I'm surprised you bring that up in the context that you should get paid more. Of course! I always pay my musicians extra for extra work. How about the musicians should charge more if the leader doesn't understand that by himself?Obviously, if the bandleader is aware of issues in advance, he can price accordingly. I was thinking of situations where these scenarios were discovered at the gig. The post was inspired by a recent gig where I encountered the dumbwaiter/garbage load-in AND an unhelpful caterer. I think that it's unfair to spring hidden charges on a client or band after the fact, as it were. If there were a clearly understood policy though...
On the same subject, here's Psachya Septimus:
Congratulations - you've hit my pet peeve.This is in line with my thoughts. The problem is when this is only discovered at the gig, when it's too late to hire the roadie.
It's not so much the "obnoxious caterers" (ratings system, anyone?) or not feeding the band (you mean bands actually get fed sometimes?). It's the shlepping. And the shlepping. And the shlepping.
Look, I've been in this business almost 20 years. I'm used to the whole "go through the kitchen, past the garbage dump, wait 20 minutes for a freight elevator" routine. I don't even get upset at halls like La Perville (may it rest in peace), where there simply wasn't any elevator, even for the guests. No, what really frosts me is when a hall goes out of its way to make life as difficult as possible for the musicians. The ultimate example - a hall on the Queens bank of the East River. For the guests - an elevator that goes straight up to the bandstand. For the musicians - go two flights up the fire escape over the river - I'm not making this up - and then through a broom closet, with all the brooms intact. This place is one of the very few halls on my "never, ever put me there" list.
I do have a possible solution. Whenever there's a hall that involves extra shleppage (or moving from room to room to room), figure out what a top-notch roadie would charge for the service, and add it to the bill. This, at least, gives us the option of hiring a roadie for specific halls, or at least being compensated for the hassle. Make it very specific: 1) any hall that involves stairs and/or inadequate ramps; 2) any hall that makes you move more than twice; 3) any hall where, because of logistics, you can't set up the sound system until the middle of the affair (AARGH!!); 4) any hall that requires you to ever move the entire sound system during the gig. I would add that any hall that is punitively difficult for musicians (see above example), charge twice the roadie rate. (Anyone from Local 802 reading this?)
There - I'm done. Sorry for the long e-mail, but you hit a nerve.
Alan Watsky writes:
Not surprising that Dorf (knit guy} or the Heeb staff know nothing about JM. More alarming that the "average" Jew knows nothing about it ! If the folks at my schule are any indication ignorance is the rule. Even the frum crowds taste and knowledge is questionable. Where can we start ? Jewish Grammy ? Sure OK. That's a nice thought. We don't even recognize (for the most part) the contributions of the elder statesman of the JM world. Some how the culture has under valued the musicians. If you're not a member of the Philharmonic you're a beggar. If you're not Pearlman; why bother. That seems to be the general attitude. Since the second temple, no music, no gigs for the Levites, and you'll get no respect, dor vador, for an infinity of generations. Its an uphill climb.Rachel writes:
I just found out about your music blog! Wow! Is there a way for you to put a directory of free sheet music more prominently? I teach music and am looking for arrangements and leadsheets for the kids. I am despirately looking for contemporary things...Reva L'Sheva, Lev Tahor, Matisyahu,etc. because when I mention "doing music for a school assembly"...I am swamped with pleas of.."Don't make us do Jewish music like the Rabbi wants." Please any help would be great. I am trying to teach instrumentalists and vocalists that "our music" is COOL.
