Duke Ellington

Beethoven

I hope the title above doesn’t sound contentious. I truly don’t believe that there is a battle between the jazz and classical worlds. However, I believe that many musicians do believe that one must make a choice between playing jazz or classical.

Let’s make it very clear here that playing jazz and classical well takes years of practice and devotion. One is not easier than the other and just because a musician can play jazz doesn’t mean they can also play classical and vice-verse. I have one foot firmly placed in the jazz world (I do have a Masters degree in Jazz Studies) and my other foot firmly placed in the classical world (I sub quite often in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra) and I work hard maintaining a high playing level in both fields and I never take that for granted.

As I have been traveling down both paths, the more I realize how similar the paths are. When I think about how I want to play jazz, this is what I think about:

1. Playing with a good sound (ALWAYS!!)
2. Playing with good time
3. Playing stylistically correct
4. Playing with good technique
5. Playing with good and clear articulations
6. Playing with a studied knowledge of the music
7. Being a nice person to those around me (so I get hired again!)

The above list are the exact points I think about when I’m playing classical music! So, yes, there are differences between jazz and classical styles, but there are more similarities and those similarities are what I have been working on. And that work has paid off. I do several gigs a month with one of my various jazz groups (Standard(ish) Jazz Trio, Trombononymous, Elevator Up!) and I have won a bass trombone position with the Sinfonia da Camera orchestra in Urbana Illinois.

In future blogs, I will go into detail of what I am practicing for each classical, jazz, bass trombone and tenor trombone. These topics can be useful to musicians on any instrument that want to make themselves as marketable as possible to work as much as possible in these hard economic times.

RBD and mda have both moved on from our untimely departure from our previous jobs (read our blog ‘Struggling Arts Hits Home’ directly after we lost our jobs). mda has found a great new home with the Percussive Arts Society or PAS, where he is now the Director of Marketing and Communications. Congrats to you mda!!

I, however, has gone a slightly different path. Instead of hitting the pavement and going out and looking for another job (hopefully within the arts industry), I decided that since I had enough gigs and money saved up to pay bills through the calendar year, I would invest my time into the bass trombone, tenor trombone, orchestral trombone and jazz trombone. My goal was (and still is) to become a solid player on both the bass trombone and tenor trombone in both the jazz and classical worlds. No small order to be sure.

I’ve always had one foot in the classical world and one foot in the jazz world. I work in both and have been successful in both. But I wanted to be the best all around player. I wanted to be able to go do a small group jazz gig on my tenor trombone, and turn around and win a bass trombone orchestral audition. Well, five months later, I’m getting closer and closer to my goal.

I recently won a position with the Sinfonia da Camera out of Urbana Illinois, conducted by Ian Hobson and I am also on contract with the Anderson Symphony Orchestra in Anderson Indiana conducted by Rick Sowers. These are two small orchestras with a grand total of 12 concerts I’ll play, but its a start and I’ll be blogging about each orchestra as the season unfurls. Each orchestra has a good brass section, clear and easy going conductors and are playing good repertoire so it should be a fun season of playing!

Later this week, I’ll be blogging about working within the Jazz and Classical world and expanding on how I am practicing for each genre!

1. The tempo a conductor chooses is very important and really can make or break the performance by the musicians.

2. Soprano Sara Jakubiak and Tenor Sean Panikkar both have extremely strong voices and were quite impressive.  Best part of the night was certainly each of their performances.  The future is bright when there are vocalists out there like these two!

3. Just because it is a popular piece and there are a lot of people on the stage (orchestra, soloists and choir) does not mean the performance deserves a standing ovation and about five callbacks.  I know this has been a discussion RBD and I have had many times in the past and maybe we should revisit the discussion once again.  It could start by reminding everyone what a standing ovation is meant to signify.

-mda

However, I want to touch upon one young composer and jazz musician.  Steve Lehamn.  He, like other young composers, have begun really looking at more of the ‘avant garde’ side of each discipline and how to connect them.  *note: I am not always a fan of the term ‘avant garde’ and yet I find myself using it quite a bit.  Too late to change now…*

And yet, I feel Lehman’s music is still very accessible for people.  There is still an underlying ease of groove, for lack of a better word, whether you are listening to his jazz compositions or contemporary compositions.  It’s people like Steve Lehman that still gets me excited about new music.  Granted, it’s not hard to get me excited when it comes to new music pushing the boundaries of the jazz or classical world; however, this music is even better.  That’s how I have always been, whether we are talking about music, art or literature.

