Loyalty

Running a dance band sometimes becomes a transient situation.  As a band leader, you will have to accept that every now and then musicians will sub out of a gig for any number of reasons. It's  the nature of the business.

Most aspiring players (that sub out) will usually opt for a Television Show or some other spectacular that pays more money.   These other gigs that come their way are usually high profile engagements and look good on their resume.  It seems to validate your musical worth in the grand scheme of things to be asked to play these types of jobs.   It's also nice to be able to say you backed this renowned artist (singer or whatever) in your professional career.  

Some times the band leader is accepting of this fact and allows his guys to sub out. A Television show (that runs several days) is not the same as playing "Spanish Eyes" and such at some ethnic Hall on the weekend.

However, if you are a regular in a band and have been for years, the leader might expect a certain amount of "loyalty" .  After all, you have been enjoying steady engagements now for some time and as a trade-off it's more or less expected that you will honour the bandleader's generosity by not subbing out at the first opportunity to play something more interesting.

There are band leaders that recognize that it's not a slight to sub out on "special" occasions but he would appreciate it if it didn't happen on a regular basis.

One such leader found himself in a real pickle this particular weekend.  A renowned conductor was in town to do a Television special  and was hiring musicians from various bands to fill his special needs.  He couldn't avoid using players that were already more or less committed to the local band leaders. Well, it so happens that he asked several musicians from Jack Kaplan's band (not his real name) to do these specials that were to be aired over a seven day period. 

It was a significant piece of change and a great opportunity for the musicians to play in a 40 piece orchestra playing wonderful music.

Well the contractor for the Television show raided Jack Kaplan's band leaving him with only one musician for that weekend.  (Apparently Jack had a roster of good players.)

When Jack  learned about his guys jumping ship he was somewhat ticked off. He approached his tenor player that was the only person that didn't take off to do the TV special.   His whole band had disappeared for that weekend.

He asked Saul his sax man , "How come you didn't do that special? The entire band is off playing that show?"   He got, "Well, to tell you the truth,  I wasn't asked. Besides I do owe you some loyalty and might have turned it down in any case."

Jack, somewhat smarting from being abandoned in this manner considered this loyalty premise.  "Well, if you aren't good enough for them ... you aren't good enough for me."  

Yep, He fired him.

Ouch!

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