[TPIN] "Leon's reply"

[Eric Bolvin]

Hey Trent; Great post. 
I often tell myself that I'm never gonna be the cat that longs for yesterday. Every musician I've ever talked to from any era always has the same story; How good things used to be and how bad it is now. If it's always been so bad, when was it ever good?? I'll bet the guys from the Dixieland era thought the Big Band era was a bad time. And maybe the cats from the Baroque thought there weren't enough gigs in the classical era.
Just because you're a good musician doesn't mean that you deserve to be hired or heard. Just because you're an artist doesn't mean that anyone has to listen to you. 
These things are as true today as they were 200 years ago. 
 There may have been a day when they advertised musician openings in the want ads. Today you need to make your own noise.

Eb

<<<<Leon,  my fellow trumpeter and elder statesman...  I think you're
taking a slightly slanted view of the current trumpeting world.

I still keep (too well) fed,  my mortgage paid, my car payments going,
 and still spend time with my wife.

My idol CT says "there's an ass for every seat".  I'm just working
hard to make sure when I play there aren't empty seats,  when I teach
no empty chairs, and when I improvise no empty bars.

I play everything from Mahler,  Brandenburg,  to  Maynard, Woody Shaw,
and Michael Jackson tunes.   Today's trumpeter has to be able to do
everything EXTREMELY well.  Competition is fierce but not that
different than when you were doing all your recordings and gigs.

It beats an "honest" profession any day.


Yes, there might be less work,  but I'm still finding some.  Would l
like more?  Of course!  I want to share my passion of music that I've
been given through life experiences with guys like Clark,  Ed Carroll,
Hal Crook,  etc.

I applaud Mike for keeping the fire burning!   Keep on Keepin' on!

-T

Eric Bolvin
The Really Big Student Songbook
The Arban Manual
www.BolvinMusic.com
www.myspace.com/ericbolvin  
408.236.2009