New Orleans trumpeter Jonathan Bauer joins me to discuss band leading, the difference between gigs and shows, quitting a gig, serving the music, and the academia bi-product of “Jazz Guilt”.
“When you put unnecessary negativity into the world that opens up a door in your heart, and those criticisms come back to you.”
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Actionable Advice
- Prioritize hiring the right people. It is incredibly difficult to make meaningful progress as a group if everyone isn’t on board. Someone might be a great player, but if they’re not interested in playing the type of music you play, spending the necessary amount of time on the road, or they don’t get along with everyone in the band, then it’s probably not going to last. On the flip side, beautiful things happen when everyone is interested in the same goal. Waves of the same frequency amplify each other!
- At a certain point your goal was to be good enough to play some gigs. But that bar keeps moving as you’re developing. Then you want to be good enough to make a living, and the bar moves again. And then you want to make a living only playing the music you’re passionate about. Be open to the reality that you’ll always be searching for more. Having an honest self assessment is an essential tool in understanding where you fall in this progression.
- You need to know the difference between a gig and a show. Some gigs are a job. There is an audience in front of you that did not come for YOU. I think a lot of frustration within the music community comes from not understanding this concept. Too often we try to force our unique, esoteric art music onto a gig that doesn’t call for it. The problem isn’t that your art music isn’t good, or that people won’t enjoy it. The problem is that most gigs are background music gigs. By forcing complex music, music that demands significant attention and effort from the average listener, you are deliberately taking away from whatever activity you are being paid to support. To me this really seems like you’re setting yourself up for failure. However, if it’s a Show, and people are there to see you do your thing, then by all means DO YOU!
- I worry and think less about the audience than I do the music. Focus your energy on what the music actually needs, and you’ll find new and invigorating ways to please your audience. Maybe this seems obvious, but I needed to hear Jonathan say this. My general sense is that musicians, myself certainly included, often aren’t aware of the energy of the room. Or at least I don’t get the senes that we’re trying to uplift everyone involved in the given musical situation. My solution was to go through the checklist of the other musicians, the venue, and the listeners and make sure what I’m doing is in the best service of everyone involved. But listening to what The Music is asking for does all of that for us. The Music will naturally uplift everyone involved. We must be honest with the moment, and play what needs to be played (not whatever we want to play, or the lick we were shedding earlier that day). Take care of The Music and The Music will take care of us.
Coda Questions
- What is your go to feel good album? Hank Mobley’s Soul Station
- What is some important advice about happiness you’ve received?
- You will never be called for a gig you’re not supposed to be on. – Ed Peterson
- In behaving professionally we become professionals. – Hans Verhoeven
- This is an hours game. – Jason Marshall
- You will always receive work based on the level of your art. – John Clayton
- What advice would you give to a young musician? Your music doesn’t matter if you suck as a person. Be honest, be genuine, and don’t put negativity out there for the sake of it.
- Who’s a musician in your life that you feel lives a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life? Well everyone in my band. I don’t think that light is hard to come by. Many of my mentors: Ashlin Parker, Wendell Brunious
- What do you think your purpose as a musician is? To dedicate myself to this music in such a way that the elders and ancestors are able to come through me.
In This Episode
- Jonathan Bauer: Website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
- Featured Track: Chattin’
- Jim Collins: Good To Great
- Ellis Marsalis: Wiki
- Ray Brown Trio: Summer Wind (Live at the Loa)
- Nicholas Payton: Blog
- The New Orleans Musicians Clinic: Website