[Dixielandjazz] Gigs

[Stephen G Barbone]

>  "Robert Ringwald" <rsr at ringwald.com> wrote:
>
> Steve, I explained what I did for a living, which explained why I'd  
> rather take a 13 day Jazz cruise completely paid for, including my  
> wife's passage, rather than playing a few gigs in old people's homes.

Dear Bob:

Our band doesn't only play "a few gigs in old peoples homes." Far from  
it. But then, what's wrong with old people's homes? Isn't a cruise  
ship with 3 or 4 hundred old OKOM fans in residence simply a floating  
old people's home?

There is the fundamental difference between us. I believe that if you  
perform music, you should be PAID for it. Free room and board, no  
matter how grand, is not enough. I think bands that play cruises FREE  
give the music away. I think bands that tour overseas without pay give  
the music away. Heck, I've even heard that some bands tour overseas  
and pay part of their travel costs to do so. In my opinion, that is  
wrong and it helps lower the pay scales for band music.

Right now I am negotiating a contract for a band trip to Russia. Some  
simple rules apply. Once we step outside our homes, to a gig away from  
home for one or more days,  ALL transportation and living expenses  
must to be paid. Including drinks, tips, and a miscellaneous per diem  
for incidentals. Plus even though one could call this a paid vacation  
to a NEW place, (none of us have been to Russia) we insist on being  
paid fairly which means the sidemen will take home net, net, 5 figures  
per man, for 5  days there. Whether or not we perform each day. More  
if we do two performances per day. If that doesn't happen in the final  
contract, I'll refuse the tour and turn it over to one of those bands  
that wants to play so badly, they'll pay to play.

> I'd rather be on the cruise and you'd rather stay home and play  
> gigs.  Everyone to their own thing.  I was not trying to change your  
> mind, I was simply explaining why I'd rather take the Jazz cruise.

Fair enough, as far as it goes. No need to explain that to me, I  
didn't ask. But then since you brought it up, I've been there done  
that. Starting several years before WW2 with a cruise to Bermuda on  
the Vulcania, an Italian Liner. (My dad ran their NYC offices)  
Followed by 2 more before WW 2 and then quite a few after it ended.  
Those were TRUE freebies. As soon as the family stepped out our front  
door, everything was paid for.  Including alcohol drinks, full  
transportation costs from home to the dock, including parking etc,.  
Including those obligatory ship crew tips. Not so on today's band  
cruises, I think.

My wife and I like to vacation on our own, at a place of our choosing  
to see and do new things, meet new people. Going on the same old  
cruise with the same old people, each year is not something we would  
enjoy.

And I certainly would prefer to play those 2 prohibition Parties at  
Samantha's Gentlemen's Club in Harrisburg PA this weekend, than be on  
a cruise, or playing in some old people's homes, for a number of  
reasons <grin >

> I made my living playing music.  Now at the age of 71, it is time  
> that I do what I want to do.

Amen, even if what you want to do is continue to play music. <grin>  I  
spent most of my life, 78 years so far, doing what I wanted to do.  
Music was/is only a part of my life. There are many other activities  
that I enjoy. And it has been an enjoyable ride, musically and  
otherwise, with only an occasional bump. My theory is that one should  
always happily do what one wants to do, or risk becoming sour, and  
burned out before one's time. Life is too short not to smell the roses.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband