[Dixielandjazz] Jim Kashishian -- message from Madrid

[Norman Vickers]

To:  Musicians and Jazzfans list;  DJML

From:  Norman Vickers, Jazz Pensacola

 

Many of you ( maybe even most) are familiar with our listmate ( both
Musicians and Jazzfans and DJML) trombonist and sound-man  Jim Kashisian.
He's a US expatriate now living/working in Madrid since 1967.  I had asked
him to expand on some e-mails, specifically commenting on Spanish economic
downturn and how it had affected him personally and that of his colleagues.

 

Jim kindly wrote back and gave permission to share with the lists.

 

In the first paragraph he responds to some remarks I made about Pensacola's 

Spanish influence.  As you, likely,  all know Florida was ceded from Spain
to US in 1821.  Andrew Jackson accepted  acquisition from Spain in a
downtown Pensacola Square.  Pensacola was settled in 1559 by Spanish-first
known settlement on what's now US mainland.  Shortly afterward, ships in
Pensacola Bay were wrecked by a hurricane.  Two years later, remaining
Spaniards were moved back to Mexico.  ( Archeologists couple of years ago
found remains of the ships in the Bay and even more recently, remains of the
settlement were discovered near downtown Pensacola).  Spanish General Galvez
is a local hero, as his forces defeated the British in a battle in Pensacola
during Revolutionary War.

Thanks, Jim.  Exchanging messages with wonderful people like you makes these
lists worthwhile for me!

 

From: Jim Kashishian [mailto:jim at kashprod.com] 
Sent: Saturday, April 30, 2016 10:26 AM



 

Hi, Norman.  Very interesting all the history you have mentioned.  King
Felipe is as popular as ever, I believe.  It was his father, Juan Carlos,
that was losing popularity.  I doubt if anyone here would know who General
Galvez was!  And, yes, I joined the band in 1967.  The pianist was a
founding member (a few months before I arrived on the scene).  Our trumpeter
and bass joined around 1975, and our latest drummer is the newest in the
band (early 2000's).  So, the pianist and I have been playing together 49
years.

Other than the jazz band, my career as a session musician in Madrid (the
only foreigner) lasted about 30 years.  That included touring with visiting
artists such as Tom Jones, Lisa Minelli, Isaac Hayes, etc.  I may have sent
you this video before.  Here it is in case I haven't.  I'm in a Spanish tv
orquestra (middle trombonist) and have a solo at minute 5 approx.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRqNHgKcWDU  That was in 1976 on the island
of Mallorca.





The economic situation has hit everything & everybody here.  Several clubs
have sold out and are now run by new management, all at the beginning of
this year.  One closed altogether. One other has gone the "we pay you only
70% of the door charge" attitude which we haven't accepted.  We always get a
set cache!  Another, where we before would get at least 7 nites a month,
quite often 10 nites, and even some months 15 nites....has dropped us down
to 3 nights and not even every month.  At least they didn't try to drop our
pay. .   They are mostly hiring unknown bands & paying very little. 

Nevertheless, we have done 11 nites this month in various spots.  6 gigs
next month.  All local clubs/restaurants accept for one swing dance gig.



What has drastically changed here are our large concerts, having practically
disappeared since 2008.  All funds for entertainment at city hall levels is
gone.  We used to get around one a month and they paid well! We are now in
our 49th year!  The band was formed in 1967, and I joined about 2 months
after they first began.  We have never stopped playing over all these years.
The members are all Spanish, except for myself (originally from Long Beach,
California).

Although the band represents a micro situation, it really shows the over-all
situation in Spain now.  With no actual gov't now (& little hope of a
working government in the future), things won't get much better.  Young
people are deserting the country.  None of my 5 kids work here, although
they were born and raised here.  

Spain was living, before the crisis in 2008, in a dream world, and now
reality is here.  It will stay that way & people will learn to live with it.
Spaniards are notorious about just enjoying life, and as long as there is
wine/beer & soccer....no worries!   :>

Cheers, Jim

 
--End--

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