[Dixielandjazz] Resting places and the music business--Mike Vax Writes

[Paul Kurtz Jr]

What very practical advice from Mike Vax, a guys who's been through the wars. My old band director started the first music management program in the state of Florida s far as I know and was always very practical when it came to the business side of music. He came out of the banking business and knew people have to eat.
Paul Kurtz Jacksonville, FL
> From: vaxtrpts at aol.com [mailto:vaxtrpts at aol.com] 
> Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 4:58 PM
> To: nvickers1 at cox.net
> Subject: Resting places and the music business
>  
> Isn't it sad that so many musicians who gave their lives to American Music have literally died penniless?
> When Ramon Lopez (Long time latin percussion player for Stan Kenton) passed away quite a few years ago, his family didn't even have enough money for his funeral or a place to bury him.  We got on the internet through Friends of Big Band Jazz and the Kentonia Chat room and raised the funds for his funeral.  I am also proud to say that we have, in a couple of instances, raised funds to help musicians who were in need because of major illness in their families.  
> One of the things that I wish had been in place for many years would have been a place where musicians could go to learn more about the BUSINESS of music.  In my clinics all around the country I am constantly talking to young musicians about treating music as a business and not just a hobby.   We love what we do so much that we basically treat it like a hobby that doesn't really dictate our financial situation.  I know all the stories about creative people not wanting to deal with the "more mundane" things in life, such as planning, putting funds aside for that "Rainy Day," or even promotion.  When I was teaching at University of the Pacific (One of the first institutions to have an actual Music Business degree), I actually talked some young musicians out of getting a performance degree in trumpet and into getting a music business degree.  I told them that when you are playing for a living, most bands or orchestras don't really care where you went to school ---- they care about how you SOUND.  I also told them that I would work them just as hard on their instrument as if they were getting a performance degree.  The interesting thing is that all those students in the eleven years that I taught at UOP. that took me up on the business degree, have been very successful both as players and business people.  A couple even ended up as entertainment lawyers and some ended up working for big companies like SONY and Universal Studios -- while still having lots of playing gigs.
> I guess the sad fact is that in 2012, one will almost assuredly NOT make 100% of their income playing a musical instrument - but there are plenty of other adjunct jobs in the music business to supplement one's income.  Many years ago, when the bands were still traveling, we could actually make a living playing.   Those of us who did treat it as a business - and were sidemen on the road - ended up doing OK financially and having careers after the road bands ceased to exist.  In my case, I became a full time clinician and have been working in music education for over 40 years.  (Nice thing is that I still get to perform at all those schools as well as teach.)
> 
> Mike Vax
> Friends of Big Band Jazz, Prescott Jazz Summit, 
> Stan Kenton Alumni Band
> www.mikevax.net
> www.bigbandjazz.net
> www.prescottjazz.com
> www.getzen.com
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