Are we (musicians) our own worst enemy?

I want to get these thoughts down before I slip into a food coma...

I have been thinking a lot about the current scene here in Rhode Island/New England and I realize...I have seen the enemy, and I am he. I always notice when I am playing, a lack of fellow musicians in the audience. This makes me grumble a bit...at least it did until I took an objective look at myself. When I am not working (which, like most of us, is more often than not these days) my behind is most often fused to my sofa watching Rachel Maddow or 30 Rock, NOT out at a club supporting my colleagues. This is unacceptable. If there is to be a sustainable jazz scene in Providence then it is up to us to support each other and this is a commitment I am making tonight. I have come to love Providence and I can see myself settling here someday. There is such potential here for a healthy creative music scene, but we need to get out of the house and support it. The commitment I am making: if there is live jazz happening and I am not working, I will be there. I have left too many of my friends and fellow musicians hanging...if I'm not on my gig, I'll be at yours.

A scene is created by showing up. I want to show up.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

OCCUPY THE JAZZ CLUB!

While you're in a mood of giving...

Many of us have had our checkbooks and credit cards flailing lately in support of whoever we're supporting in the upcoming elections.  While we have them at hand I'd like to draw your attention to another cause that could use your help.  

Darcy James Argue and his Secret Society have a very important opportunity to record a much needed collection of Darcy's original material on New Amsterdam Records.  This sure to be magnum opus will be entitled Infernal Machines  Unfortunately, such things can be prohibitively expensive for a quartet, let alone a full steampunk big band.  Darcy is making an appeal for help.  This is a great chance for all of us to support a wonderful composer and project.

About Darcy and his music;  I first became aware of Darcy through his blog.  Truth be told it was one of the primary influences for this blog.  I had heard recordings of his music there and was really inspired by his composition.  The real tipping points for me were his performances/lectures at IAJE(RIP) this past January in Toronto.  I was absolutely floored by his music.  He is in a class with Maria and the few others that are really going places with large scale jazz composition and orchestration.  You can read my initial reactions to his performance here.

Please consider helping him out.  Here are the details...