A part of me is touched at the beautiful way you told Elijah’s story and brought me into his world. A part of me is sad at the tragedy which was the plight of so many jazz musicians including ones I know. And a part of me his angry at society for it’s lack of musical 🎶 intellegence, a Taylor Swift economy. I don’t think I can blame the club’s proprietor as he has no control of the economy and probably did not know what else to do. And finally,a part of me is nostalgic of the music world I grew up in that is a time gone by. Art Blakey at the Village Gate, Horace Silver at the Vanguard, Woody Shaw and Joe Henderson at the Blue Note, jam session at 3am. Etc…. Yeah, there were plenty of nights like that. And while I see there is no dirth of accomplished young musicians, some prodigies, all over the globe due to internet and the export of jazz, I don’t feel the sense of community or excitement that I did. I’m still getting my head around where music and society are headed. Everyday somebody sends me an email about our internal political strife, and wars, I send them back a link asking “did you hear this new pianist ?” We’ve lost our way.
From 1977 to 1981, we worked at the Comeback inn, in Venice Calif.. The owner added 10% of the bar total and the waitress passed the hat after every set. We never made less than $100 each and everything over that went into a fund to pay for advertising ourselves, photos, transportation to gigs and promo. In 2013, I was working in Pensacola, Fl. for $100-125 a gig. 32 years and ain't nothing changed.
Ah yes, the undercutters. What a lovely group. The Arts of all sort seem to have all the same players. Even more unfortunate is the desperation of most artists which feeds their willingness to fight like 'crabs in a barrel' for crumbs.
Buckminster Fuller said that broken systems cannot be fixed--only dismantled and replaced by new systems. In jazz this is happening on a very small scale, in certain places.
The young players will have to create the new paradigms, and undercutting the house band ain't it.
Too many cats are trying to fit in with the old, dying model. As jazz musicians, creativity should be our coin of the realm. That must be extended to the business. And no one can do it on their own, as you point out. But now a wife isn't enough; it takes a team.
A part of me is touched at the beautiful way you told Elijah’s story and brought me into his world. A part of me is sad at the tragedy which was the plight of so many jazz musicians including ones I know. And a part of me his angry at society for it’s lack of musical 🎶 intellegence, a Taylor Swift economy. I don’t think I can blame the club’s proprietor as he has no control of the economy and probably did not know what else to do. And finally,a part of me is nostalgic of the music world I grew up in that is a time gone by. Art Blakey at the Village Gate, Horace Silver at the Vanguard, Woody Shaw and Joe Henderson at the Blue Note, jam session at 3am. Etc…. Yeah, there were plenty of nights like that. And while I see there is no dirth of accomplished young musicians, some prodigies, all over the globe due to internet and the export of jazz, I don’t feel the sense of community or excitement that I did. I’m still getting my head around where music and society are headed. Everyday somebody sends me an email about our internal political strife, and wars, I send them back a link asking “did you hear this new pianist ?” We’ve lost our way.
David, thanks for taking the time to write such a thoughtful response. Please take care....
Couldn't agree more with your assessment.
From 1977 to 1981, we worked at the Comeback inn, in Venice Calif.. The owner added 10% of the bar total and the waitress passed the hat after every set. We never made less than $100 each and everything over that went into a fund to pay for advertising ourselves, photos, transportation to gigs and promo. In 2013, I was working in Pensacola, Fl. for $100-125 a gig. 32 years and ain't nothing changed.
Sonny Rollins once told me, the only business worse than music, is the boxing business.
Ah yes, the undercutters. What a lovely group. The Arts of all sort seem to have all the same players. Even more unfortunate is the desperation of most artists which feeds their willingness to fight like 'crabs in a barrel' for crumbs.
It's tough out there for creative people, no doubt about that.
So depressing... Same thing in translation plus we're being replaced.
Buckminster Fuller said that broken systems cannot be fixed--only dismantled and replaced by new systems. In jazz this is happening on a very small scale, in certain places.
The young players will have to create the new paradigms, and undercutting the house band ain't it.
Too many cats are trying to fit in with the old, dying model. As jazz musicians, creativity should be our coin of the realm. That must be extended to the business. And no one can do it on their own, as you point out. But now a wife isn't enough; it takes a team.
Well said. Totally agree.
You hit that on the head Brother Brett
One of the great oxymorons: the jazz business