Professionalism among sidemen. Passe?

[slide_advantage_redoux]

I have been experiencing major hassles trying to keep my band going. While I understand guys not wanting to or not being able to commit time to low dollar creative music gigs, I still expect people to be good for their word.

I can't begin to say how many times I have had the rug pulled out from under me prior to gigs by musicians. Coincidence or not, it always seems to be the bass players who bail.

Just today I got in touch with a young up and coming Denton cat who agreed to do an upcoming gig with me. I wanted to touch base with him. (no pun intended...really!)

When I remind him of the date, he tells me "I sent you an email awhile back telling you that something came up" Oh really?! Odd thing is, I never received his email.

What the hell is wrong with using the phone, jackass??

If bandleaders are prone to developing ulcers, I understand why. This shit is killing me!

I wish I was able to clone one or two of my favorite players and keep them safely housed and fed, and when a gig comes up I unchain them.

I almost have come to the point where I flat out advise the flaky offenders that by not standing by their commitments, the word slowly gets out among other musicians that they cannot be relied upon.

I guess that being a player of an indispensable instrument empowers guys into thinking that they can do whatever they want, because the phone will keep on ringing regardless.

One thing about being a trombone player is that you have to be professional and do what the fuck you say you are going to do. It is hard enough being a full time player anyway.

Okay I feel better now!

Edited November 4, 2009 by slide_advantage_redoux

[Chuck Nessa]

I think you need to speak to Allen Lowe.

On 2 seconds reflection, do not contact Allen Lowe.

[JSngry]

I guess that being a player of an indispensable instrument...

Bass? Indispensable?

The future awaits - find the right guy with the right laptop and fuck all that!

[Free For All]

One thing about being a trombone player is that you have to be professional

Who the hell told you that?

[7/4]

This all sounds kind of familiar...like we've held this discussion recently.

I've been thinking of writing different arrangements of my pieces so I can use different instruments. For starters, the one we were playing in July didn't have a bass part. When I write one this Winter, it's getting played on a keyboard.

[Harold_Z]

The future awaits - find the right guy with the right laptop and fuck all that!

Find the right guy with the right laptop and we're ALL fucked!

[papsrus]

The future awaits - find the right guy with the right laptop and fuck all that!

Find the right guy with the right laptop and we're ALL fucked!

[Jim Alfredson]

Hey, I've got a laptop!

[JSngry]

That doesn't mean we're ALL fucked, does it?

[Chuck Nessa]

Probably.

[JSngry]

Oh....

Good thing I just bought dog food then.

[Chuck Nessa]

Good boy, good boy.

[JSngry]

I be prepared.

[.:.impossible]

I may be off base here, but I see so many successful working bands in Richmond VA, playing creative music. The musicians are committed to each other (as a scene even). I feel like they all have common goals. Whether they are unspoken goals, I don't know.

There is a certain level of respect. When someone is starting a new project, they hand-pick the band. They set up regular rehearsals, they set up gigs once the music is there. Some pay. Some don't. The music is still the most important result.

I wonder if the lack of cooperation in this thread is due to a lack of respect or understanding of the music at hand? Leaders are choosing the wrong musicians. I know the laptop thing is sort of a joke, but if that dude is more musical and sympathetic to your vision than the disrespectful bassist, maybe worth looking at.

The problem Allen had was a very shallow pool of musicians to choose from. Is that sort of the problem here too? If this particular bassist is in demand due to a lack of capable bassists, it sounds like he is choosing to play other music. Why? How well do you know him?

[slide_advantage_redoux]

Well, part of the problem here in the D/FW metroplex (I always hated that word) is that it is more or less a free lancer's scene. Everyone here is basically about hustling the next wedding, corporate gig, private party etc. It isn't about playing original music. So the pool of players you have to draw from - while it may be deep - doesn't as a rule consist of guys looking for creative scenes.

That said, if I make the drive north to Denton, there is a butt load of eager young cats just dying to make a creative statement. They are young, inspired, and not yet jaded.

I am playing a quartet date a week from tomorrow at a private residence (still on board Sangrey?) It is hosted by an artist/teacher and all around mover and shaker in the Dallas cultural scene. (what culture there is anywho). Our performance follows the art reception, and we are encouraged to play original music.

