Success Beyond The Score

If you ask an unsuspecting person what preparing for a music gig entails, they are probably going to mention things like rehearsing the songs or making sure the instruments are in good condition. These are, of course, very important parts of the process, but they are not even remotely the only ones. 

An independent gigging musician is frequently their own agent, manager, producer, technician and stylist. Things like figuring out transportation to and from the venue are as much our responsibility as knowing how to play the songs of our set list. After all, it doesn't matter how good you are as a musician if you never arrive to your performance and no one can hear you!

A good example of this happened last Wednesday, when I took part of the civic flag raising ceremony that the Association of Jamaican Nationals Birmingham put together to commemorate the anniversary of the independence of Jamaica. I needed to bring my PA system for the event, which meant I had to use my car. Now, if you'v...

The Time For My Music evening showcase on Tuesday 29th October was fabulous. The women stepped up to the mark and delivered a performance that blew everybody's minds. They were glamorous and classy, engaging the audience (a full house of it!) to share hours of great music played with their hearts and souls. Truly, the event couldn't possibly have gone better. 

The significance of this achievement goes beyond the stage. The women didn't only perform at the evening showcase, but they actually organised it and produced it. They learned what's needed to put on a show, who to contact, and how to go about things. Using her experience producing the Not Just Jazz shows, Millicent guided them and provided them with the necessary skills so they can do it again by themselves in the future, being transparent with them in regard to location options and regulations, costs, etc.

The show is over, but the learning continues. There are things that still need to be taken care of, evaluations to do, an...