Why call Doctor J?

Smooth soulful sounds, lite rock ballads, tasty dance melodies and great vocal delivery presented in an entertaining format are the major elements that have retained customers for many venues where Rhythm Dr J. has performed.  15 years of successful full time international performances in resorts, casinos, hotels, fine dinning and theme lounges without loosing an audience is a credit to his expertise.  Solo performances of the Rhythm Dr. are energetic as well as space saving for venues which rely upon every seat being filled for  prosperity and service quality.  Dr. J. has studied the grass roots business of entertainment booking, and promotion strategies which provide an unparalleled professionalisim  for a solo performer of his calibre.  Here are some of the suggestions and observations of things in a local music business scene that make it tough for artists as well as venue owners to gain success that comes from proper use of good live performance.  Its refered to as ...

Business owners 'Myth' conceptions and 'Myth' stakes: 
What do I need live entertainment for?  ["I do ok without it besides I have the CD player or I can get a DJ. anytime for less money."]  The CD changer or a Dj is amusement extracted from the random selection of pre recorded works of other entertainers.  Besides that in some localities its actually illegal without song liscencing although not enforced adequately.  The missing element is the spontaneity of humans reacting to quality artist interpretations. The obvious value of quality live performance is a customer will forget about the time spent waiting for the service.  Once you see or here a quality live performance its not a repeatable presentation.  The expectation however becomes that each performance is a great one.  Great performaces come from experienced performers.  Its a myth to think that pre-recorded play back replaces anything live and spontaneous.  Even the Dj is stale without spontenaety.  entertainment is entertainment.  

We tried live entertainment and it just doesn't work here! 
Well who did you get? who did the selection of the performers? Did you question the experience of the potential entertainers?  Did you consider pulling the plug when the clientele seemed to be disturbed at the performace or did you watch as your customers (excuse me .. your money!) slipped out of the door?  There are 3 basic questions to always ask a potential employee that equally applies to contracting for entertainment.  How long have you been doing what you do?   Do you have any references,  Can you work my schedule. 
     If live entertainment appears to not have worked the reasons are very basic.  Wrong artistry for the ambiance, inexperienced entertainment, failed promotional push.  Rhythm Dr J provides what is referred to as a control of the controllable strategy that has yet to fail when fully applied and trusted to work.  Be sure to ask about the strategy that would work for your place of business.  more than 30 years of music entertainment industry research and study have gone into the Rhythm Dr's proven strategies.  Do not 'myth'stake short term music fan likes of the weekend waitress to be an indicator of what will profit your venue for years to come.  Years of research has gone into knowledge of playing the right song at the right time. 
   We can't afford live music!. These bands want too much and I just don't have the business to pay them.  If they have a following they can bring here then we might be able to afford it.  Price is always negotiable just like your beverage distributor and the garbage collection, a service is a service!  Many venue owners hurt themselves using the Myth conception that entertainment should be free as in 'jam session' as in 'open stage' as in 'karaoke.'  as in 'talent contest' as in 'battle of the bands'.  Nothing shifts the ambiance of more formal venues than the assertion of un rehearsed unpolished and inexperienced performances.  Most of which occur at the very times you need the cash customer base to meet simple overhead expenses. 
     The Rhythm Dr systematically uses a formula to assess where the budget is and plans the 15 to 20% increases that should occur for any business within the first 30 days.  Win win strategies are affordable ask the Dr about this.  Damage control is expensive.  Trust anyone who has ever tried these things long term.  If they're honest they'll admit it. The perception of prosperity is masked by the body counts but the income has not increased overall and the 'good spenders' taper off.  The band with the following is not a clear reality its definitely better to have your own 'following' of patrons who come to your venue regardless of who or what is featured.  Most professionals charge for the promotional expense to motivate their following to your spot for a short period of time.  2 questions to consider with this misconception is are you a concert hall style venue needing the ticket sales that followings bring and are you in business for a few days a month or weekly?  Truth is, followings grow from good stable performances.  All venues are local in nature.  If you're failing to reach your neighborhood examine the reasons.  The entertainment may not be to blame.  When in doubt call the Dr.!   Rhythm Dr. J at your service. 

When do we work for free ?

