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I liked this part :
Gig Whores are the largest class within the jazz community, and are the easiest to find. They ply their wares in hotel lobbies, restaurants, private parties of all types, and anywhere else that jazz is degraded to an artless commodity and sold to the highest bidder. This is done knowingly and willfully, but not without self-pity; while a Gig Whore may claim to be working "in the trenches," the jazz musician within knows that he's really plumbing untreated musical sewage.
Gig Whores are the largest class within the jazz community, and are the easiest to find. They ply their wares in hotel lobbies, restaurants, private parties of all types, and anywhere else that jazz is degraded to an artless commodity and sold to the highest bidder. This is done knowingly and willfully, but not without self-pity; while a Gig Whore may claim to be working "in the trenches," the jazz musician within knows that he's really plumbing untreated musical sewage.
Sorry pal, with that attitude we all might as well slit our wrists. That cat has way too much time on his hands...
Seriously, I just like to play music.
Seriously, I just like to play music.
FYI, there is also another thread about this article over here.
Personally, I kind of take this as the unwritten positive note of this piece. That is, we all have to go through all the bs Bill mentions, but in the end we do it anyway, because we love it so much.
Personally, I kind of take this as the unwritten positive note of this piece. That is, we all have to go through all the bs Bill mentions, but in the end we do it anyway, because we love it so much.
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
I just took a trio gig in a hotel lobby with a sax player that barely knows which end to blow. $75 and I wear a tux.
Call me a whore all you want but I have bills to pay and I can't pay them sitting at home.
Call me a whore all you want but I have bills to pay and I can't pay them sitting at home.
I hope he was being comical, how can any jazz player write that seriously? We all have to earn our dinner some way.
Well I think there are two ways to look at this and I can see both!
So you are talking about the practical view of the musician, who needs to make a living.
But I can also see this from the point of view of the Jazz fan or audience member who loves Jazz as an Art Form, that has value,meaning and is a big part of 20/21st Century culture.
I can see some Jazz as works of art on a par with Da Vinci,Michelangelo,Mozart,Beethoven etc. etc.
So when I see classical music used to advertise products on TV it feels "debased" and I can see a similar view of Jazz used as "musical wallpaper" ....it's taking something I love and respect and removing the meaning and value ...
Well I think there are two ways to look at this and I can see both!
So you are talking about the practical view of the musician, who needs to make a living.
But I can also see this from the point of view of the Jazz fan or audience member who loves Jazz as an Art Form, that has value,meaning and is a big part of 20/21st Century culture.
I can see some Jazz as works of art on a par with Da Vinci,Michelangelo,Mozart,Beethoven etc. etc.
So when I see classical music used to advertise products on TV it feels "debased" and I can see a similar view of Jazz used as "musical wallpaper" ....it's taking something I love and respect and removing the meaning and value ...
I see what you're saying, but IME I have never treated a jazz gig, or any gig as anything less than art. Even if I'm playing the crappiest "aural wallpaper" gig I still give 100% of myself to it. Most musicians I've played with do too.
I understand what a privilege and honor it is to have the opportunity and ability to play music.
As far as music being debased, well I don't agree. If people are getting some exposure to great music even if it's to sell a car or some other item, they are still being reached. I think keeping the art away from the "common folk" is part of the reason everybody thinks "art" music is losing it's audience.
Just enjoy the music and get over the rest.
Well if you do that - that's fine - but the suspicion is that if nobody is really listening, then why should it be treated seriously or with 100% concentration...?
+1, well said, although I'm not thrilled with the idea of using music that wasn't originally created for advertising purposes to sell something.
kinda like when they used Take 5 to sell Infinity?
ya know, for the common folk...
He's definitely joking. He has a great (if dark) sense of humor. He wrote that famous jazz jam session rules piece a while back. There's more on his website. I like the Jazz Math piece. Here are a couple of examples:
4 + 4.125 + 4 + 3.875 + 4 + (4.667) + 4 + (x, where x is unknown) = 1 chorus trading with drummer.
Jam session + eighth-note rest = missed opportunity.
Well, for me and most of the people I have had the pleasure to play with we use the fact that people may not be listening to take chances and have fun. Whenever we decided to just have fun while playing it usually turns a few heads. I had made a choice to avoid the folks who don't share this attitude, it makes for a miserable gig.
Same here. To me, playing at less than 100% only results in short changing yourself and those around you. Nobody I play with does that, thankfully. It would be like trying to save up your energy for later, to be spent only when it really counts. The process is what energizes you, and it is self-generated and infinitely renewable. If it's not, I think it's time to look at another line of work.
IMHO.
IMHO.
