The Axe in its many forms

  Getting cut back sucks. If you are heavily involved at the state and regional level in music education , it sucks even more, as you hate to cut back on the volunteerism that makes things run ultimately.

I really wish that I could say the cut was inevitable, with good faith all around.
One piece of information changed my view. I was informed , from a totally credible source, that there had been a $300,000.00 surplus at the end of the year for our school.
You can look at that lots of different ways,
But my being cut back by $13,000.00+ , a lot of money to me, certainly  seems less necessary in retrospect.
 So obviously, and from all reactions I get, this belongs in the "Are you kidding me?" blog.
  I do hope to be back to 100% next year. In the meantime, its-

      Saturday piano lessons. 930-230. Once wedding season ends its not as bad, as that makes for a 14-15 hour day typically with a nasty 2 hour drive at 2 AM. And if there was Nectars the night before till 2am, well then.
      I've filled up the gig calendar such that between school and gigs, I may not have a day off for 2 or 3 weeks. Add in the Irene flood benefits played, sleep has been more at a premium than in years past. If I do happen to have a Sunday off, Im pretty useless past chauffeuring.
Im thankful to be in a  position to have gigs, but exhaustion has a price. With me its usually a dip in attitude. Sometimes I think, "well, I did fine with this at 27 but after all Im 55 "  but I was never this busy at 27.
This state of affairs IS a direct result of being cut back . I dont have a choice.
 
 So what to do to stay positive ?
 
I've embarked on a Masters degree in composition , studying with exactly the person Ive wanted to study with for years - Andy Jaffe, who's head of the Jazz program at Williams. The Masters is through the VT College of Fine Arts.I've already written/arranged/transcribed lot of new stuff. Its  VERY rejuvenating.

I will in fact have the CD "3 days in August " up to CD Baby soon. Thanks to Gerry Beaudoin and Sam Krotinger for moral support.

Bruce Sklar.com is up, though need more functionality.

 Reading a  Thelonious Monk biography (excellent)

Practicng a bit.

BTW, John Rivers, Dave Grippo and myself at the Marriott in Burlington tomorrow Friday 14 at 830.

iRene

This may turn into more of a rant than a blog entry, being the first time out, but we shall see.
     
         Being a musician living in the Mad River Valley, it was just proper that I would seek out opportunities to help out in the wake of Hurricane Irene, which hit our Valley, Waitsfield and Moretown in particular, very very hard.These events turned out to be,easily, some of the most satisfying moments of my professional career.I didn't expect anything to come of it past providing, musically, the hours of release the folks in the towns were craving. My closest bandmates who live here feel and did the same. There is no need to talk about the individual experiences for my own edification,I was deeply moved just being there, done deal.

I must say I am deeply disturbed by the flagrant use of this disaster, and of one benefit in particular, by some local musicians to promote themselves, and to sell themselves as being something beyond what they are. I saw the posts on Facebook - self serving , opportunistic drivel complete with video..

I believe absolutely in the following.
Benefits are, for those who do them as they are intended to be, their own reward. Period. It doesn't, and shouldn't need to be bragged about after the fact.

This should go for those who make their living from music,  for those who a doing it as a side because life  in one way or another affords them this amazing gift to do, and for all of the wide spectrum of musicians in between.

 In other words , Shut up and play. Have a good business plan, but in this case, SHUT UP, and play.
 THAT is sustainability.
 " all you've got to do is play your ass off'"
Art Blakey