The first video will give you insight into Lehman’s work within the contemporary classical world.  Four great compositions by Steve Lehman. The second video gives you insight into Steve’s compositional process and his work within the jazz world.  I will put in a plug and strongly urge you to check out his album Steve Lehman Octet: Travail, Transformation and Flow (the second video is a live show of music from that album).  It truly is a great album to listen to and feels just as fresh today as it did when released in 2009.

ICElab at LPR | Impossible Flow: Music of Steve Lehman from ICE on Vimeo.

Jazzlink# 8 : Steve Lehman from Josselin Carré on Vimeo.

So take the step and check out some of this new music.  Find these musicians who are pushing the boundaries and making new things.  It really is exciting and there is so much to take in.  It shows that the arts, although not supported like it should be, is still trying to move forward and be a force within humanity.  If enough of us check it out and support it, maybe things will change.

~mda

"Did we blow something up?"

mda: As we all know, these economic times have been quite hard for the arts as orchestras declare bankruptcy, funding dries up and schools end arts education which is killing the future supporters.  Yes, this may become somewhat of a doom-and-gloom post, but we feel it is still important to discuss.  It may not be a new discussion out there, but RBD and I now have first-hand knowledge of how it is as we both find ourselves without employment at this time.  Now I know I can say this for both of us: we are not bitter about losing our positions.  It happens and we must move on and we will grow from it.  Plus, I know both of us are quite intelligent and we will find bigger and better opportunities very soon.  So let’s start a discussion here, why don’t I let RBD start it off.

RBD:Yes, there are lots of people out there that have lost their jobs and we join a rather large segment of the population who are looking for jobs. However, being in the arts, the jobs we are looking for you won’t find in the

Connections are important. Don't burn bridges...

paper, or job boards on the internet. Being in the arts gives us unique connections where we can begin looking for new employment. As this discussion takes shape, our journeys will differ as I have a foot in the ‘industry’ side of the arts and another foot in the ‘performance’ side. As we document our different (and yet similar) paths, we hope that other people can learn from our failures and our successes. (emphasis on SUCCESSES!) So, mda, what have you been doing to find new employment?

Mind your CV

mda:Well I must say the most important thing that has been beneficial is the connections I have made in the Indy arts scene over the past 6 years or so.  The most beneficial aspect has been talking with those connections and keeping my ear to the ground for any positions that may arise.  As RBD mentioned, my journey is a little

Have we mentioned that Connections are important? They are!!

different as I find myself more on the ‘industry’ side as my performing career is not as extensive as my compatriot.  So the most important thing I have found as my search continues is to create a well-written cover letter, know your material and be able to speak properly and knowledgeable.  Now that might sound like easy things to do or ‘no-brainers,’ but I do believe people don’t really pay attention to the details.  Details is what can separate you from the competition.  It’s true…deal with it the right way!  How about you, RBD?  What do you think about the connections you have made and how has that helped with the performance side?

RBD: Compatriot? Well, okay, I’ll accept that. Yes, mda, details and words matter and they are important. Don’t forget that. To answer your question about connections, I would have to say that, YES, connections are very, very important. When we were ‘let go’ from our illustrious record label positions, I immediately had a beer, then played a gig later that night. Soon there-after, I created a list of people I have played/worked for in the past and people I have gotten to know through the job I had just lost. My list ended up being around 45 people long. I called and/or emailed almost all of them in the first week and have heard some very positive responses. The one things I haven’t done yet is to create a couple versions of my resume and create a CV (kind of a long-form resume). I have a nice resume now for performance, but not the business/industry side of things. I think now is the perfect time to (for me at least) to set a goal, maybe even an outlandish goal, but really set up a clear and functional direction I want to take for the future. This is what I believe right now: I don’t want to take any job, just to take a job. I also don’t believe there is a ‘perfect job’, ‘out there’, ‘waiting for me’, like some golden goat waiting to be milked. This is the perfect opportunity to reset and figure out what will ultimately make me happy in the long run. Am I being too selfish? Is this even possible? What do you think mda?

mda: I think you are on to something there, my friend.  We are both “at that age” where it is nice to think of stability (whatever that really means) and not just settling on a ‘job’ certainly doesn’t allow for that stability.  It really is about happiness at the same time.  However, unfortunately it is also about paying the bills and paying for the outlandish gas prices right now.  There is that fine line one must walk to make sure they do not find themselves in trouble.  However, that being said, I do not believe either of us will fall in that.  The thing about resume/CV that I have found interesting throughout this process has been things I have done in the past that I either forgot about or did not look at it as ‘worthy to mention’ until my friends and colleagues looked at my material and showed me my mistakes.  So Rule Number ‘Whatever Number We Are On Right Now’: show your material to as many people as you can before you submit.  They almost always will see something differently than you and it will ultimately help you out.

