Jazz Sideman-Bandleader PRIMARY...

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Jazz Sideman-Bandleader The following is the breakdown of 2004-2010 income for a Jazz Sideman-Bandleader, who writes, records and performs his own works and leads and participates in multiple ensembles and projects. As a jazz composer, he writes primarily for his own ensembles to perform and record, though he has also written and performed music for film. As a performer, he leads his own bands, but also spends significant time playing and recording as a sideman for other jazz composer-bandleaders. He is also an administrator, serving as an artistic consultant for arts organizations and road manager and organizer for tours and festivals on behalf of other musicians.

He has a background that includes formal musical training, including a MA in composition. When he tours with his own ensembles they typically play jazz clubs, concert halls, large jazz festivals, and universities. He has released 20 records as a leader or co-leader, has appeared on over 57 recordings as a sideman, and has produced 12 recordings for an independent jazz label that he co-runs. He owns all of his publishing and sound recording copyrights.

Jazz Sideman-Bandleader is his own manager. He books his own tours in the US, but has a booking agent in Europe. He has had a multi-year relationship with three different independent record labels, and is actively involved in running one of them. He is a member of Chamber Music America and BMI. He has no pension, and only a catastrophic plan for health insurance.

This case study includes time series chart of income 2004 – 2010, revenue pies for each of the years 2004 – 2010, and an analysis of income versus expenses across time. It also includes analyses of income by role, and a breakdown of sideman payments.

PRIMARY GENRE

Jazz

SECONDARY GENRES

Contemporary ClassicalWorld

ROLES

PerformerComposerBandleaderSidemanAdministratorConsultantTeacher

YEARS ACTIVE

1999 – present

TIME SPENT ON MUSIC

100%

INCOME DERIVED FROM MUSIC

100%

CASE STUDY | Jazz Sideman-Bandleader

2money.futureofmusic.org/case-studies

Gross Revenue

This section reviews the overall gross revenue numbers for 2004-2010 for Jazz Sideman-Bandleader, as well as definitions for each category.

In this period, Jazz Sideman-Bandleader made 37% of his income from sideman work from live performances and recordings in US, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and South America with 81 different ensembles. Approximately 28% of his income is from projects he led or co-led: 15% from live performances, 1% from recordings, and 12% from five grants received during this period. As an administrator, he earned 15% of his income as a music project consultant to arts organizations and 8% as organizing tours or concerts for other musicians for whom he also performs. He earned 11% of his income during this period from teaching, which fluctuates from year to year. PRO royalties accounted for approximately 2% of his income, generated by radio airplay and performances in Europe, as well as broadcasts of a film for which he wrote the music.

In the next section, we look at gross revenue by year.

Gross Revenue, 2004-2010

Sideman 36.7%

Administrator 22.9%

Live Performance 15.0%

Grants 11.6%

Teaching 10.5%

Composing 2.1%

Sound Recording 1.3%

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Graphs do not have a Y-axis dollar value in order to observe the conditions of our privacy policy. In addition, graphs and visuals in case studies are not comparable within or between case studies. Information detailed in case studies is based on data received directly from the artist or their authorized representative. The data analysis and lessons learned here are based on individual experience, and do not necessarily reflect the experiences of all musicians in genre or roles. Case studies are one of three ways this project is looking at musician income. Learn about methodology at money.futureofmusic.org.



Gross Revenue, 2004

In 2004, Jazz Sideman-Bandleader performed as a sideman with 16 groups, playing 49 engagements, including three shows in Europe. He had two teaching engagements at universities, and one at an after school program. As a leader or co-leader he played five local shows. He appeared as a sideman on four recordings that were released in 2004.