Never!  is the correct answer.  When do we do freebies?  Not at anytime because there is no such reality.  I know I'll get tons of debate on this point but let me qualify my response in this way;  I recall vividly an adage given to me as a 6th grade youth from a zealous sixth grade teacher named Mr. Christoff while growing up in Youngstown Ohio.  What he said was {"Theres no such thing as free!  Free is an acronym (F.R.E.E.) which stands for the phrase 'For reasons explained elsewhere'} in other words theres always a hidden agenda! Free is never a reality.  Working for free as an artist or a musician is sinful to say the least.  All the way around any way you look at it; Anyone asking you for free work harbors ill concieved motivations.   So why do we do it?  Why do we find ourselves cheapening our precious contributions to culture and society, and worse than this why do patrons exhibit great desire for something of significant value free of charge without obligation. Market place manipulation of public thinking and perception is a large culprit but I'll hit on that huge subject another time.  The creative mind delivers goods and services just as  Doctors, lawyers, scientists, engineers and many other professional servants and don't you forget it.   
   The analogy of this thing 'free' fused in my head at an early age along with other book learned principles dealing with matters such as  Fair negotiations and Balanced judgments. The conclusion of the study is this:  Any transaction that does not benefit all who are involved in some positive fashion is not a good deal at all and is best abandoned or reworked for corrections.  My focus here is on the effects such activities have on the crafters and developers of intellectual properties not the brokers and plagerists (they have no personal attachment to the activity of developing the goods,) but we artists and musicians who work successfully from scratch to create goods have a vested interest in the success of our crafts.  Here are a couple of simple illustrations that I believe will hone in ones focus to smell the rats, the good cheese from bad cheese and know how to say 'no thankyou' and please come correct or not at all.   patience is definitly a virtue in negotiating; use it wisely if pay is not involved. 

     "Its a charitible function and everybody is donating their time. "  get the details before a yes answer.  Research the charity and the handlers, no matter how big or small the answers are upfront or theres not much organization, its a clear signal to beware.  The participants have varied interests whether declared or not;  makes no difference who is onboard when you have problems or losses after the deal. None of those negotiators will be there for you when its your turn to use the same devil phrase: "are you with us or not".  A well organized business machine works the tax laws also and perhaps you're not that big yet.  If there is a cover charge, ticket sales. condiment and or swag sales then money is being made to recover expenses for more than just the charitible cause.  You have expenses as well!  Preparation, set up, travel, exibition time etc.  The impromptu sale of your merchandise is important as well so negotiate the option to maximize your activity, discussion of the money trails are important. 'if its win win then we can begin.'  Participation in large charitible events can work well however they can also be taxing of your energy and time. Do you remember ever sitting in a doctors lobby for a quick visit and the receptionists telling you "no charge for the visit?"  Rare occurence eh?  A balanced trade off in the negotiation will lead to increases in your acceptance at what you do if nothing else.  If its just a gamble,  calculate your risk and the investment.  The last act on a stage after a worn audience can stir up mixed reviews and send some wrong signals.  Ensure your amount of stage time and the time of your apperance with a written instrument whenever possible, (ie. contract, working memo etc.).  A charitible function with "booth rentals" for the participants isn't a charity or a clear fundraiser.  A battle of the band charity event urging payment of an entry fee is a hustle.  You have talent and skills the promotors need this to pull off their agendas.  Nobody calls the bug exterminator and tells him to pay for entering the house to get rid of the roaches and further more to add insult to the injury tell the exterminator "its going to help him in his business" to do so, and if you wish we'll let you pass out stickers only.   Absurd my friends.  But we do it.  I'm simply saying think twice before you do things like this.  Many fall ignorantly for these 19th and 20th century tactics which are used to this day by the talent hustlers.  Rule:  Never pay to give your good thing away.  Another example:  do the design work or show me what you can do here and then we'll talk about you doing other work for me later.  NO!  Who calls the plummer and says fix this leak and if you do good work we'll talk about paying you next time.  Nobody!  or tell the surgeon voluntarily fix my heart irregularities and if you do good work I'll pay for doing my kidneys.  Request what would be helpful to you as well,  for example, permission to promote your display or charge for the public entry to view the exhibition, or perhaps material and supply supports, set up the tip jar when you do a presentation and make sure that its understood that this is a short promo and the next time is pay at your price.  Never something for nothing,.   Barter and exchange is healthy when fairly administered.  If you get a bad feeling in the beginning theres a reason for it and don't feel bad to walk away.  Certainly there will be other offers and if nothing else you leave with a cheap brag right to go on your hype sheet that you were propositioned for the deal (LOL).  As artsans we don't do freebies.  Goods and services to the market place is taught in schools of higher learning everywhere.  Lets be informed for our successes.  We are scientists doctors and lawyers at what we do creatively.  The politics stinks being a salesman sucks but thats because theres not enough political types and sales folk that respect what we actually do.  Take control, study your craft and learn the art of the deal as a creative mind.  'nuff said 

J. Julio Veal

No such Thing As A starving Artist