RBD: Yeah, never underestimate the power and knowledge of your friends in and out of your professional area. It’s easy to get dark at a time like this and no potential employer wants to hire a dark/depressed person. We both have to be upbeat and positive and know that we are a valuable asset to any future place of employment. What do you see, mda, as a rule about what to put on a resume and how to word it? Let’s take for an example your occasional co-guest-hosting of my radio show ‘Have You Heard’? How do you make that sound as best as it can be?

mda:  Well, I talk to the actual host and see how he would like me to word everything.  But I remember when we were discussing this, it became more of a conversation and we mutually came up with the correct wording of how to describe the show.  One thing that came up that we didn’t remember beforehand was the fact that there are interviews with national and international musicians on the show.  This was and important fact that obviously may present the show in a different light than saying it is just a local radio show.  You know what I mean?  I remember while I was working on my resume/CV, another friend felt it might be better to display a certain committee work I have had in the past as a separate area than placing it in my ‘Additional Experience’ section.  I didn’t even think of that, but it certainly makes sense.  Again, it’s the finer details…

Aldi is Awesome!

RBD: Yes, it’s the finer details that matter. Details matter. Words matter. The correct definition of words matter and the correct speling of words matter too. My advice to myself, you and anybody out there looking for a job is this: Create a community of people in your field, don’t be ashamed to tell them of your predicament, have them review your resume/CV and never give up. Also, start shopping at Aldi‘s, get another roommate and find out when and where the beer/drink specials are. You can thank me later.

mda: Hey, buddy….check your spelling.

Here we are, March 31st, 2011, sitting at The Aristocrat Pub & Restaurant watching a couple games for the beginning of what looks like will be an incredible season.

Currently we are watching the Detroit Tigers take on the New York Yankees in the Bronx. We also have the Cincinnati Reds game on as they take on the  Milwaukee Brewers in Cincinnati.

mda: Oh it is great to have baseball back.  No talk of player lockouts or any of that junk.  Baseball is in a good position right now and life couldn’t be better.  The Yankees are really looking good right now.  Sabathia with a decent outing and Texiera and Granderson each with monster homeruns.  The Brewers are lighting up the Reds with homeruns galore…I am sure that makes you happy, eh?

RBD: Indeed. Being a staunch St. Louis Cardinal fan, I have to say that seeing the Cincinnati Reds struggle isn’t a bad thing! That being said, I do love the game of baseball and can appreciate the fact that the NL Central is going to be a tough division. The Brewers are playing really well and are  making an already tough division even tougher. The Yankees are doing what they normally do, play good consistent baseball. There are really no bad players on the Yankee team, anybody at anytime can be the ‘hero’ of the game. They spread the love around. Baseball in that regard is a pretty democratic game, which makes it fun, fun, fun to watch!

mda: Yes sir.  The defensive plays in these two games have been top-notch!  I think that has been the most exciting part of the opening day for me so far.  So shall we make some predictions for the MLB Season?  I’ll start.  I have to go with my Yankees winning the AL East.  AL Central I think will go to the Twins.  AL West is a little more of a toss-up…I think the Oakland A’s will surprise the Rangers and beat them out.  Boston will finish up with the Wild Card.  NL West will go to the Giants once again.  NL Central will be crazy close between the Reds, Brewers and Cardnals but I have to think that LaRussa will put the Cards on top.  And my surprise pick will be the Braves over the Phillies in the NL East.  Phillies will have to live with the Wild Card.  World Series:  Yankees over the Giants in 6.  (sorry RBD, if Wainwright would not have gone down for the season, I think they would have made it).

RBD: Well, certainly losing Adam Wainwright hurt the Cardinals outlook this season, but I do think they will persevere. Predictions? OK, I got ‘em. Starting the the NL West, I believe the Giants will once again take the division. The NL Central will be tough, tough, tough, but I do believe the Cardinals will surprise a bunch of people and take the division. The NL East is also going to be a tough place to play, but I agree that the Atlanta Braves, if they can stay healthy, will win. The Brewers in the NL Central will take the Wild Card. Yeah, I said it. Moving to the AL West, I’d like to think that the Angels will win that division, yeah. AL Central will be taken by the Twins. They have a new park, lots of talent and good energy. The AL East, will more than likely be the RAYS!! Yeah, the RAYS! The Yankees will get the Wild Card. I’ll have to predict the Cardinals making it all the way to the World Series where they will meet the Twins and win in 5. BAM!

mda: If either of us are right, the other must buy a 6-pack of the winner’s favorite beer.  Deal?

