Denny Zeitlin: “The Heart of Musical News the Matter.” pg 4 March - April 2015 | Vol. 87, No. 2 The State of the Local Music Scene 2015 In This Issue. by Ray Buyco, Area-Wide Casual Wage Scale Committee Ray Buyco Article THE AMATEUR vs. music in a club in much the same way Beth Zare Article as going out to dinner; it is a leisure New & Reinstated Members THE PROFESSIONAL activity and something to talk about There is no doubt that the economy around the water cooler at work. Address Changes hurts the ability of professional Members To Be Dropped Because amateurs play for their own musicians to find quality freelance enjoyment they are often guilty of not Members Dropped work. Wedding clients are often putting in the hard work to develop Tempo / Coda Contributions cutting costs by hiring DJs instead skills on their instrument. What they Member Profile: Denny Zeitlin of bands and it is now much more do offer the club owner, however, is Minutes difficult to find club work that pays that they may do the gig for free and over $100 per musician. (In Santa Western Conference by the Numbers bring all their friends out to spend a Cruz it is next to impossible.) Whether lot of money. Advertisements it be private functions or public Auditions performances, professional freelance There are many amateurs playing in musicians are generally making our area and they have not only put less on a gig today than they did a downward pressure on wages, but ten years ago. Yet these disturbing they have lowered the bar in terms of trends in the music market preceded musical culture. For small club owners the financial meltdown of 2007. One it is tempting to take advantage of the of the most systemic causes of the low cost option of booking amateurs. downward pressure on wages and the However, because of their widespread degradation of the musical market is proliferation in the Bay Area Ray Buyco speaking at Western the amateur musician. entertainment market, many people Conference, 2015 have turned away from live music. their instruments. For many of them It is not that the amateur musician Potential clients are increasingly professional musicians exist only on purposely sets out to adversely opting for DJs for wedding or recorded music. People are constantly affect the music market and culture corporate gigs, not just for the cost surprised and impressed when they of their city, but rather, it is because reasons, but also for the ability to see professionals at work live because of their unskilled, uninformed and control the quality of music at their they have never seen musicians play so haphazardly careless participation event. They have come to believe that well. in it that they often do. The amateur live bands do not have the ability musician thinks of the act of playing to control their volume much less Amateur musicians are making it increasingly difficult for professionals to make a decent living. No other profession has to compete so Life Members vigorously in the job market against amateurs. Just imagine a world where Michael Curotto amateurs are allowed to perform surgery, do electrical work, or teach Joseph Gold students without having earned the Richard Kvistad proper credentials or developed the required skills first! Patricia Van Winkle What can professional musicians do about the growing encroachment of the amateur musician in the music In Memoriam market place? By celebrating the clubs who hire professional musicians Alfred Del Simone and pay fair wages, we can begin to draw a sharp contrast between those Patricia Isham establishments who support high James Matheson quality music and those who do not. Wilcia Moore Ray Buyco with The Element, one of his professional bands continued on pg 7 Catalino (Catts) Suan Martha Wolohan What’s New by Beth Zare Our last printed website. Besides a new look and feel membership we have heard your feedback and are directory was attempting to solve login difficulties in 2011 and a for members. Once you login you lot has changed will be able to access the member since then. We directory, bylaws, wage scales AND have expanded pay your dues online. Although our jurisdiction the responsibility to pay your dues PERMIT NO. 454 PERMIT with the mergers resides with you, we hope this will NON-PROFIT ORG. NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID U.S. POSTAGE SAN FRANCISCO, CA of Local 153 and help those that are used to being Local 292. We billed. Many have asked about setting have welcomed almost five hundred up auto payments with the bank and new members into our local. Some we are looking into that as an option. of our friends and colleagues have moved on beyond this world as we Lastly, the building on the corner of have had 111 reported deaths since 9th and Mission is almost complete. 2011. This has emphasized the long The scaffolding has been removed overdue need for a new directory. and the finishing touches, including a Hopefully it won’t be another four new sidewalk are occurring. Once the years before one is printed. In this building is habitable the top five floors current age it is very easy to update will be offered to students of the San the electronic version of the directory. Francisco Conservatory of Music. This is a great opportunity to meet and Speaking of new technology, we are greet our potential new members. Musicians Union Local 6 Ninth Street 116 94103 San Francisco, CA also in the process of updating our Your Trusted Servants... Official Bulletin of Local 6 Officers Musicians Union Local 6 David Schoenbrun, President American Federation of Musicians Kale Cumings, Vice-President Local 6 accepts Beth Zare, Secretary-Treasurer Beth Zare, Editor * Alex Walsh, Managing Editor Board Of Directors credit cards Gretchen Elliott, Trustee The Musical News is published bi-monthly by If you are a member in good standing you can pay online at: Hall Goff, Trustee Musicians Union Local 6, AFM. Any notice www.shop.afm6.org. Steve Hanson, Trustee appearing herein shall be considered to be If you are a new member, suspended, or dropped, please call Josephine Gray, Director an official notice to the membership. The Lori at ext. 304 to pay by credit card over the phone. Forrest Byram, Director appearance herein of an article or an advertisement does not imply an endorsement * A 3% convenience fee will be added to the cost of dues. by the editors. President Emeritus Melinda Wagner Contact Us Staff Recording Work Tony Orbasido - Recording, Reception (x301) Musicians Union Local 6 Local 6 is trying to stem the tide of non-union recording being done in our jurisdiction. Lori Ponton Rodriguez - Treasury (x304) 116 - 9th Street Allowing such work to take place unchallenged can and will undermine our significant efforts Joe Rodriguez - Casuals (x306) San Francisco, CA 94103 to bring more union recording work to the Bay Area. Therefore, when receiving offers of Cheryl Fippen - MPTF, Death Benefits (x307) phone (415) 575-0777 recording work, all members should be sure to ask if it is being done under a union contract. Alex Walsh - Member Services (x308) fax (415) 863-6173 Do not agree to offer your services for non-union recording projects. Members doing so are [email protected] subject to board-imposed fines or expulsion. Think long-term, and think collectively! Area-Wide Casual Wage Scale www.afm6.org Committee Lisa Sanchez, Chair Office Hours Ray Buyco Monday-Friday, Gigi Dang 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Michael Hatfield Jeanette Isenberg Rob Gibson Jim Zimmerman Schedule Finance Committee Holiday Schedule Melinda Wagner, Chair Office Will Be Closed: Steven D’Amico New Year’s Day Peter Wahrhaftig Martin Luther King Jr. Day Presidents’ Day Memorial Day Law & Legislative Committee Independence Day Gordon Messick, Chair Labor Day Melanie Bryson Columbus Day India Cooke Veterans Day William Klingelhoffer Thanksgiving Day (and day after) James Matheson Christmas (and day before) Recording Committee Tom Hornig Meetings Schedule Jon Lancelle General Membership Ken Miller April 27, 1:00 p.m. David Ridge Nanci Severance Board Of Directors Michel Taddei Bi-weekly board meetings are open Peter Wahrhaftig to the membership. Call for meeting schedules. Why Should You Become a Member of the AFM TEMPO Club? Labor Council Representatives Alameda Labor Council – William Harvey With a $1 dollar per week donation, the AFM can make a meaningful North Bay Labor Council – Jeanette Isenberg and significant contributions to our allies in Congress. Dues SF Central Labor Council – John Fisher, Cathy Payne These donations will help to reelect our allies and keep musicians’ 2015 Membership Dues San Mateo Labor Council – David Schoenbrun issues on the agenda. Additionally, these funds will work to maintain Regular Membership $52.50/Quarter South Bay Labor Council – Sofia Fojas a number of issues such as performance rights, the NEA, the pension 35 Year Membership $38.50/Quarter Monterey Bay Central Labor Council – TBD Life Membership $25.25/Quarter system, and copyright enforcement. 70/20 Year Membership $29.25/Quarter Late Charge $5.00 AFM TEMPO CLUB PERSONAL BENEFITS Union Stewards Berkeley Symphony – Carol Rice • Initial membership gift California Symphony – William Harvey Pay Your Dues, • Special invitation to the annual AFM Legislative Political Carmel Bach Festival – Meg Eldridge Keep Your Benefits Conference in Washington, DC Festival Opera – Adrienne Duckworth If you have been suspended or dropped as a • 10% discount on new TEMPO gear Fremont Symphony – Forrest Byram member of Local 6 for non-payment of dues, • Complimentary entry into upcoming National TEMPO Golden Gate Park Band – Mark Nemoyten you have lost the following union benefits: Giveaway Lamplighters – William Harvey death benefit, defense and contract guarantee Marin Symphony – Claudia Fountain fund payments, the International Musician, Make an online contribution to TEMPO on the AFM website, or send a Midsummer Mozart – Kelleen Boyer access to the Lester Petrillo Fund and other check to: Monterey Symphony – Owen Miyoshi benefits that require membership in Local 6.