<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=3>In a message dated 3/6/03 11:53:31 PM Central Standard Time, stridepiano@tesco.net writes:<BR>
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<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Tipping bands in the UK is simply not done, thank goodness. They do not have<BR>
the begging bowl mindset which, according to recent posts on the subject,<BR>
appears to be the normal thing with American outfits. Here in England a gig<BR>
is offered and if the money is acceptable to the bandleader the gig is<BR>
taken, if the money is not acceptable the gig is turned down. Apart from CD<BR>
sales no attempt to extract further financial reward in respect of that gig<BR>
is made, indeed the proprietor of the venue would probably be very annoyed<BR>
if the musicians he hired solicited his customers for money. The band<BR>
concerned would probably never work there again.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
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<B>Very well put, John. No, soliticing tips is not the norm here although that may be changing. We have a very degrading phenomena here now called the street musician. This creeps set up shop anywhere on the street in a large city or in the train station and proceed to bleet on their sax or guitar, openly soliciting moeny with their cases open and a 'begging' bowl in place. Why the police let this go on is a mystery.</B><BR>
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<B>Most every class club that I have worked would not allow a tip jar. I usually like to have a 'disrete' tip jar, depending on what the club was paying. tips divided up would often at least provide some gas money. If it was a bit on the low side I would find ways to mention contributions. I"ve had some rows about this with clubs but they usually relented when I pointed out that it was a convenience to customers who did want to leave a tip without being obvious about it.</B><BR>
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<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">England does not have a monopoly on underpaid bands, they exist all over the<BR>
world.<BR>
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<B>True.. most cetainly a world wide situation.<BR>
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<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">The notion that "there would be no OKOM in England if management had to pay<BR>
a decent wage to all those Dixieland bands working in clubs" is nonsense. It<BR>
suggests that the survival of OKOM here is dependent upon bands being poorly<BR>
paid, which taken to its logical conclusion means that if management could<BR>
not pay a decent wage (whatever that is) and as a consequence all British<BR>
jazz clubs closed down tomorrow, OKOM would disappear from our shores. Next<BR>
we shall be hearing that the moon is made of green cheese.<BR>
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Practically all the British jazz musicians I know play primarily because<BR>
they love their music, money is of secondary importance to them, they do not<BR>
allow the acquisition of money to become their reason for living. Long may<BR>
it remain so.<BR>
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John Farrell<BR>
stridepiano@tesco.net<BR>
http://homepages.tesco.net/~stridepiano/midifiles.htm<BR>
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