[Dixielandjazz] Giving it away! NYTimes 10-26-2013 Louis, Steve Barbone and Steve Gilmore write

[Norman Vickers]

To:  Musicians and Jazzfans list; DJML

From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

 

Some nice responses.  Thanks Louis, Steve Gilmore and Steve Barbone

>> woodlanders <woodlanders at free.fr>

Louis from France writes.  He's coeditor of a website celebrating Kid Ory.
He writes:

Asked once by a fan for tips on playing the trombone, Kid Ory answered
"Never do it for nothing."

 

Steve Barbone:  clarinetist/ bandleader in Philadelphia area writes.

From: Stephen G Barbone [mailto:barbonestreet at earthlink.net] 
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 10:07 AM
To: Norman Vickers
Subject: Re: Giving it away! NYTimes 10-26-2013 Mike Vax and Ed Middleswart
respond

 

Dear Norm:

 

I wholeheartedly agree with Mike Vax and suspect that just about every
working musician also agrees with him. Like him, we have made ourselves
personna non grata in some circles because of our preaching. The bottom line
is that when musicians routinely perform for free, they devalue the music.
And make no mistake, music is a business.

 

Of course there are exceptions to that general rule. Young musicians may
perform on the street in order to gain fans and exposure, however most of
them have tip buckets out there also. And most of them grow up to charge for
their performances, or they leave the business of music.

 

The most vexing problem to playing for free, is that it takes money out of
the mouths of those who perform to make a living. Venues "hire" those
freebies and so those of us who expect to be paid for our performances can
no longer find paying gigs.  Musicians follow the money just like anyone
else. And while all music is "Art", and performers are "Artists" it doesn't
necessarily follow that because we love it, we should play for nothing and
become suffering artists. 

 

It's like that line from the movie "The Gig" when a professional musician
rescues a group of amateurs who can't cut it and takes over a band at a
resort. That pro tells them;  "Loving the music is not enough."  

 

Cheers,

Steve 

 

 

Bassist  Steve Gilmore of Panama City writes.  He's bassist with saxophonist
Phil Woods  30+ years and had gig with Phil in NYC a couple of weeks ago.
Drove all way up and back so he could carry and play own bass. On driving
back, he performed at Gulf Jazz Society's annual JazzFest and then hustled
over to perform with the local symphony.  Busy guy!  He writes:

From: Steve Gilmore [mailto:stevegilmorebass at gmail.com] 
Sent: Sunday, October 27, 2013 11:43 PM
To: Norman Vickers
Subject: Re: Giving it away! NYTimes 10-26-2013 Mike Vax and Ed Middleswart
respond

 

It's hard to imagine how someone could make such insensitive remarks as Mr
Middleswart. Unfortunately Professional musicians can't go to the grocery
store , pay their medical bills , pay their mortgages , etc. etc. with love
, joy of uniting with a form of expression ,or desire to share his medium
with others. He seems to think that musicians ( and other artists ) live in
some kind of dream world and magically appear to perform and than disappear
into cosmic dust not requiring any kind of maintenance or consisting of any
worthwhile character - not mention the years of practice , study , and
discipline that got them there in the first place.

                              Steve Gilmore

 

Your genteel  moderator suggests that we've worked this subject over on the
Mencken Pensacola list and the Musicians and Jazzfans list. So let's move on
to other interesting and challenging subjects.  As everyone knows, subjects
on DJML take a life of their own and go on in perpetuity ( at least the
perpetuity I've observed over 20+ years, ).  So whatever happens there is up
to the participants and esteemed DJML moderator  Bob Ringwald.  Thanks all.