Revenue Category 2004 Details

Sideman: Performance 62.0% 49 engagements with 16 groups, including 3 in Europe

Teaching 35.8% Two teaching engagements at universities, one after school program

PRO Royalties 2.0% Music written for a film in 2001, which was then broadcast on television

Live Performance 0.3% 5 local engagements as a bandleader performing his own music



Gross Revenue, 2005

In 2005, he performed a total of 67 shows as a sideman with 18 groups, including ten in Europe and one in Canada. He had two teaching engagements at universities, one in a K-8 school, and one ad hoc opportunity. As a leader or co-leader, he played 22 shows including three in Europe. He received income for three recording sessions – two of them were advances from a record label or foundation for his own projects as a leader or co-leader and one was as a sideman. He worked as an administrator/organizer for another musician on tour, during which he was also a sideman. He appeared on one recording as a leader, and on three recordings as a sideman that were released on independent labels in 2005.


Sideman: Performance 49.3% 67 engagements with 18 groups including 10 European and 1 Canadian

Teaching 33.7% 2 teaching engagements at universities, 1 after school program, 2 ad hoc teaching opportunities

Sideman: Performance + Organizer 8.0% 1 engagement with 1 artist

Live Performance 5.2% 22 engagements, including 3 in Europe

Recording 2.8% Advance for two recording projects

Sideman: Recording 0.9% 1 recording session

PRO Royalties 0.2% Music written for film in 2001, broadcast on television



Gross Revenue, 2006

In 2006, Jazz Sideman-Bandleader performed as a sideman with 16 groups, playing 32 engagements including four in Europe, plus a radio performance. He had four ad hoc teaching engagements. As a leader or co-leader, he played 14 domestic engagements. He received income for five recording sessions with three different groups as a sideman (at a similar rate to his sideman performance engagements – none of which are at union scale). He appeared as a sideman on five recordings that were released on independent labels in 2006.


Sideman: Performance 43.1% 32 engagements with 16 groups, including 4 in Europe, plus one radio performance.

Sideman: Recording 25.7% 5 sessions with 3 groups

Live Performance 19.6% 14 domestic engagements

Teaching 11.5% 1 after school program, 3 ad hoc engagements

PRO Royalties 0.2% Music written for film in 2001. Plus European radio airplay



Gross Revenue, 2007

In 2007, Jazz Sideman-Bandleader performed as a sideman with 16 groups, playing 40 shows including five in Europe and one in South America. As a leader or co-leader he played 20 domestic engagements. He received income for three recording sessions as a sideman. He took five engagements for two different musicians, working as an administrator-organizer in addition to being a sideman. He also took a temporary part-time engagement with an arts organization working on music projects. He appeared on three recordings as a leader, on six recordings as a sideman, and served as producer on three recordings that were released on independent labels in 2007.


Sideman: Performance 42.1% 40 engagements with 16 groups, including 5 in Europe and 1 in South America

Administrator 31.6% 1 engagement with arts organization working on music projects

Live Performance 16.3% 20 domestic engagements

Sideman: Performance + Organizer 4.9% 5 engagements for 2 different groups

Sideman: Recording 2.6% 3 recording sessions

CD Sales on the Road 1.8% As a leader

PRO Royalties 0.7% Music written for a film in 2001, which was then broadcast on television



Gross Revenue, 2008

In 2008, Jazz Sideman-Bandleader performed as a sideman with 11 groups, playing 27 shows including eight in Europe and one in Mexico. As a leader or co-leader he played 22 engagements including four in Europe, and received a grant to support an ensemble he co-led. He earned money as a sideman for six recording sessions with six different ensembles. He took two engagements for two different musicians, working as an administrator-organizer in addition to being a sideman on tour. He had one teaching engagement at university. He also took a temporary part-time engagement with an arts organization working on music projects. He appeared on two recordings as a leader or co-leader, on five recordings as a sideman, and served as producer on two recordings that were released on independent labels in 2008.


