[Dixielandjazz] Where are the musical jobs?

[Stephen G Barbone]

Daniel Barrett wrote: (I think he meant to post this and apologize for  
posting it if I am in error)

> Hello, all-
>
> While I would agree with Stephen that "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," I'll add that there ARE many  
> talented young, middle-aged, and older full-time, pro players out  
> there who have a lot to say, and fewer and fewer opportunities to  
> say it.  Most of the "OKOM" festivals (and although I know what it  
> implies, I've always disliked that acronym) feature amateur or part- 
> time musicians, of varying degrees of ability. Several play at a  
> "pro" level, but many others simply shouldn't be playing in public.   
> This is rather a sore spot for those of us still trying to eke out a  
> living playing the music we love. This rather "taboo" subject  
> usually isn't discussed.  Pros simply go "straight ahead,' taking  
> the gigs that come their way, and generally don't gripe about  
> amateurs playing for substandard pay, and audiences which have  
> become less discerning over the years.
>
> I still remember an unusually ignorant comment I heard at the  
> Atlanta Jazz Party last April.  I was speaking with an otherwise- 
> pleasant couple who had mistakenly seated themselves at the  
> musicians' table near the stage. That was no problem, as the table  
> was free (most of the other musicians were sitting with other  
> guests, or in the hospitality room). It was a break between sets,  
> and, trying to be polite, I said hello, introduced myself, and told  
> him I was from southern California. They told me their names. The  
> man told me he used to play bass, many years ago. After a bit, the  
> question came up that we pros have learned to accept with some  
> humor. The man asked, "So...what do you do for a living?"
>
> I laughed, and replied that this was it! I was doing it!
>
> "No," he went on. "Were you in Atlanta on some business, and  
> happened to pick up this jazz party for the weekend?"
>
> "No sir," I said. "This is what I do; I play trombone. I also play  
> trumpet, and some people think I can play piano a little bit. I  
> write arrangements for various people; teach a little; do a jazz  
> clinic here and there; record now and then; and go overseas a lot to  
> perform. Between one thing and another, I manage to play the rent.   
> This event has been on my calendar for almost a year."
>
> "Oh," he said. he seemed surprised. "Well, what do the others do? Do  
> they have 'real' jobs?"
>
> "I smiled, and said, "You know, to us, this is a 'real' job. The  
> others.. let me see..." I looked over at the stage, where Joe  
> Ascione was setting up his cymbals (Joe inherited the late Jake  
> Hanna's beautiful high-hat cymbals. Jake made it clear they were to  
> go to Joe). Nicki Parrott was getting her bass ready; Johnny Varro  
> was at the piano. Guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli was seated in the  
> crook of the piano, holding his seven-string guitar. Clarinetist  
> Allan Vache' and cornetist Randy Reinhart were headed up to the  
> stage for the next set, followed by veteran trombonist Bob Havens.
>
> I said, "All of the musicians on the next set are professional, full- 
> time musicians. In fact, I think everyone at this particular event  
> is a professional player.  Johnny, Bucky, and Bob have been on the  
> scene for many years, and are acknowledged to be real jazz greats.   
> The others are among the best players of their generation."
>
> "Oh," he said. I'm not sure he believed me. His wife started  
> squirming a little bit. Bored, I think. My suave charm just isn't  
> what it used to be.
>
> "Here," I said, and gave him one of the programs from the stack on  
> the table in front of us. "The program tells a little about each of  
> the performers here this weekend."
>
> He took the program, and set it aside.
>
> "So," he said. "You just go from place to place, and festival to  
> festival, and play jazz?"
>
> "Yes, sir," I said. "That, and the other stuff I mentioned.  That's  
> pretty much it."
>
> Then came the comment that got me:
>
> "Wow," he said. "I didn't think anyone did that anymore!"
>
> I just couldn't believe it. I guess that cat doesn't get out much! I  
> refrained from replying that it's ignorance like that that makes it  
> more and more difficult for musicians like us to earn a living.  
> Instead, I just said, "there are a lot more of us doing this than  
> you might think. Take a look at the program; you might find it  
> interesting. I nodded to both of them. "I'm glad you're enjoying the  
> music. Please excuse me; I've got to go."
>
> And I went out and over to the other side of the room, found a seat,  
> and dug the band. Going back to what Stephen said about there not  
> being musicians of the stature of Armstrong, Hines, et. al., that's  
> certainly true. They were musical comets that appear once in a  
> millennium. However, there are still musicians out there making some  
> kind of a living playing what you call "OKOM"--or something very  
> near it--when given the right surroundings.  For instance, Randy  
> Reinhart sure sounded great to me. If you like Bobby Hackett and  
> Dick Cathcart, you'll love Randy's playing.  He's also a hell of a  
> trombone player! I wonder what Randy would be like if the current  
> "jazz clime" allowed him to front a working band. He might become a  
> real stage "personality," and entertainer, on the order of those  
> greats of the past. He's certainly got the wit and ability, and  
> always displays a nice stage presence. There are several others out  
> there with similar talents, but who rarely get a forum that really  
> allows them to "show what they've got." It's a shame that the scene  
> today, and the kinds of venues in which we find ourselves  
> performing, aren't of the kind that encourage this kind of  
> development.  I don't think the William Morris Agency is going to be  
> calling anytime soon for any of us to out a big band together (or  
> even a six or seven-piece jazz band) and take it on the road!
>
> It's unfortunate that for whatever reasons, the jazz scene today  
> won't support many pro bands playing "this kind" of jazz full-time.  
> Those of us who do this for a living often find ourselves in "pick- 
> up" situations. (Don't get me wrong; I'm grateful whenever I'm  
> invited to play a jazz party!)  Given that we're all professional  
> musicians, the music is always of at least a "reasonable" quality.  
> Occasionally, it's terrific!  Sometimes, though, the Powers That Be  
> saddle us with an unsympathetic, or stylistically-incompatible  
> player or two (or saddle them with us); then it's a drag. In those  
> situations, we just have to try to find some common ground, and do  
> our best. Of course, there are the many other times when an ad hoc  
> band happens to be comprised of like-minded players; players who  
> have the same references, and have grown up listening to and loving  
> the same recordings. When that happens, a pick-up band can actually  
> sound like a band that's been together for years, and the level of  
> performance is at a much higher bar.
>
> I suppose my point in all this is: please give the pros who are  
> trying to play "swinging" jazz--and keeping that spark burning out  
> ther--their due. Many possess, as the old Down Beat magazine polls  
> used to say, "Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition."
>
> 23 Skidoo,

Well said indeed Dan.

Let me make one clarification to my statement that there are no OKOM  
players of the stature of Louis, Earl, etc., these days.

What I should have clarified viz a viz "stature" is that the word, as  
I used it, was audience driven, not talent driven. Meaning that Louis,  
Earl, Fats, et al., had HUGE followings of fans. (Kind of like Lady  
GaGa today <grin>) Today's OKOMers do not have anywhere near those  
audiences, hence no stature in the eyes/ears of most audiences.

Regarding talent, the players Dan mentions above, plus himself and  
quite a few other professionals IMO, equal or exceed the musical  
expertise of those who went before them. Their lack of stature is not  
related to lack of musical ability, it is simply that there is no  
longer a mass audience for what they do. As Dan pointed out, most  
folks would be incredulous to learn that they play jazz for a living.

As he and Downbeat say, they have "Talent Deserving of Wider  
Recognition."  And as I would echo, those guys can play.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband