The Score

Last month, the local chapter of a nationally known charitable group
asked me to recommend a jazz musician who could “donate time and
talent” for a benefit dessert auction. Is any other profession expected
to devalue its work as often? Veteran musicians lament such gigs as
“freebies.” Depending on my mood, I prefer “unwitting
exploitation” or, in this case, what self-help gurus call “a
teaching moment.”

Amid the bounty of Seattle musicians, I thought of pianist Bill
Anschell, whose recent disc We Couldn’t Agree More (Origin) captures a daring series of duets with saxophonist Brent
Jensen. I marvel at Anschell’s near-telepathic rapport with Jensen
and how they blithely hopscotch from the frenetic free improvisation of
“The People Versus Miss Jones” to a sly, Monk-ish take on the Miles
Davis standard “Solar.” Anschell told me once, “It’s all about
getting into each other’s heads.”

So I fired off a recommendation suggesting Anschell for the benefit,
adding, “While I have only chatted with him on a few occasions, I have
had the pleasure of hearing and watching him perform over a dozen
times. I can attest that he is a genial, deft pianist well-versed in
multiple styles who connects to audiences by astutely reading the mood
of a room. He’s a pro and a nice guy, to boot.”

But chary of the word “donate,” which can be code for “we’re paying
everyone except the musicians,” I cautioned, “You should plan to
budget payment for the performers just as you would for the venue,
chefs, caterers, waiters, auctioneers, and other support staff.”

Remembering my father’s four-decade career as a pianist and
bandleader, I explained, “Musicians lead a more fiscally precarious
life than most; donating an evening—which for some performers
can amount to sacrificing one-third of a month’s income—has great
financial ramifications.”

I concluded with practical advice: “Note that a bandleader may waive
or reduce his or her fee; however, the additional musicians—’the
sidemen’ in music parlance—still need to earn a fair wage. Paying
musicians also ensures that the evening’s entertainment does not leave
you in the lurch at the last minute for a ‘real paying gig,’ which I
have also seen happen (as in ‘Folks, we had a great group lined up
for you tonight, but…‘). I’ve attended many charitable benefits
over the years where the music has been proudly (and embarrassingly)
touted as ‘donated.’ Quite often you get what you pay (or don’t pay)
for!”

My advice went for naught; the charity found someone else to play
the freebie. Anschell continues to gig, leading an excellent trio (Fri
July 31, Tula’s, 2214 Second Ave, 8 pm–midnight, $15) that plays
standards and original compositions. He’s worth every dollar and then
some.