Administrator 37.5% Arts organization working on music projects

Sideman: Performance 30.0% 27 engagements with 11 ensembles including 8 in Europe and 1 in Mexico

Live Performance 11.4% 22 engagements, including 4 in Europe

Sideman: Performance + Organizer 6.4% 2 projects

Grant 5.5% For collaborative project (co-leader)

Sideman: Recording 4.6% 6 recording sessions with 6 ensembles

Teaching 3.6% University class

CD Sales on the Road 0.8% In Europe

PRO Royalties 0.3% Music written for a film in 2001, which was then broadcast on television; European radio



Gross Revenue, 2009

In 2009, Jazz Sideman-Bandleader performed as a sideman with 16 groups in 24 engagements including three in Europe. As a leader or co-leader he played 27 engagements including a European tour, and received the first part of a grant to support a tour and recording of one of the ensembles he leads. He received income for two recording sessions as a sideman and two as a leader. He had one teaching engagement at a university, and one at a festival in Canada. He also took two temporary part-time engagements with arts organizations working on music projects. He appeared on four recordings as a leader or co-leader, on three recordings as a sideman, and as producer on three recordings that were released on independent labels in 2009.


Sideman: Performance 31.7% 24 engagements with 16 ensembles including 3 European dates

Live Performance 17.1% 27 engagements including a European tour

Administrator 14.0% 2 engagements with arts organizations working on music projects

Grant 13.3% For recording project as a leader

Teaching 12.4% 1 university engagement, 1 festival-related engagement in Canada

Sound Recording 4.1% 2 projects

PRO Royalties 4.0% UK radio, television special

Sideman: Recording 3.3% 2 recording sessions



Gross Revenue, 2010

In 2010, Jazz Sideman-Bandleader performed as a sideman with 12 groups, playing 20 engagements including two in Europe and two in Canada. As a leader or co-leader he played 18 engagements including two in Europe and one in Canada, and received two new grants for projects he led. He received income for six recording sessions as a sideman. He had one teaching engagement at a university. He also took one temporary part-time engagement with an arts organizations working on music projects. He appeared on three recordings as a leader or co-leader, on two recordings as a sideman, and as producer on two recordings that were released on independent labels in 2010.


Grant 34.1% 3 grants for 3 different projects as a leader

Live Performance 22.8% 18 engagements including 2 in Europe and 2 in Canada

Sideman: Performance + Organizer 20.3% 3 Engagements with the same artist

Sideman: Performance 10.5% 20 engagements with 12 ensembles including 6 in Europe

PRO Royalties 4.6% European radio, European live Performances

Teaching 4.5% 1 engagement with university

Sideman: recording 1.9% 6 recording sessions

Administrator 1.3% 1 engagement with arts organization for music project



Income vs Expenses

The pie charts below show aggregate gross income, and the related expenses, for 2004-2010.

The pie chart for expenses has been scaled visually to represent that expenses consume about 50% of gross income. The table below provides details about expenses from 2004-2010.

Expense Category 2004-2010 Details

Touring Expense 41.0% Transportation, hotel, per diem, agents fees

Sidemen 33.2% Artist fees paid to sidemen

Overhead 8.1% Office expenses, utilities, supplies, insurance, taxes and licenses, memberships, legal and professional

Publicity and Marketing 5.2% Publicist, advertising, mailing costs

Production 6.1% Equipment and repair, Arrangement and copyist, research.

Recording Expenses 4.6% Recording studio, rehearsal space

Merch Expense 1.9% CDs to sell on the road

Gross Income, 2004–2010 Gross Expenses, 2004–2010

Touring Expense

Paying Sidemen

Overhead

Publicity

Equipment

Recording Expense

Cost of Goods Sold



The chart below shows income versus expenses on a year to year basis. The grey line indicates net income from year to year.

The column graph above indicates a net income that fluctuates from year to year, with the lowest net income point at 2006 and the highest net income point at 2007. While the income related to his projects as a leader has increased steadily from 2004-2010, the requisite expenses have also grown. The income for Sideman, Administration and Teaching – activities that do not have significant expenses attached – subsidize his bandleader and composer activities in all years but 2007.

Income by Role

The column graph above shows that Jazz Sideman’s income falls into six general buckets: sideman work, administrator, bandleader, teacher, composer and income from sound recordings.

Below and to the right are breakouts of of his income by role, from 2004-2010.

Income v Expenses and Net, 2004–2010

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Recording Income

Composer

Teaching

Bandleader

Administrator

Sideman

Touring Expense

Paying Sidemen

Overhead

Publicity

Equipment

Recording Expense

Sideman: Performance 68.6% Sideman: Recording 9.0%

Income from Sideman Work



Income by Role, 2004–2010

Administrator 64.8% Sideman: Performer + Organizer 35.1%

Income as Administrator Income as Bandleader

Live Perform 53.8%Grants 41.5%Recording Adv. 3.1%CD Sales on Road 1.6%

Income as Teacher Income as Composer

Bandleader 27.9%Administrator 22.9%Teacher 10.5%Sideman 36.7%Composer 2.1%



By isolating his income by role, we can see how his activity in each role is sometimes determined by his available time. For example, more bandleader time means fewer sideman opportunities. Each role impacts the other.

His composer and bandleader gross income has been steadily growing. The increase in the bandleader role gross income suggests an increased time commitment to his own projects - more time on the road as a leader.

His sideman role provides the most consistent income. Gross income went gone down a little in 2009 and 2010. reflecting that he has less time to play for other bandleaders because of the increased time investment in his own projects.

His teaching and admininstrator roles fill in the gaps. When he has a lighter schedule, or if the opportunity is particularly lucrative and he can make the time, he will say yes to teaching and administrative opportunities.

The Jazz Sideman-Bandleader actively pursues opportunities as a bandleader, has long term collaborations as a sideman, and lets the other roles and relationships fill in as his remaining time allows (or as his income needs require).

Anatomy of a Grant

In 2010, grants accounted for approximately 35% of Jazz Sideman’s gross income. The following chart details how the money for all three of his 2010 grants was spent. Because all three were restricted grants that dictated how the money was to be used, which is not unusual for a foundation grant, and because all three were for ensembles that he leads, he spent 99% on expenses and took home 1% of the gross grant amount. This is typical for bandleaders; a large portion of their gross income goes to expenses. It’s also worth noting that foundation grants are extremely competitive, and are not a guaranteed source of income by any means for an artist.

Grant Expenses, 2010

About Sideman WorkArtist’s sideman gigs are almost all obtained through word of mouth and reputation. There is no audition process. Often people specifically seek him out because they want to work with him. The financial arrangement is almost always a flat fee buyout for a studio or live situation. He does not retain any of copyrights generated by this sideman work, and these gigs are not under union contracts.

As a bandleader, he hires sidemen, who typically get paid more than he does per gig. He raises money to pay his sidemen through guarantees from clubs or festivals, a cut of the door, personal investment, and occasionally grant support of some kind.



Sideman Relationships over Time

From 2004 to 2010, Jazz Sideman-Bandleader played 369 engagements with 81 different ensembles as a sideman. Forty-nine of the engagements were one-time sideman gigs. The remaining 320 engagements were spread out amongst 32 ensembles, with 65% of the engagements coming from six bandleaders.

The two stacked area charts provide a visual representation of the number of sideman engagements he took on from 2004-2010 and his income from those gigs. Each color represents a different bandleader or ensemble. We’ve chosen the area chart format so you can see the relationships between Jazz Sideman and various bandleaders. A handful stay strong over time, with at least one or two gigs every year. Others might peter out after a couple years of activity, or are one only occasional shows.

Over the period of 2004-2010, Jazz Sideman-Bandleader took on fewer sideman engagements in general, but he maintains a steady relationship with three or four bandleaders.

Looking at income by group, 46% of his sideman wages comes from one bandleader. Though he is playing about a third the number of sidemen engagements in 2010 as he was in 2004, his total income for sideman work is 15% greater in 2010 than it was in 2004.

Number of sideman gigs each year

72 70 47 47 49 35 22 40

Sideman Engagements by Group

Sideman Income by Group



Wages for Sideman Work by Territory

This chart illustrates the average earnings for Jazz Sideman-Bandleader’s sideman performance engagements in the US and outside the US. Non-US includes Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe and UK. The non-US venues ranged from major jazz festivals to theaters and concert halls and, occasionally, night clubs. In the US, most of the performances were in night clubs, theaters, and schools.

