Donny, I couldn't agree more. Russ, you've had a fantastic life and have positioned yourself to be able to share some of your gifts with others (from Buddhist Monks to jazz audiences). As Donny says, forget those 'regrets' and enjoy the great life you've carved out for yourself. MY only regret, is that there are not more substantive people like you in the jazz community.

chas

Chas, one thing I struggle with is, I put substantial backing behind a local jazz education program for disadvantaged kids. I fund a program that annually involves over 50 kids. All get lessons, a place to hang out and can earn instruments with successful completion. And yet, when it gets right down to it, knowing what I know about the jazz lifestyle, I'm not sure I can unconditionally recommend choosing jazz as a lifetime career. It's sad that something so deep and meaningful on one level is so capable of causing frustration, poverty, etc.

When I sold my farm in 2000, I set up a charitable trust which generates around $75,000 annually. I add an equal amount from my personal assets/income, and play one job a week which goes to a group dedicated to nursing home reform (about $15,000 annually for that group).

But I could do more. I still have 5 new cars, 4 new motorcycles, old restored cars and scooters, airplanes, 300 plus stringed instruments, 12 keyboards, two homes, other property...way too many "toys"... too many possessions that could be sold to help others. I could easily add a 2nd charity job a week.

Sometimes, I think, on both the music side and on the "making a difference" side, I've done a half-assed job.

Growing up, I could never afford school lunch (I bought lunch for my brothers) and spent lots of time in the hospital with injuries inflicted by a crazy parent.

Now, It's country clubs, expensive meals, jewelry...too much unneeded stuff. In the meantime, a full year of college in Laos only costs $150.00...less than I paid for dinner with the grandkids last night.

And while I talk a good jazz game, the majority of my music income comes from forgettable "pablum" film scores that fat corporations pay entirely too much for.

I'm happy for what I have, but a little embarrased about it, and am re-thinking things at this stage of my life.

It feels good to do things for others, and doing more is the direction I'm going to go in the future. I know what it's like to have nothing, and can't get the millions who are now in that position out of my head.

I know...I'll start an effort to buy chicken hats for all...


Sorry for the rant...


Russ

hey Russ maybe you could involved with a great cause like this.
http://www.nolamusiciansvillage.com/

Thanks, Donny. It's on the list of "possibles"!

R.

Russ, I think you might be over-worrying about teaching jazz to youngsters... You yourself have managed to put a good life together, despite the handicap of being a jazz aficionado, why not them?!

It is up to each individual to learn how to incorporate the influences and work ethic that studying jazz bring, into a career in music. A jazz education doesn't HAVE to be a death sentence in the commercial world. But one of the things to instill is that jazz doesn't have to be a SOLE passion...

I see all too many fine youngsters RUINED by adopting attitudes that their teachers have at jazz college, that unfortunately I see a little bit in yourself, from time to time... And that attitude is that basically ALL music other than jazz is somehow inferior, that jazz is the pinnacle of expression, and to play anything else for a living is an admission of failure.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Jazz is a wonderful form of music, a true American artform, but it is not the only game in town. Classical music demands at least (if not more!) dedication and technique, and most popular forms of music need skills that, let's face it, will never be achieved by most (otherwise we'd ALL be having hits!). Ethnic and folk musics need the pupil to be as steeped in the form as jazz, otherwise it becomes a melange, and loses it's purity. Film music, as you know, requires skills WAY beyond a jazz education.

But all too many jazz educators look down on ANYTHING other than jazz at it's highest level, and that attitude is contagious, especially to young, unformed minds. It is no less blinkered than classical academics pooh-poohing anything but SERIOUS classical music. Or some yahoo going 'HEAVY METAL RULES!' at the top of his lungs

Music, in all it's forms, is a wide and deep ocean, but restrict young minds to just one lake, even if it is a Great Lake, and yes, you DO limit them later in life, even if it is just a sad dissatisfaction with having achieved great success in the music business, but not in the jazz field. What a terrible legacy to leave a youngster, the disdain for his own success

But encourage them to treat ALL forms of music more evenly, and you might just save them some of your worries down the line... Enjoy your success, and be content that many jazz greats achieved their best commercial successes by playing some of their LEAST adventurous material. Even they acknowledged that the public needs the hard stuff watered down a little!

But it sure didn't stop them from going out after the session, and blowing their hearts out to a small, devoted audience in a tiny jazz club AFTERWARDS... Best of both worlds!

Diki, you hit pretty close to home. I DO think that, for me and ONLY me, every music form pales next to jazz and classical, and often regret the fact that I wasn't committed enough to commit my life to it. Many of the players I admire are equally comfortable in both jazz and classical formats.

At least I had the sense to evaluate the lives of my heroes and decide that they were, in some cases, tortured souls.

I took the rational, safe route. Music was 1/3 of my interests. Art/graphics, film production, academic research and associated activities made up the rest. That's probably why I took the path I took. I liked other things as much as I did music. And I wanted to have a better life for me and my family than I had growing up.

Don't worry. The program we run is not completely jazz focused. I make sure of that. We start with talented disadvantaged kids, get them into a safe environment, give them a chance to earn a good quality instrument and connect them with a mentor who plays the kind of music they're interested in. Several early participants went on to the Eastman School of music, and a couple are successful gigging musicians in Chicago. Three now have their Masters in Music.

I have a personal satisfaction issue. Playing anything other than jazz is not fulfilling to me. When the check comes in for a sound score, the satisfaction is the money and the overall effectiveness of the film, not the final musical product (you heard one of my roughs...they're ALL that boring).

That's the great challenge, I think. Fulfilling work does not pay well,for me, at least, whether it's art, music, copy, graphics...whatever. Great paying work is often unimaginative, generic, etc.

The trick is to find a place where you're comfortable and enjoy it.

My problem is, I'm TOO comfortable and haven't accomplished anything noteworthy, at least in my mind, except for helping others.

I guess that's not all bad.


Russ

That's great Russ its a super good cause.....Nice thing for them all to do....
I do my part by frequently shopping in Habitat For Humanity Stores around here, I bought quite alot of furniture there knowing the money goes to people in need.



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 05-15-2008).]

24 hours in a day, 365 days in a year, Russ.

Surely a LITTLE of that can be spared to do something for 'art's sake' with no commercial consideration at all?

If it IS that important, making the time is a way to reclaim your soul. Next time you have a good session rhythm section in the studio, take ten minutes of their time and lay down a few grooves, find a core group of players you WANT to explore with, and have at it! It will make their day, and make them WANT to come back and work on it again! (You might get a price break next time... )

Diki, having fun isn't the issue for me. It is commitment that I couldn't make to music as my single professional focus, failure to accomplish things musically that my peers would recognize and respect and general disappointment in the lack of compensation/widespread recognition for superior jazz performances/innovations in general.

My job for a Jazz Arts support organization last night involved University level sidemen
playing traditional bebop at a charity event. We had blast. Everyone made $150.00 and was glad to get it.

Last month, I turned down a session on B-3 with a local guy who is a multiple Grammy winner in the Country field (an arrogant redneck jerk). Pay: about $1800.00 for the session and 2 points. That would probably have amounted to an additional $24-5,000.00 over the next 6 months and residuals after that.

I just need to accept the situation as it is, be thankful for what I have and the fact that I'm still working and concentrate on the things that bring me pleasure...family, teaching, charity work, contributions and successful projects completed by my company.

Not sure I deserve to be where I am, and am going to make helping others and helping as many as possible become exposed to music my primary focus.

Still won't wear a chicken hat or play music or venues I don't like.


So, THERE!


Russ