[Dixielandjazz] Jim Kashishian -- message from Madrid

Mon May 2 15:49:27 EDT 2016

Jim, that’s an impressive and enlightening personal resume and commentary on music and social change in Spain. Kudos, and thanks to Norm for sending it on to DJML. Chances are you’ve met a former student of mine, New Orleans writer James Nolan, who spent many years teaching in Mardrid. He also translated the poems of Jaime Gil de Biedma. See the Picayune writeup at http://blog.nola.com/susanlarson/2008/04/author_james_nolans_perpetual.html <http://blog.nola.com/susanlarson/2008/04/author_james_nolans_perpetual.html>

Charlie

> On May 1, 2016, at 1:49 PM, Norman Vickers <nvickers1 at cox.net> wrote:
> 
> 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 <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 <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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