Guide to the Road for the Touring Musician
David Liebman (1994). Guide to the Road for the Touring Musician. New Albany, IN: Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc. (no ISBN) 62 pages; $5.95. This reprint from The Saxophone Journal should be obligatory reading for every ensemble director expecting to take his or her group on any kind of trip that entails at least one night away from home! And for any of you contemplating overseas travel, suffice it to say that you should put purchasing this handy guide at the top of your "to-do" list. The writing style is very direct with short, declarative sentences that get to the point without fanfare. And yet, something statement is so important! There's simply no fluff. Liebman has provided the kind of nugget for readers that improvisors are constantly striving to achieve in performance-everything he says is essential without wasting energy or space.
Reading every entry provides practical information for the musical traveler: what you need to comprehend so you can function well and make your trip as productive as possible.
The book is assembled into short segments ("chapters" is a little grand to describe them) that carefully cover every imaginable predicament the travelling jazz musician is likely to encounter. Often, Liebman draws from his own vast experiences of nearly thirty years as an award-winning musician to share practical recommendations designed to protect the reader from the worst kinds of travel headaches we all know exist. Segments are titled "Business," "Travel," "Miscellaneous," "Currency," "Safety," "Final Thoughts" (which really aren't since he also adds), "How Do I Sound?" Each segment is very thorough and comprehensive. They are chronological so that each corresponds with the typical time-line encountered when traveling. Liebman starts with setting up the gigs, then takes you through various preparations, the trip and stray components (with all their inherent complications), and finally, the performance and interaction with the audience.
One perfect yet typical example of how thorough Liebman is comes in the "Currency" segment. After dealing with currency exchange -when and how-he takes the reader through many of the subtleties and nuances encountered with this maze-like experience. Although the topic has confused many a traveler, he provides clear and specific information that can easily end up saving you literally hundreds of dollars. Furthermore, he even provides the reader with a crash course in identifying counterfeit one-hundred dollar bills.
So if you're a musician who's planning on traveling to a gig somewhere-or you're an ensemble directory with a tour in your plans- buy this book! The rest of you ought to go ahead and buy it as well since it's so inexpensive, truly valuable, and (like a passport) you never know when it might come come in handy!
766. Guide To The Road For The Touring Musician - David Liebman - Jamey Aebersold - 1994 - $5.95. II. HS/College/Music Educators. III. Traveling Musician Guide. VI. Individiual.
Guide To The Road For The Touring Musician is one of those books that is difficult to put down. Music educators need to be conversant with this information so that their students can make better decisions and be more successful as they become involved as semi-professional musicians. The author, a full-time professional musician of many years with Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, and many others, has the expertise to help aspiring musicians and educators in this endeavor. Practical and informative suggestions make this book an exceptional buy. While the reading is light and fast, the contents are essential to surviving as a road musician. Topics covered include business, travel, currency, safety, and a myriad of other details: road etiquette, audience concerns, dealing with foreign and domestic checks, critics, friends, jet-lag, packing, re-entry into the U.S., food, contracts, health, people in general, dealing with the promoter and club owners, and many more topics. Of particular interest was information about ensuring that money is not counterfeit! This is a book that you will have difficulty putting down! Address: 1211 Aebersold Drive, New Albany, IN 47151-1244. 62pp.
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