think.Take :- 1929, depression : loss of N.O. jazz,- 1935, much better social laws : start of the swing era- 1940 - 1945 WW1 : start of bebop
I don't think it is a coincidence.
What you say about money makes sence, is logical and I do the same.On the other hand, don't forget that some later famous bands while they started were on very low income.If you read what the Basie band was making in the 1930's..... hardly enough to keep going, still they did and finally made it.
But then suddenly, in 1948 the fun for all big bands was over. Almost all disbanded.Except Ellington of course, but it is widely known that he lost money on his band in many years. Only reason the band stayed was that the good maninvested his composer royalties in the band. I heard, don't know if it's true, that Johnny Hodges was the best paid sidemen in the USA in his last year, getting more then the New York symphony players. (at least he deserved it, to my opinion!)
One change from now is that in the pop scene, musicians are earning a bit better then they did say 20 years ago, at least over here.
Kind regards,
Bert Brandsma




> From: barbonestreet at earthlink.net
> Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2010 17:24:07 -0500
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Where are the musical jobs?
> CC: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> To: mister_bertje at hotmail.com
> 
> 
> On Dec 5, 2010, at 3:00 PM, dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com  
> wrote:
> 
> > Bert Brandsma <mister_bertje at hotmail.com>
> >
> > 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.
> 
> Dear Bert:
> 
> Yes, there will always be gigs for a few musicians who are versatile  
> and promote themselves, their gigs etc. And as Kash says, there is his  
> trombone friend in the Philadelphia area that keeps busy. And there is  
> my band that keeps busy in Philly. And my sidemen keep VERY busy. As  
> do you. But, we are the exceptions, not the rule, here in New York  
> City and Philadelphia. We can easily point to exceptions when  
> discussing almost any subject. Plus Earl Hines, and Omer Simeon  
> prospered because the music scene for their kind of music was very  
> strong. And Louis was in a class by himself as an entertainer. There  
> are no musicians of their stature on the OKOM scene today so we really  
> can't compare what they did to what's happening now.
> 
> The general free lance music scene in NYC as the Times article said  
> and as I can attest in Philly is declining and has been for the past  
> 10 years or so. Much fewer musicians are now gigging regularly in  
> those cities. And those free lance bands and Orchestras are working  
> half as many gigs as they did. I suspect that it is the same all over  
> the USA. Even bands that work steadily, e.g. Trombonist Brian Pastor's  
> Big Band here in Philly play at venues which might pay sidemen $25 for  
> a night's work. Specifically at the Casino Delicatessen in Philly  
> twice a month, from 8 to 11 PM.
> 
> If we wanted to play for little or no money, we could all work every  
> day and night. Heck I've lost gigs to 18 piece bands,  with my 6 piece  
> band at  concert venues because, according to the booker, they quoted  
> prices lower than mine. Maybe I'm different. I love performing music  
> but I do not believe in involuntary servitude.
> 
> The Times article gives us a view of the decline numerically. I  
> excerpted some of it so that it would fit the posting limits on the  
> DJML. Some of the omitted sections give an even gloomier picture of  
> free lancers working about 1/2 as much as they did a decade ago. And  
> working cheaper. But the article speaks for itself having been drawn  
> from several free lance orchestras, the broadway show musicians of AF  
> of M local 802, several band leaders and a pretty good sized number of  
> free lance musicians.
> 
> Really not much different from the OKOM festival scene here in the  
> USA. Fewer bands overall. Less traveling bands hired at them in an  
> effort to keep costs down, a declining audience, etc., etc., etc. And  
> no one on the scene to replace the likes of Armstrong, Condon, Hines,  
> Simeon, JRM, Yerba Buena, or the other many other Giants who shaped  
> the music.
> 
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
> www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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