In the economically and culturally depressed Detroit area, there is little work for trios and such. Jazz still has its pockets, but I'm not really a jazz player. The live music scene is made up of mostly 6-9 piece cover bands making a buck or so each for a 4-hr night.

I make a buck for an hour gig and I don't have to put up with any of the BS I put up with for years on the one-nighter train. I love what I'm doing and the audience seems to love me back. I have exchanged one type of playing for another, but the main goal is still the same - play the music.