As usual, being a friday night, the bass players I prefer to play with were committed to $$ gigs (more power to 'em; at least they didn't take the gig only to bail), so I called around and got a Korean exchange student at UNT to play, one extremely eager and very happy to do the gig, tip jar or not.

I am a little less discouraged by the whole thing now. I have come to the conclusion that I have to build up a larger data base of phone numbers, and it will consist mainly of younger - yet very talented - college players. They are very good, but not yet so busy.

It's all good....for now.

Edited November 5, 2009 by slide_advantage_redoux

[JSngry]

I am playing a quartet date a week from tomorrow at a private residence (still on board Sangrey?)

As per my voice mail, definitely.

Especially if there's food.

[AllenLowe]

"On 2 seconds reflection, do not contact Allen Lowe."

hmmm.... not sure what THAT meant.

Still, you have company with this problem. Strange thing is, when I deal with musicians who are MUCH busier than the local guys (Matt Shipp, Ros Rudd) and who are 300 miles away, I know I can always count on them to keep the date, or let me know as soon as there's a problem. (Shipp, by the way, indicated that he has experienced similar things). I have been rehearsing a band for about 2 months with some moderate success - they love the music, and they seem surprised that you can actually play creative music in this part of the world. Truly, I'm not optimistic that we'll hold it together, but I've got nothing else to do.

Edited November 5, 2009 by AllenLowe

[Big Al]

Greg, for whatever it's worth, I'm usually available. I'm not that good, but when it comes to free gigs you'll definitely get your money's worth!

Seriously, I wanna play. If you don't mind the fact that my axe is an acoustic fretless bass guitar, sign me up!!!! 'course, I'm not too young but still pretty jaded.

But man.... I just wanna PLAY!!!!!

[fasstrack]

I have been experiencing major hassles trying to keep my band going. While I understand guys not wanting to or not being able to commit time to low dollar creative music gigs, I still expect people to be good for their word.

I can't begin to say how many times I have had the rug pulled out from under me prior to gigs by musicians. Coincidence or not, it always seems to be the bass players who bail.

Just today I got in touch with a young up and coming Denton cat who agreed to do an upcoming gig with me. I wanted to touch base with him. (no pun intended...really!)

When I remind him of the date, he tells me "I sent you an email awhile back telling you that something came up" Oh really?! Odd thing is, I never received his email.

What the hell is wrong with using the phone, jackass??

If bandleaders are prone to developing ulcers, I understand why. This shit is killing me!

I wish I was able to clone one or two of my favorite players and keep them safely housed and fed, and when a gig comes up I unchain them.

I almost have come to the point where I flat out advise the flaky offenders that by not standing by their commitments, the word slowly gets out among other musicians that they cannot be relied upon.

I guess that being a player of an indispensable instrument empowers guys into thinking that they can do whatever they want, because the phone will keep on ringing regardless.

One thing about being a trombone player is that you have to be professional and do what the fuck you say you are going to do. It is hard enough being a full time player anyway.

Okay I feel better now!

I'm lucky to live in NY and have my pick of people to use. No one ought to put up with bullshit. There's no need. Once I had a hot shot organ player blow off my gig w/o so much as the courtesy to call me. 'Oh, er, I have a big gig this week. Sorry....' I had to call him. Guess who I'll never hire? You do that enough---be discourteous---it will catch up with you, and arrogance is no insurance policy. I learned a lot being a bandleader and now I can smell trouble. Fortunately, like I said, there are so many good people here---and I've worked with them before and know they are cool.

My only advice: don't confront, just write down 'bad apple' in your mental pad and move on.

[AllenLowe]

musicians often have no sense in this way - I got stood up years ago by a pianist I had booked to work a Saturday afternoon at Sweet Basil - certainly a good and high-visibility gig that paid fairly. No show, no call. This same guy, who is semi-well known, was the kind of guy who was always protesting in interviews that he couldn't get any recognition, and whose career has definitely been less than what it should have been, given his talent. Well, now I know why.

Edited November 6, 2009 by AllenLowe