It's tough being a jazz musician

[Guest]

I am in Belgrade at the moment, for work, and have just come back from a restaurant down on the river called Iguana. It's an upmarket, :cool2: place and the food was interesting and excellent. They also had live jazz: a proper stage, sound system, grand piano, monitors, etc. The band were doing jazz standards but were all absolutely excellent musicians. However, apart from me, no one took a blind bit of notice or applauded, not even at the end of the set (except me and they were pleased but slightly shocked that anyone paid them any attention). These guys probably get paid a pittance but, money aside, it must be tough to play to a bunch of people who barely recognise your existence.

[Mr Pee]

Having spent some time in military bands, where a fairly regular gig was playing for Officer's dining-in nights, in which we were completely ignored except for the National Anthem and the Post Horn Galop, I enjoyed playing the music, even it was basically wallpaper, and of course, one is still being paid for doing something one loves. That certainly helps make up for an unappreciative audience.

[Rumbaba]

Not Jazz, but I think Jim Dickinson's 'Violin Bums' captures the whole vibe with the line 'To them I'm just a cigarette in the dark, just a cigarette' . BTW, I don't approve of smoking while you're playing - very unprofessional.

[MrGongGong]

Having spent some time in military bands, where a fairly regular gig was playing for Officer's dining-in nights, in which we were completely ignored except for the National Anthem and the Post Horn Galop, I enjoyed playing the music, even it was basically wallpaper, and of course, one is still being paid for doing something one loves. That certainly helps make up for an unappreciative audience.

What a remarkable degree of empathy you display for your fellow musicians !
I think there's a world of difference between the salaried, paid holiday, pension, sick pay world of the military band and the world of the freelancer ........

[Mr Pee]

Of couse there is, but the basic fact remains that whether people are listening or not, one is still being paid for doing something that -hopefully- one loves, and that therefore one can take pleasure from it, even if the half the people in the hall are barely aware of your existence.