Playing music for cash...

Recently I have been catching up with an old friend from high school. Today he said something that I have found really interesting. "I always wondered if playing in a band...for gigs/money/etc. would tend to get to a person after a while. Meaning that in the beginning it was fun and playing the music was great, but then it would turn into more of a job and not be so much fun." I have been thinking about this and I feel that it is a very important observation.

I have been playing trumpet for 15 years now, the past 7 being the most serious. I have played trumpet as my sole source of income at times, other times I have gone for two months without playing in front of anyone. I can safely say that it has not gotten to me yet. Here is why...

When it stops being fun, stop! (....and look for the fun!)

Yeah, thats pretty much it.

At more than one point in college I swore I would quit. I missed out on camping trips, frisbee games and some of the other fun things my friends were up to. Sometimes I would quit for a few days. I would lock my horn up and go away. I would start to feel drowsy, irritable and lost. I would go back. All of the problems had not gone away, but it was more fun than not playing.

When I started playing gigs they had to be fun because I certainly was not getting paid much. I had a weekly gig once that was 3 hours long and the band made a total of $200 bucks. At the time I thought that was pretty good, I would get $40 and beers cost $1. Since gig money was not accounted for in my personal budget, that meant that I could have 40 beers per week and not stray from my fiscal plan. On top of that I got to play with 4 other musicians who became good friends of mine. It was like getting paid to play catch!

After college I moved to the "big city" and decided to take some serious time off. I was feeling burned out and maybe this was not what I wanted to do. A week later I found myself carting my horn down to the bar where I would sit in with some local players who have backed up just about every major act to come through town. I had no business there, but again it was fun and I made some new friends.

Then there was the one night that I went out with my best friend to see a show. (In case you aren't getting the theme here, we were having FUN!) After the show I met a tall redheaded guy who ran a band. They were not really in need of a trumpet player but gave me his card and told me to come out. 6 months later I was playing in the Winnipeg Jazz Festival with the Jack Brass Band. About 3 years later we would get booked to play a corporate event in Vegas. I would meet a tall brown haired girl and marry her. This was also fun...

Now I am getting ready to travel to England and get to play in front of an international audience. My passport was a total headache and I was about ready to tear off the band leaders head if I had answer, "Did it come yet?" one more time. We will be given the the opportunity to work with music students and teach them about what we do. How do you teach someone to have fun?

I guess my point here is, yes I get paid to play my horn. Yes, the money and logistics always get in the way of the fun. Yes, practicing 2 hours a day can be a drag. Getting to travel, enjoy life, meet people and do something that makes others enjoy life a little more is something you can't put a value on.

Getting ready to go accross the pond!

My departure for England is fast approaching and everything is falling into place! After twelve weeks of waiting and a congressional order, I received my US passport on Saturday. The picture looks like me (mostly) and it says I am cleared to travel. We also found out that we will be staying at Hatifield College in Durham. I went to their web page and it looks like a pretty beautiful place. (http://www.dur.ac.uk/hatfield.college/accommodation/buildings_and_rooms/)

The tour schedule is also starting to lock in, looks like the sixth of July is an open date in case our flights are delayed. From there on out we are booked every day! There should be time on one of the days to make our way out of town and see some of the countryside. My initial plans of going to a Wimbledon tennis match will not work out. Next time....

The coming days will see me busy packing and planning. I also should get some much needed time in on the horn, after all that's why I am going in the first place!

ReBirth ReDeux...

About once a year my favorite band rolls through (or near) town and I get to go out and hear them. Last nights show was as good as I have ever heard. Generally, with the ReBirth Brass Band, you can expect a display of sheer force. 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, a sax, a tuba and 2 drummers will do that. Last night however was different.

The overall feel was reminiscent of their album "Live at the Maple Leaf". Kabuki (pictured) was in rare form as he lead the band through their two hour show. The rhythm section was classic ReBirth, using two against three patterns to drive the crowd into a frenzy. The most notable improvement was the saxophone playing of Vincent Broussard. He is the youngest member of the band but is quickly becoming a mainstay both in his stage presence and musicianship.

ReBirth!

Favorite band ever...ReBirth Brass Band...in town tonight...full review first thing in the AM!!!!

First one eh'?

So, this is the first shot at this puppy! I have been keeping a marginally successful blog on tumblr.com. I think it is time to step it up a notch...give blogger a shot. Keep in mind I have little regard for hard facts and proven philosophies. By coming here one time, you have already expressed a passing interest in my life and thoughts...or at least what I might think about other peoples lives and thoughts.

A few things you should know about me before bookmarking this page or subscribing via RSS...1.) I am a IT professional who dabbles in technology and dreams of being like Ralph Waldo Emerson. 2.) I think that it might be possible to someday play music for a living. 3.) I tried being a vegetarian once and other than the part where I had an extreme distaste for veggies, soy products and flax seed oil it was a wonderful experience. So good in fact that I decided it sinful to lead such a divine existence and switched back to a "fully leaded" diet.

With that in mind, subscribe at your own risk. I play in a band, am taking a trip to England soon and just bought a house. There is bound to be something interesting here at least once every three hundred and sixty one days.