His sideman rate for US gigs has steadily risen over 8 years; his average rate in 2011 is more than 3 times his average rate in 2004. The non-US sideman rate varies from year to year, as the wages fluctuate depending on what kind of territories he is traveling to, what kind of venues he plays, and which bandleader he is playing with. Some bandleaders pay higher wages than others. On average over eight years, Jazz Sideman-Bandleader’s sideman rate when traveling outside the US is approximately three times greater than what he makes in the US. That isn’t necessarily to say that US gigs are always lower paying as a rule. Sometimes it may be easy and worthwhile for him to play a poorly paying gig at home that he would never consider flying to Europe to do.

PRO Royalties by Territory

This chart looks at the breakdown of Jazz Sideman’s PRO income from 2004-2010.

Practically all of the US income comes from the TV broadcast of the 2001 film for which Jazz Sideman-Bandleader composed the music, with the remaining 0.6% of his US earnings coming from Mobile/Internet/Other. The UK money is nearly all radio use, for one BBC radio special. 83% of the European money comes from “General” money from Finland, all earned in 2010. Countries

Sideman Wages by Territory

PRO Royalties by Territory



included in “Other” category include Australia and Israel (radio airplay), and broadcast of the 2001 film for which Jazz Sideman-Bandleader composed the music in Japan, Peru, Venezuela, Canada and Brazil.

Reflections on the Nature of Sideman Work

One thing that is clear from this case study; the careers of sidemen like this artist involve maintaining dozens of relationships with bandleaders and collaborators. It demands flexibility, personal autonomy and being very organized, not only for scheduling gigs, but properly documenting his work so he’s paid for performances and studio sessions. It also requires the artist to be a master performer and a willing collaborator. This is a remarkable skill set to have; someone who can pay attention to details, logistics and scheduling, but also have the performance and compositional skills to make it as a full time jazz musician. Clearly, his professional academic training in composition is a part of this mix, but years of sideman work have sharpened his playing, and widened his network of contacts for future gigs.

What we learn from this case study, in general, is that sideman work has its own pros and cons. One of the cons is the constant hustle. The fact that this Jazz Sideman has played with eighty-one different ensembles in the past six years demonstrates great ability, but also a need to take on work in a piecemeal fashion with, perhaps, only three to six months of guaranteed work lined up at any time.

The advantages are that sidemen are always paid. In fact, sidemen are often paid more than the bandleader. Sidemen are also immune to the risks and costs of touring or recording; their travel is covered and they simply follow the planned tour itinerary, or show up at the studio on time.

Then, there’s the creative tradeoff. Sidemen are hired to support the bandleader’s vision, to follow their musical lead. While there is certainly room for improvisation and collaboration – whether live or in the studio – sidemen are paid for their time and expertise, thus they generally waive any rights to compositional or sound recording credits. While this, again, shields them from the risks associated with any artistic endeavor, it also means they don’t reap the rewards related to the sale or licensing of works on which they performed.

In this artist’s case, we can see a conscious shift towards more bandleader work starting in 2010. While his gross income increased, so did his expenses as he became responsible for tour costs and paying sidemen. But this was a calculated tradeoff. Indeed, when we asked him about his time allocation, Jazz Sideman-Bandleader affirmed he would prefer to do less teaching and administration work, and more playing and writing. But he made an important



distinction that the simple increased activity of playing and writing was not enough. He is dedicated to a very particular kind of jazz, one that is not widely known or well supported. Because he is devoted to this kind of jazz, he is willing to take on the administrative work, or the pro bono production work, or run a record label without pay, or help with a tour, because doing those things enable him to play the music he wants to play.

Even though the artist featured in this case study plays a particular type of jazz, this is the career pattern experienced by many professional sidemen or session players. Being a session player requires – first and foremost – being a great player. But it also requires excellent people skills, organization, flexibility, and a lifestyle that allows them to say “yes” to the right opportunities. In return, session musicians are guaranteed payments for their time on the road or in the studio. It may take hundreds of gigs with dozens of ensembles to make it happen, but sidemen and session players can knit together a career as a full time musician.

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