June Gloom
 

San Diego is known for its "early morning, low clouds" during the month of June.   Thus,  all native San Diegans know about the familiar weather condition known as "June Gloom".   And as I step away from my computer this morning and I gaze outside my window, low and behold,  I see it!   JUNE GLOOM!!   But the overcast weather condition usually clears and the sun shows itself by mid to late morning.

Well,  as much as I don't want to admit it...   June Gloom seems to be synonymous with losing my job.   At this point however I feel much better about the whole BAND deal,  but I still feel hurt about leaving something in which I truly concentrated on "giving it my best",  and now my family's beginning to feel the financial pinch of me losing a great paying gig. 

The clincher?   In the music business a musician is basically self-employed and a contractor,  meaning that there are no benefits,  pensions or severance working for a band,  even if the band is popular and making a lot of money.   So now,  it's the stress that comes with being unemployed that is now taking its toll on me.

I don't think I can claim unemployment in my situation.  If you know of a way,  please let me know,  but it's like being a contract worker where you float from job to job,  day to day.

Of course,  I'm trying to get freelance work around town,  but it's extremely hard and I have to start from the very beginning in my situation.   It's been two and a half years with this band,  and I've been out of touch with the local jazz scene and freelance community.   There's a ton of drummers out there and now I'm thrown out there again to compete.

I've made some calls to people,  and I've gone out to the clubs to network.   The only thing to do now is keep doing the networking.

I was able to reach this manager/agent in the L.A. area.   We'd been playing "phone tag" all weekend and we finally "hooked up" today.   He is an old timer who grew up in the swing era.

He had seen the band at one of our Coconut Club shows in Beverly Hills,  and after my drum solo on Sing, Sing, Sing he came up to me and introduced himself.   He gave me the greatest compliments and compared me to the late, great Gene Krupa.   Of course I said "Naw, please".   But he said that my solo reminded him very much of Gene Krupa,  and he began telling me this story about how,  when he was 9 years old,  he and his brother went to a local theater in Los Angeles to see a movie.   During those days you didn't just go to see a movie.   After the movie there were vaudeville acts,  singers,  bands, etc.   Anyway,  after the movie,  he said that Gene Krupa's Big Band came on,  and the solos Gene performed inspired him to take drum lessons and he kept "hounding" his mom to buy him a drumset.   That day when he saw Gene Krupa play live,  it was a major turing point in his life.   He is retired from drumming now,  but he did become a professional drummer and he still plays drums at home just for fun.

Well,  I talked with him on the phone for a very long time,  and he told me all sorts of stories about the "old days".   He was a very cool guy to talk to,  being that he was a drummer during his younger years,  BUT,  he wasn't really in a situation to be my manager or agent.   He had said that he'd been managing his longtime friend,  jazz pianist Walter Norris,  and that he had his own business going strong for years.   He had just given me the CD of Walter Norris and a pamphlet just so I could check his pianist friend out,  but he was sincere about his compliments regarding my playing.   I was flattered considering this man's wealth of experience and knowledge in music.   He told me all sorts of stories about when he would gig,  and he said he actually had seen Charlie Parker perform twice!   And he had performed for Sammy Davis, Jr. in Las Vegas!

Well,  even if I hadn't really made a legitimate contact as far as acquiring a possible manager,  at least I was able to hear his stories about seeing Gene Krupa live,  and checking out Charlie Parker live,  and all his experiences as a drummer.   I love to hear the stories about the "old days".   And I respect it as valuable knowledge that will help me become a better drummer.

LISTENED TO...

Mussourgsky ~ Pictures At An Exhibition

Beethoven ~ Symphonies 4 & 5

Mozart ~ Opera Arias ~ Kiri Te Kanawa

Stravinsky ~ The Soldier's Tale

Les Miserables ~ Complete Symphonic Recording
 

6 Months Ago Today

home