Musician's business cards before cell phones.

[Hardbopjazz]

I guess it was important to use an answering service so don't miss out on any possible gigs.

I crossed out the phone numbers just in case they are still active. This was around 1982/83. Cell phones of that day were probably as big a set of drums, and who knows how much for service.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Hardbopjazz

[Michael Weiss]

Here are a few I saved over the years

[Hardbopjazz]

_{Nice Michael. A great collection. Was it customary to use a answering service to take messages for musicians? The Lewis Nash one had a number for an answering service. I am assuming it was to make sure you didn't miss any calls for a gig you could get.}

[Michael Weiss]

It was mostly Broadway and studio musicians who had answering services, such as Radio Registry.

[Chuck Nessa]

[danasgoodstuff]

I have a recent one from my friend Carlton Jackson: Drummer at Large (which he is, in every sense). So some guys still use them.

[xybert]

Love seeing these business cards, very cool and interesting.

[Hardbopjazz]

Here is a Herbie Hancock business card from 1960.

[Dan Gould]

In 1960 Herbie could put together an orchestra for a gig?

[paul secor]

On ‎2‎/‎21‎/‎2015 at 6:40 PM, Michael Weiss said:

Here are a few I saved over the years

 

 

Missed that when you posted it, Michael. What a cool collection!

[fasstrack]

On ‎2‎/‎22‎/‎2015 at 7:29 PM, Michael Weiss said:

It was mostly Broadway and studio musicians who had answering services, such as Radio Registry.

Wasn't that JU2-8000 or some such? Or was that something else? I remember it was a status symbol for a musician to have that #.

[JSngry]

2 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

In 1960 Herbie could put together an orchestra for a gig?

If he had a book of stock )or other) arrangements, a union card, a working phone #, and at least 3-5 horn players who were free for the gig, yeah. "Orchestra" in this context doesn't mean "big band" or "string section". It just means not a combo, which would mean anything where you could have a "horn section". Or a string section for that matter, 2-3 violinists. If you have a book, you can have an "orchestra".

Has anybody had the nerve to call any of these #s to see if they're still active and/or who they belong to today?

[Michael Weiss]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

Has anybody had the nerve to call any of these #s to see if they're still active and/or who they belong to today?

Hop to it!

[Hardbopjazz]

Does anyone know if press kits are still used? Here is one for Lou  Donaldson.

[robertoart]

Papa Lou doesn't look a day over 80 there

[Simon8]

Recently found this funny Paul Bley business card anecdote: http://mattpavolka.com/paul-bley,-a-remembrance.html

A number of years ago (at least ten, maybe more like fifteen) the great Argentine pianist Ernesto Jodos, who was staying with my wife and me in New York at the time, went to Birdland to see Paul Bley.  I believe the band was Paul's trio with Paul Motian and Gary Peacock.  I don't recall that I was able to attend that night but I did see that group on other occasions and there were always at least moments of incredible beauty and power that only they could attain.  Truly one of the great piano trios in music.  Anyway, after the show Ernesto approached Bley (a not un-intimidating man) to ask him about taking a lesson.  Paul was very friendly.  He gave him a card and explained that he would be in New York for a while and that he should give him a call.  My friend put the card in his wallet and headed back to Brooklyn, excited at the prospect of studying with one of his idols.

Upon arriving back at our place he got out Bley's card to show to me.  it was a corporate-looking business card with flourescent trees embossed on a white background.  The text printed on it was:  "Paul Bley, Innovative Travel Concepts".  That was all, nothing else.  No phone number, nothing.

 

[page]

Cool! I have a few friends who used to have business cards, don't know whether they still use them.

[Hardbopjazz]

[Dan Gould]

Recently acquired this image, not sure if his cards actually were pink or the source images were assembled on pink paper for the photo I received.

[Brad]

On 1/10/2016 at 3:15 PM, page said:

Cool! I have a few friends who used to have business cards, don't know whether they still use them.

I use mine for bookmarks now. 

[Ted O'Reilly]

6 hours ago, Brad said:

I use mine for bookmarks now. 

How do you get them to stay on your Kindle?

[JSngry]

You set reminders for them to call each other.

[7/4]

nice thread...