Fran, I'm the highest paid guy in the area. Two jobs tonight with a net to me of over $800.00. It's just that I don't need to count on playing income for a living anymore. That means I don't need to and won't play anything I don't like or want to. The early job tonite is an arranger job that I'm not crazy about. I'll turn it down next time. If I didnt play out at all, I'd still have sound scores which pay several times more than any live player/entertainer in the area, although there are some real compromises there, too.

Fan, Gary and Donny are entertainers. I'm not. Entertainers get the most satisfaction from audience response. Mine is internal, but obviously has to involve satisfying a select group of music buffs. That's why type of music (jazz) and collaboration with like-minded musicians is key. If I have to trade a $500.00 single arranger job for a $600 trio job and pay players $300 ($150 each), I can choose to do that (and will) without causing a problem for my family or myself.Increasingly, that $300 goes to my son and grandson.

Again, guys, no intent here at all to say that other approaches to the business are not right for others. Arrangers are great tools. Just not my primary one(s) at this time.


Be well,


Russ