RBD: Dude if either of us are right, we should get some national attention, besides, just a 6-pack? Let’s make it interesting. How about  if either of us are correct, the other buys the beer throughout the World Series. Now THAT’s a bet! As we’ve been writing all of this, Mariano Riveria has entered the game. He’s 42 and easily a first ballot entrant into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He’s looking good so far!

mda: And Granderson with an amazing catch…his third of the game!  And your deal? That’s a deal.  If there are any patrons out there on the web-o-sphere who would like to purchase World Series tickets for us if the Yankees and/or Cardinals make the World Series, we will gladly accept your patronage.

RBD: Indeed, in fact ANY tickets anybody would like to buy us for any Yankee or Cardinal game, we’d take ‘em! Now we’re moving on the St. Louis Cardinals game over in St. Louis as they take on the San Diego Padres. Should be a GREAT game! GO CARDINALS!!

1. Have a trust fund that can support you until you die.
2. Pick another career path.

Frustrating huh? What I’m trying to say is that it is NOT easy to succeed in the Arts, but it IS possible.

Far too often, people come up to me and say:  ”Man, you’re so lucky! You have so many gigs and  it seems like you’re working all the time! How do you do it?”

My response goes something like this: “Luck equals preparation meeting opportunity! I’m not lucky, I just work hard and take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to me.”

Then they leave me alone. (Job well done.)

Seriously though, luck has nothing to do with my success. And anyway, what is success?

First:
You must define what success means to you.

Success is defined like this in the dictionary:
SUCCESS:
1.the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors
2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like
3. a successful performance or achievement
4. a person or thing that is successful

So what does success mean to you? How do you define success?

Do you want to play every night?
Do you want to travel?
Do you want to write/arrange?
Do you want to teach?
Do you want to simply play your instrument?
Do you want to work a day-job?
Do you NOT want to work a day-job?
Do you want to play in an orchestra?
Do you want to play in a big band?
Do you want to play the best music all the time no matter what the cost?

Are you willing to make sacrifices in your life to achieve these goals?

As soon as you can define what success means to you, you can begin achieving it.

Have a general idea of what your life will look like. It doesn’t have to be set in stone. It should be malleable, yet set firmly in reality. For example, I will not define success for me like this:

I want to be the best trombone player in the history and future of the entire world. I would also like an island, shaped like a trombone named after me.

Ain’t gonna happen. But my actual general idea of what I want my life to look like goes something like this:

I want to play great music.
I want to play great music with incredible musicians.
I want to play great music with incredible musicians and be able to pay bills and life comfortably.

If I can achieve 2 out the 3 above, I consider that a success.

So, set goals and work a little everyday to achieve them.

How do you do that?

Networking:

“It’s not WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know.”

-Who you know will get you in the door and what you know will keep you there!

Networking is now a 24/7 endeavor! Through Social Media, you have the potential to connect/interact with your fans and your potential fans at any time and they have access to YOU.

So, how does Social Media fit into all this?

A simple question with a simple yet very complicated answer:

Create and maintain an online presence

• Website
• Blog
• Facebook
• ReverbNation
• YouTube
• Twitter
• MySpace (not so much anymore)

Social Media is a place to share your views and thoughts, not just for promotional use.

• Engage with your audience/fans
• Make sure you’re in a two-way conversation with people consistently
• Leave comments, don’t just ‘Like’, interact
• Drive web traffic to one place of your choosing based on your goals.

All the above is your new ‘day-job’.

But…”My music should speak for itself”. That’s just great and I’m happy for you and your music SHOULD represent you, but if no one is there to hear it, then the music is speaking only to itself and not potential paying fans.

TIPS and THOUGHTS:

-  Tell people WHEN and WHERE you are playing!
- Go out and meet fellow artists, get to know them
- Pass out business cards as you collect them. Email your new ‘acquaintances’, be polite
- Social Media doesn’t replace the ‘old’ marketing/networking, it enhances
- Shut up and LISTEN!
- Ask Questions
- Read blogs! Check these out:

Music Think Tank
One Working Musician
Indianapolis Social Media
Owl Studios Blog
Createquity
The Jazz Artist Survival Guide
NPR: A Blog Supreme

In conclusion:

There is no fool-proof method to promotion. Don’t let the non-music activities interfere with the musical activities. Find a good balance, take chances. If something doesn’t work, stop doing it, but be patient. This is a slow developing business. Eventually, if you keep at it, with a consistent presence on-line, you will begin to see a nice Return On Investment (ROI) and you will meet or exceed your original goals!

