That Jazz - Monkey Max Music and File Download

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Part IV: I Like the Way You Play: The Jazz Musician
Should you join the union?
Jazz musicians are typically freelancers without
an office and the social and professional
support that goes with it. The union (and local
union hall) provides a rallying point for players.
The musicians’ union serves as a focal point for
musicians’ interests. It can be reassuring for a
freelancer to know that he isn’t alone against
the world.
Local chapters of the American Federation of
Musicians (AFM) are powerful in big cities like
New York City and Chicago, but clubs in other
towns are low-paying and non-union. The union
has rules about pay and working conditions.
Local chapters have different membership
dues. You pay an annual fee plus a percentage
of your pay for each gig.
The union also provides a strong Washington
lobby that watches out for the interests of musicians
in areas such as copyrights, royalties,
and other issues related to the Internet, radio,
recording companies, and television; Medicare
and other issues that affect the personal welfare
of musicians are also supported.
Contrary to popular belief, the union isn’t in the
business of getting gigs for you, although it provides
networking opportunities that help in this
regard. The union is best for musicians who
work for symphony orchestras, Broadway
shows, and theme parks — places that have
money and hire numerous musicians. So if your
music career includes all sorts of recording and
performance contexts, the union is useful. If
you’re a jazz player aiming only for gigs in small
clubs — well, most of them won’t use unionapproved
contracts.
For a description of the AFM and a list of benefits
visit www.afm.org.