Ah, the dichotomy! You can play music and instruments you like and starve, or research the market and play what pays.

For instrumentalists...particularly, jazz instrumentalists, while your ability grows, your potential audience shrinks.

That's why so many jazz musicians end up incarcerated, committed or dead.

I'm a cop-out. I did find a way to play and get paid, but it is playing 2nd fiddle to a ham sandwich or playing scores behind images of trucks, fried chicken, pizza and staircases.

A small part of me will always regret the decisions I made.
I did provide a good life for my family and help thousands along the way.

For the rest of my life, I will live on my SS and retirement and give the rest away. I have contracts thru 2025 that pay in the mid-6 figures. My enjoyment will be derived from what that money can do for others and supporting my son and another business partner who need me to write the scripts, take the pictures, design the research projects, do rough layouts, etc.

And (cross my heart), hopefully, music will be a part of everything I do until I die.


Russ