RE: [Harp-L] Why Blues Jams are Important

[Buck Worley <boogalloo@xxxxxxx>]

SJ-
 
Well stated and point taken.
 
However, last time I checked, The American Federation Of Musicians requires members to file at the local Union Hall if they plan to play for free. I DO NOT advocate this rule. I dont think they enforce it anymore. At least I have not heard so. In fact I have been fined for playing harmonica not only yfor free but for performing with non-union musicians at a PAYING gig. The later was in Louisiana before the Right To Work laws. OUCH!!! That REALLY sucked.
 
I say if non-professionals want to play for the fun of it, just to get out there and try out their chops on a live audience, that is a good thing. Jams are a great place to network, too. I am pro-jam. It is a necessary thing for multiple reasons as you stated.
 
Sometimes I tell club owners that I will play for free, it's the loading/unloading, setting up/tearing down, reloading/unloading, putting up with the drunks, etc that I get paid for.
 
I have played in Fla. and understand how the seasonal economyy is. There is a lot of money down there and I want some of it! <grin> I got paid every single time and would never drive down there and play for no pay. In theory, that would hurt the local musicians. :D 
 
Best Regards,
Buck 
 
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Why Blues Jams are Important
> From: 3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:32:15 -0400
> CC: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> To: boogalloo@xxxxxxx
> 
> 
> On Apr 13, 2011, at 2:49 PM, Buck Worley wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Jams are important to us harp players as well as the other musicians, yes. 
> > 
> > Just to bring a little bit of balance here, I would like to point out that some times folks who play for free hurt us all.
> 
> Sometimes, yes. But here's another perspective. We have professionals down here who are very good. And some not so good. Ironically, we also have people who are not professionals whom are better than the professionals. And for various reasons retain their amateur status. Things like: The person is a surgeon who makes too much money to be a full time sax player, the person has a lucrative business, the person has a transient job (truck driver), and yada yada. 
> 
> Does this mean that these musicians who are better than the average need to stay home and not play? That would be almost cruel. 
> 
> > If an establishment is making money on food, drinks etc, I want my slice of that pie.
> 
> It all depends on where you are. The crazy thing about a planet with 6,886,354,640 people is that there are THAT many stories. lolol
> 
> Example: Here in Fla., there is an on season when things are a bit more money, the average snowbird crowd is 60, they come down as couples, and tend to go out a lot. 
> Second and third 'romances' and stuff like that. They tend to spend more, and, because of their age group, tend towards jazz a bit more. The clubs do fairly well and everyone gets to share. 
> But in the spring and fall, the people are more in the 50ish range. In the summer, the younger families 40ish (with children) arrive. It is cheaper and they have a budget. They do beach stuff and don't go out as couples at night. The clubs slow down. We don't get many families that are 30ish because those groups are already fighting to make a living. THEN there's the 20ish crowd. Who tend to stick to certain selected 'student friendly' towns.
> 
> Now let's say a sports bar brings in $1093.88 in an evening and by the time they figure in the building, utilities, the food & drink, and the wait staff, there is $324.11 left. What would you expect a place like this to do? Well, I'll tell you what they are FORCED to do (IF they want live music). They bring in a keyboard and maybe drums. Then they set up a jam. Hoping that it's the jammers themselves who, along with themselves, will also bring friends, relatives, blah blah. This is what gets them over the dry spells. Otherwise, they shut down and everyone looses. At least this way. we are keeping 2 (example: keyboard & drummer) in a job. In other cases a guitar & a bass. 
> 
> I call your attention to the 'pre-spah' Jason Ricci blues bashes'. Something that brought ESTEEM to spah, something that started spah off with a BANG, and something that spah should support GIANTIFICALLY. The clubs were ALWAYS jam packed standing room only. The clubs probably brought in $3,691.84. a night. That might leave $1,100.oo profit. Hah, tell you what. There is no way on earth that these clubs would be able to pay the extreme talent that showed up for these shows. Why there were people there that on an INDIVIDUAL basis were worth more than that much. These shows were HISTORY in the making. So, it's all in the perspective. 
> > 
> > It was good to read that the OP is getting paid to host the jam! Good for you!
> 
> Yes, this is great news. It seems like we always have to struggle to keep our musics alive. (sigh). 
> > 
> > Here in Nashville, many club owners take full advantage of the musicians that blow into town and give it away. 
> 
> I think that's everywhere Buck. In the words of my good friend guitarist Jackie Lee Miller (of the famous Nashville Miller family), "Wow, I hope this establishment doesn't find out that we would do this for free". lol
> smokey-joe (an evening with Smokey Joe, 'the Roadhouse' April 10th, Ft. Myers Beach Fla. )
> 
> 
> 
> > BW
> > 
> >> Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:54:57 -0400
> >> From: harp@xxxxxxxxxxx
> >> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> >> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Why Blues Jams are Important
> >> 
> >> On 04/12/2011 04:10 PM, Joe Leone wrote:
> >>> When Garry said the words: "musicians out there who * need * to play", it was like someone had cranked over a 200 KVA generator and a bunch of anti aircraft lights went off in my head.
> >> the house band at the jam i mentioned had a great harp player. he didn't
> >> play because he liked to, or chose to, but because he needed to. he's in a
> >> great band, and well known in the area, so it's not a problem. but 
> >> depriving
> >> him of a place to play would be like depriving normal people of food or 
> >> water,
> >> or air.
> >> 
> >> 
> >> -- 
> >> We make a living from what we get,
> >> but we make a life from what we give.
> >> - Kathy Moser
> >> 
> >> 
> > 
>