John, my "buddies" in the music business have tried to take every job I've ever had; usually by cutting price...in 1/2; sometimes.

As my rep grew, they stopped. Most people I work for won't even talk to replacements, because, now, my relationship with the venue is of a personal nature. I'm part of whatever portion of the social stratus that frequents that place. Ability to play is not the primary business issue.

Mainly, I have developed a market for dinner jazz; a little more sophisticated; no Jimmy Buffet music allowed!

Sadly, undercutting your buddies is a dark part of this business...at least the business of entertaining at clubs.


Russ

This is a difficult situation ... If I have a 'sub' playing a gig for me and there was someone in the audience who liked what he was doing and wanted to hire him, what is the sub to do - turn down the gig? ... It's a different story if the people were there to hear me, and the sub was approached ... In that case I would expect the sub to tell them that they should listen to me as well, and then make up their mind ...

John, what would you do in this situation if you were the one covering for another player and someone wanted to hire you?
I have a good friend of mine who played a private gig at a Country Club and the manager heard him and wants to hire him on a steady basis ... the problem is that my friend knows the other piano player very well so he doesn't know what to do ... again, I ask - does he turn the gig down and open it up for some other piano player to get, or does he talk the the guy who is there now and say "I did not go there looking to replace you, and I am sorry, but I was offered the gig and I am taking it?"

Comments ?!?

If a good player subs for me, is liked by management and is offered a job...that's great. The price cutters who aren't real players are the once I have a problem with.


And, around here, they're EVERYWHERE!


Russ

i get offers from places all the time. If I'm subbing for a friend, I ALWAYS turn the job down. I have a "squeaky clean" rep in the business and I don't want to be accused of stealing a gig.


R.

If I have a fever, vomiting, or have diarrhea, I cancel. If it's a morning gig, I try and have a voice mail or email waiting for the AD when they arrive in the morning to give them a heads up.

If its an afternoon gig, I'll make the call by 10:30am or so...

Usually, they're great about rescheduling...

If I'm just feeling generally crappy or I don't have a voice, I'll contact the AD and be straight with them. Sometimes they say background music is fine, other times they say stay home.

I agree, Bill. If I'm sick, the last thing the AD, or myself, wants is for me to be in there with the high probability of the residents contracting whatever bug I'm ill with. Like yourself, I give them the heads up at the earliest possible opportunity, (most times you know a day or two in advance), and any AD worth their salt will be very happy with that and will reschedule the gig, no problem.

LOL, Tony it may be sunny here but it's not summer like, not beach or pool weather either. Did get to the indoor heated pool yesterday for the first time this season. Too bad I don't have an interest in golf, been perfect weather for it!

Interesting, you are presently just a bit too far north in Florida. Just north of Orlando there has been a sharp delimitation line in afternoon temps from 80F down to 66F today. Bad luck (But still better than our 39F in western Germany.)

Rosetree you certainly know the weather and the geography. You hit the nail on the head, I agree better than 39F at your home and better than the high 20s where we live the majority of the year.