Double Bass A Career as a Jazz Musician

[Bruce Lindfield]

I think that what people say about location is important - so I live near to London and commute in there for work quite often. The point is that London is a big City and there are enough Jazz gigs for people to make a living there, as well as a large number of orchestras and Musical Theatre etc etc.

But if I look at anywhere else that I know, I would say that it is impossible for anyone to make a living our of Jazz except through teaching..?

 

[J. Montgomery]

When I was in high school and preparing to apply for college I found myself seriously debating on whether or not to try my hand as a professional musician.

I ended up pursuing a career in science. Its provided me with secure employment and the ability to be selective about what/where/who I play (with). I'm able to play more than enough to keep my creative side happy.

My friends who are professional musicians struggle to get by and are chomping at the bits to whore themselves out to any gig/job they can get (which rarely includes jazz gigs here in VA). You may want to consider your future, like, do you want to get married and be able to afford a home and support children? Important things to consider when mom/dad are no longer paying the bills.

 

[kenlacam]

Unfortunately, with a mother and father that have good reputations in law and medicine (respectively) it is kind of hard to move
I am only a sophomore in high school so going out on my own isn't exactly a possibility either. The jazz band at the high school isn't a true band in the spirit of jazz -the way the director put it to me was that the band is to introduce wind and brass players to jazz. They only play between 3-5 pieces a year, perfecting those few pieces.

I am ready to devote the time; I just need a plan of action to establish a master plan. It's frustrating down here. As I've said, there really are no open mic nights that are open to jazz, finding other jazz musicians that don't have a bassist is difficult, my primary instructor, who is finishing his treatises for a DMA in Double Bass Performance doesn't live in this area (yet.) I've tried contacting many restaurants to no avail as well as the local Pensacola Jazz Society.

The reality is, short of moving to a big city like NY or Nashville, or LA, the chances of making a full-time living as a jazz musician is slim to none. Even moving to a bigger city, you may still have to work a regular job to make ends meet. Not to mention the crazy amount of hours that you have to practice, just to be in the same league as the thousands of other musicians who have been at it longer are trying to vie for the same job.

 

[David Kaczorowski]

Become a jazz musician. You'll then be able to participate in threads like this http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=692122

 

[Ed Fuqua]

I am often reminded of the Steve Swallow quote - "If you want to be a jazz musician, it's the worst job in the world, if you have to be a jazz musician, it's the greatest thing..."

and the story Charlie Haden tells about going to hear the Stan Kenton band with his older brother and then going to the hotel the cats were staying at to hang out and talk to them. Charlie and his brother were talking to them about being jazz musicians and one of the band guys says "Look around kid, we got no money, we live in hotel rooms, eat and drink too much, smoke too much. That's what you have to look forward to..." and Charlie said he remembered thinking at the time "GREAT! When do I start..."

Look, PRUNELLA, the part of the pyramid where you are making a living as a jazz musician is not only pointy, it's very, very small. It takes much more than just playing your ass off and personality, there's a lot of luck involved. And, as fortunes twist and turn, we may be headed into another time where only those who have a deep and abiding love for this music are going to be playing it. While making their digit elsewhere - playing pop music, making sounds for video games, selling video games or teaching at the local high school. This is NOT a field of endeavor you go into because you want to make a living. If this is something that is so compelling to you that HAVE to involve yourself in it, then you do what you have to to scuffle through.

 

[Paul Warburton]

.....but I wouldn't trade what I've seen, done, and maybe more than anything, the fabulous people I've met while playing some wonderful music for anything.
As others have said, you would be well advised to have some kind of other $ source. I was a bass broker....I bought old basses and had my luthier restore so I could turn them around. That kept me in the field of music and allowed me to take playing gigs that were less than desireable in the bread dept. The bass broker biz isn't what it was when I was doing it because there are less instruments available.
Ed's Steve Swallow quote is right on the mark, IMO. I had no choice.
Good luck, you'll need that too.

 

[PRUNEFACE]

I KNOW I have to be in music. I dont know how. Im trying to figure that out. I love, love jazz. I just love other styles at the same time.

 

[Paul Warburton]

When you say that you love other "styles" it confuses me. Jazz is not a style, it's a genre.
Back to the drawing board.

 

[PRUNEFACE]

arent the two interchangeable? i don't mean i want to be wearing a beret and sunglasses in a smokey bar, I mean I appreciate the styles (aka genres) of jazz and classical. Both bring me that "joy" that only music brings. Is it different between the two? yes. How? I dont know yet.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

OK. Good luck with that.
Have a blessed day.

 

[oldfretless]

Carl Fischer's article in Downbeat sheds an interesting light on the matter. but as far as dreams go, if you don't have them, you probably won't acheive them. And, imo, no one should tell anyone not to chase their dreams because they probably won't make it anyway. Just say'in.

 

[jazzbill]

Music is a beautiful hobby, but as a job maybe not so much. If you have to play to pay the rent you'll have to take every gig that comes along. Instead of asking "What's the bread?" when you get a call, you can ask, "Who's the drummer?".

 

[Ed Fuqua]

True dat

 

[fabledsoe]

Yeah, just gotta do it.

I'm doing it myself in Chicago. Although I'm going the school route, getting my M.M. in Jazz Studies. Meeting new people, connecting, remembering names and faces, playing at jam sessions.

It's all types of fun!

 

[Ric5]

A Career as a Jazz Musician

95% of people who choose this career will need a good day job so they can afford to do it.

 

[Paul Warburton]

Or an old lady with some serious bread.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Or an old lady with some serious bread.

Or a very understanding, loving old lady with at least a few crackers of her own and the ability/willingness to make stone soup.

 

[Uncletoad]

Or a very understanding, loving old lady with at least a few crackers of her own and the ability/willingness to make stone soup.

Best line of this thread.

 

[Marc Piane]

Or a very understanding, loving old lady with at least a few crackers of her own and the ability/willingness to make stone soup.

Definitely best line ever and my life to a t.

It's all about what you want to afford. I gig and teach privately. I teach so I don't have to take every gig that comes my way. My wife is a 2nd grade teacher. We have 2 kids, a dog, 2 cats, a house, and 2 cars. We cannot afford big fancy vacations to Europe but we enjoy eachother's company and love and live comfortably.

Prunejuice. As a young person you can't possibly understand that. I don't mean that in a negative way but you just haven't lived enough. You can have dreams but the most important lesson I've learned so far is approach life with an open mind. I've also learned to surround yourself with people that share that approach.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

We cannot afford big fancy vacations to Europe but we enjoy eachother's company and love and live comfortably.

New best line in this thread. That's the bottom line right there. Our house is 30 times older than our newer car, and it's a 2006 model. I wouldn't change a damn thing.