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President’s Day and Cousin’s birthday at Grandma and Grandpa’s
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How much money do jazz musicians make?
NPR has an interesting article tracking the amount of money a jazz musician makes in a typical year. One study shows the average being $23,300. http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2012/02/16/146946188/an-average-income-of-23-300
I also found this study which shows a higher average of $25-40k per year if they are music school grads. Notice on the chart below that only 20% of a jazz musician’s income is from live performances:
http://money.futureofmusic.org/going-to-music-school/
Since I no longer teach (I had 25 students at one time) and my jazz musician income is made solely from live performances, I find it interesting that I actually make much more money with live performances than the national average for jazz musicians across the country!
Thank you Salt Lake City, for appreciating jazz music and helping me feed my kids!
When I was in New York last summer performing with my friend Greg Diamond, he reminded me how great I have it out here in Salt Lake City . . . he said that the same jazz musicians are fighting for the same $50 gigs out in new york, jazz giants with multiple solo albums under their belts, great players who tour jazz festivals around the world. The world capital of Jazz, and musicians making so little that according to him most of the musicians are married to someone who pays the bills, many jazz musicians in “the city” are taken care of by their sugarmomma/daddies.
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged jazz band, jazz musician, park city, Salt Lake City Jazz Band, Utah
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Lunch at A n J’s
Thanks Ames and J for having us over! Loved the house the food you guys and the view!
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Bringing a musical instrument on an airplane
Over the years I have travelled all over the US and abroad with my saxophone, from London to Tokyo.
I would never in a million years check my $3k saxophone in to be tossed and squashed by the airline’s baggage employees. As you know now all the major airlines charge a fee for your checked bag, which means everyone is bringing oversized carryon bags, which means that getting on board and finding a spot to place your instrument in the overhead bin can be nearly impossible.
Here is my advice to anyone traveling with a saxophone, guitar, or other expensive instrument that they want to have intact when they arrive in their destination:
1. Check the specific airline policy. Often this can be found on their website. It will probably tell you that your instrument case is too big to fit in the specific size allotment on the aircraft. Don’t let that stop you from bringing it on board!
2. Take it to the gate anyway. Even if your airline tells you the instrument case is too big for the overhead bin (they are allowing each person to take up only 1/3 of the available length) your instrument will fit in there sideways, as long as the overhead bin has enough room and isn’t taken up by other passengers yet.
3. At the gate, they will either let you on board with your instrument, or they will make you gate check it, i.e. check it for you at the gate. Either situation is much better than checking your musical instrument at the counter, where it will be tossed, squashed, dropped, and otherwise banged up repeatedly before it even makes it to the airplane. A gate checked item will be placed at the forward part of the cargo hold along with strollers and car seats and will be there for you at the airplane door when you get off the plane.
4. Try to get priority boarding somehow . . . or arrange your seat so that you board first. Choosing a seat further back on the aircraft will allow your “zone” or boarding area to be called first, in which case you will be getting on the airplane when all the bins are empty: perfect to sneak you saxophone in before there’s no more room in the overhead bins.
5. As you walk past the agent taking tickets, try slinging your sax/guitar on the opposite shoulder from the agent, to see if you can make it past without them noticing it is bigger than the size allotment. I have never been stopped in all my years of traveling.
6. If they do stop you and tell you to “gate check” the musical instrument, have no fear. They will put a little tag on it, and you leave it with the strollers and carseats at the aircraft door.
7. Some aircraft still have a small closet in the first class cabin which they use to place coats and items for the first class passengers. As you board the aircraft you may be able to sneak your sax into the closet or ask the flight attendant to put it in there for you.
A big key to all this is that you want stay under the radar, don’t attract attention to yourself or your instrument. 9 times out of 10 if you ask someone whether or not you may bring on your instrument they will tell you no, because technically your musical instrument is probably larger than what they allow on board in their overhead bins. Just check in, wait, and board as you normally would and nobody will probably notice a thing. Happy flying!
Posted in salt lake city jazz band, sax player
Tagged air travel, airline, guitar, musical instrument, saxophone
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Where to see live Jazz in Salt Lake City
There are several places to see live jazz in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake may be small but has a surprising amount of live music for a city so tiny and dry
First up: The Bayou. 645 S. State Street Salt Lake City, UT 84111. Having played there many times I can tell you the food is delicious, and one of the few places that’s still serving it late into the night. Live Jazz Music Thursday Friday and Saturday Nights. Click here for the live music schedule: http://www.utahbayou.com/music
Next up is Gracie’s. 326 South West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Salt Lake City local music lovers remember the glory of the Port ‘O Call, with two stages featuring live music just about every night of the week both downstairs and upstairs. Unfortunately “The Port” had to close its doors due to a government takeover (i.e. the government took over the entire block to expand a courthouse) and Gracie’s is where the managers and much of the equipment from the Port ended up. Gracie’s is considered by many to be the coolest place downtown, with a young crowd and live music many days of the week and weekends. The patio upstairs and outdoor dining downstairs make it a favorite during the summer months. The music there isn’t always jazz, but many jazz bands play at Gracie’s on a regular basis.
The Wild Grape has live Jazz music Saturday nights. 481 E. South Temple
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111. This place keeps getting awards for their great food!
The Red Door, situated just east of the Hotel Monaco, has live Jazz music every Saturday night. 57 West 200 South Salt Lake City, Utah
Keys on Main, 242 S. Main St. Salt Lake City, Utah 84101. Normally a piano bar, Keys on Main occasionally has Jazz on Monday nights. Check their schedule to see if they are having live jazz this week.
Posted in live band, live jazz, live music, salt lake city jazz band
Tagged Jazz, live band, live jazz, Live Music, Rob Bennion, Salt Lake City Jazz Band, Utah
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