Dr. Paul Bro

As some already know, my undergraduate degrees come from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana.  I spent 5 great years as a student of the Department of Music. (Congrats on the Department of Music becoming a School of Music this year!)  One of the main reasons I chose ISU over places like Indiana University, University of Cincinnati and others was because of the size of the classes, allowing for more personal development with the professors, and the saxophone instructor Dr. Paul Bro.  Paul taught me quite a bit about playing the saxophone, being a performer and studying music.  Every once in a while I try to make it back to ISU to catch up with the professors, support my alma mater and hear some great classical saxophone.  January 26 was one of those evenings.  Paul performed five great pieces by Mark-Anthony Turnage, Paul Bonneau, Lori Laitman, Charles Koechlin and Marcel Mihalovici.  I won’t do a run down review of each piece here, but I will say each one was great and it was absolutely wonderful to hear Paul perform again.  It always makes me feel great to think I am still welcome as a part of the classical saxophone community even though I rarely have a chance to perform anymore.  So thanks Paul for a great recital.  I especially liked your rendition of the Bonneau Caprice en forme de Valse and Lori Laitman’s beautiful work I Never Saw Another Butterfly, a setting of six poems written by children in the Terezin concentration camp during World War II (I strongly suggest everyone to seek out this collection of poetry and read them…haunting beauty in all of them).  So thank you Paul, I can’t wait to hear your next recital.

-mda

These, however are thoughts outside of the event that I wanted to voice to see if anybody shared my opinion and frustrations. Here they are:

1.     How is it that I didn’t know about this talk until the day of the event? In fact, I found out about this event a few hours before hand. I subscribe to EVERY DAMN ART LIST IN THIS CITY, and I don’t find out that my mentor, my friend, my favorite person David Baker was talking until a few hours before? Really!!??? Come on people! Help me out here! Send out a PR, send an email, post something on your Facebook wall, get this info OUT THERE!!!!

2.     The second thing that I was bothered by was the fact that the microphones didn’t work. The panel was all outfitted with wireless clip-on mics and NONE OF THEM WORKED! The talk was only and hour long. 25% of that time was spent with the staff of the IMA figuring out the sound so that the audience could hear. An incredible waste of time that the audience had to endure.  I felt it was also disrespectful of the very patient panel that was assembled to address the audience!

3.     And now that I mentioned the audience, I’d like to comment on the audience. Why do people show up late to events? Why do people not turn off their cellphones at events? Why do people with babies bring them to quiet events and not sit by the doors, but instead ‘shush’ their children louder than the child is squeaking? This I don’t understand. Being a civil person, I didn’t say anything, but really I was rather distracted.

I just don’t get these things. Help me out here? What gives people?

~RBD

First the panelists:

Willis “Bing” Davis is a contemporary artist and educator. He is currently the President of the Board of Directors of the National Conference of Artists. Art to David “is a wonderful way to understand self and to understand others.”

Mari Evans is a poet, author, orator and educator. Her career includes teaching literature at Marion College, Washington University at Sait Louis, State-University of New York, and Cornell University.

David N. Baker is a jazz musician, composer and conductor. He studied music and education at Indiana University where he received a Masers of Music Education. Dr. Baker has served on multiple boards, panels and has received numerous awards for his work including serving as a senior consultant for music programs at the Smithsonian.

The talk was all about courage. The panelists all grew up before the Civil Rights movement and were beginning their illustrious careers during the 60s.  The talk also occurred on the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. Many of the questions circled around the idea of courage, being courageous and teaching courage. The panelists were all inspiring and had great stories to tell. I felt invigorated and yet still somewhat ashamed of my acceptance of the way things are instead of challenging and changing my surroundings. Below are some of the thought provoking quotes I was able to jot down during the session:

Dr. David Baker, Distinguished Professor of Music

David Baker:

I can outwork your talent.

Question Everything

One thing you can’t change is the fact you are a human being. If you aren’t’ a good human being, everything else is greatly diminished.

Mari Evans:

Poet, Author, Orator, Mari Evans

The only obstacle I ever faced was my own ignorance.

Facts have meaning when they are attached to other facts.

Don’t say: How do I become famous. Instead say, how do I reach excellence.

Artist, Lecturer, Willis "Bing" Davis

Willis “Bing” Davis:

Ask yourself ‘Who am I?’

Give back what you’ve been given.

You may travel the world, but keep dust on your shoes.

~RBD