Gigging for octogenarians and nonagenarians...

Gigging for octogenarians and nonagenarians...

Last night the Schmatzentrubers played for about 90 of the Greencroft residents at Manor IV's monthly birthday and anniversary party dinner. Afterwards we agreed that as long as there are elderly Mennonites, the Schmaltzentubers will have a place to play. (Of course by the time we're that age we'll be deaf and stiff-fingered.)

In a word, they loved us. One woman told everyone she met that she's been attending these things every month for 14 years and we were the best she's ever heard. Another told me that we were very good because she had heard no complaints, and usually people will speak up.

I've come to believe that when it comes to performing, the level of satisfaction is inversely proportional to the amount of money you get paid. (Free jobs tend to be more satisfying than paid jobs, and highly paying jobs are the least satisfactory.) Last night we made $8 each, plus supper, which didn't pay for the glass of wine and dessert at Rachel's with the band after the show. But it was highly satisfactory.

Mom attended, and refused to let anyone know it was her first time to attend the gathering, and that this was her birthday month.

We closed with 'Just a Closer Walk', a tune my dad encouraged me to learn probably 10 or 15 years ago. When we learned it all those years back I was just starting to dabble in improvising, and I had the impression way back then that he was a little disappointed in how we played it. Its only in the last few years I've felt I can make it swing, and I think he'd really like it now. Closing out the program last night with it was bitter-sweet. We played 'Walk' at his funeral, and playing it with Mom in the audience brings back so many memories of Dad. I wish he could have heard it.

Back to the topic of music for money, check out this story about the indy musician who pays the bills writing marketing jingles for consumer products companies he hates. Buy his new CD.