<p>Metro stations in DC have some good stuff going. This morning a guy was playing soprano sax riffs at Foggy Bottom. One group of doo wop dudes seems to be there every Friday afternoon. Just the thing to say bye-bye to the week of work. </p>
<p>Anyone else appreciate stuff you just hear strolling around? Any favorites?</p>
<p>Rock on!
dd</p>
<p>Nice thread for a Friday afternoon.
In some cities, I’ve followed the sound of subway music, just to get a look at the player(s) and throw my dollar in the hat.<br>
May sound crazy, but I love the sound of Vespas. Transports me back to Europe.</p>
<p>At lunch there nice sounds coming from a flute player at 18th and I. Sounded a bit like the various Peruvian groups in DC.</p>
<p>This reminds me of an article I once read. They got Joshua Bell (!!!) to busk in the DC subway to see what would happen:</p>
<p>[Pearls</a> Before Breakfast - washingtonpost.com](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html]Pearls”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html)</p>
<p>there are some awesome ones…</p>
<p>there are also some terrible ones.</p>
<p>(DC is my reference)</p>
<p>What an interesting article. And the concept of the ‘art not being framed correctly’ is a good one. What would be the outcome on Joshua Bell’s experiment if he had place a sign out front stating who he was or what orchestra he was representing? Would that have changed anything or would people at least have done a double take to put into context what they were hearing? From what I heard on the video, his playing was astonishing.</p>
<p>Here is the audio of the violin performance.</p>
<p>[Audio</a> of Joshua Bell’s Full Metro Performance](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007/04/09/VI2007040900536.html]Audio”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007/04/09/VI2007040900536.html)</p>
<p>It’s pretty amazing but he might have drawn more listeners if he played at the end of the day instead of in the morning while everyone was rushing to work. I have heard some good and awful street musicians. I have applauded some and stopped to listen to some but don’t contribute money as often as perhaps I should.</p>
<p>I try to always applaud musicians because they work so hard, including when they play at restaurants and other venues and are often ignored as “background.”</p>
<p>He does sound like multiple instruments. I’m sure if he played in Europe he would have drawn more listeners and probably more contributors. At least the cops weren’t called & no one stole his case!</p>
<p>Give generously.</p>
<p>That might be one of our music major children playing there.</p>
<p>I would be happy to give at a concert but am not sure I want to support street musicians; very conflicted about this.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Or my brother. I like to think he’s one of the awesome ones.</p>
<p>Here’s the interview with Joshua Bell on NPR. It’s pretty amusing.</p>
<p>[NPR</a> Media Player](<a href=“http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=9521098&m=9521101]NPR”>http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=9521098&m=9521101)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I know that at least one child-of-a-CC-poster has been earning a living that way (maybe “almost a living”) since graduation last spring. Not a music major, either. Something super-employable, like Latin.</p>
<p>Last summer, I was transfixed one afternoon by a New Orleans-style brass band playing in a pocket park a block from my building. It turned out to be a student group – yes, music majors – from Cheyney University. I still have their card. I listened for about 40 minutes, left them a ten, and felt I had gotten a bargain. In general, though, New Orleans has ruined me for buskers elsewhere. The quality there is just so amazingly high.</p>
<p>It is amazingly difficult to make a living as a musician. In our state, our symphony has been in bankruptcy and is trying to regroup. It is not an easy path but good music IS so lifting.</p>
<p>We and D are nervous about her going into cinema as neither she nor we look forward to the tough path that can be either. Still she loves it and we want her to pursue her dreams, which she is doing. Am hoping she will at least also learn to make PSAs and perhaps other messages so perhaps that could add to her employability. Time will tell.</p>
<p>College towns often have many good/great musicians around, sometimes paying at coffee shops, sometimes street corners or other locations. My BF in grad school used to play at coffee shops. He was gratified that I always came to his performances & would clap enthusiastically as he really was enjoyable to listen to. He made a bit over minimum wage by the tips they gave him for his playing. He got a masters in ecology & then a 2nd masters in computer science so he could earn a living at it & enjoy nature as a hobby rather than a livelihood.</p>
<p>My son is a music major, so we are naturally worried about whether he will be able to make a living. Fortunately, my daughter is not interested in music as a career.</p>
<p>She wants to be a poet.</p>
<p>Well, at least we currently have one employed. S is an EE & has a full-time job, so perhaps he will stay employed and we will only have to help D figure out how to draw a living wage from her talents. Don’t see her as wanting to teach but she could probably stage properties and perhaps do interior design if cinema doesn’t work out. We will continue to keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.</p>
<p>Street Musicians:</p>
<pre><code> Here in Chicago they must wear their license. The license costs a hundred dollars for two years. That is to perform on the street, not in the subway. The subway requires a separate license.
Crystal Bowersox was a street performer here. Look at the Chicago Street Musicians website.
</code></pre>
<p>My son is a conservatory trained free-lance musician in NYC. Free lancing is a really tough gig and when he runs into a lean month, he busks in Central Park. It is not his favorite thing to do. He worries about getting harassed by the cops or his instrument getting damaged but he usually makes pretty good money and it helps to make ends meet. He has made some professional contacts this way as well. Stop and listen and you will hear a wonderful musician. Throw a buck or 2 in the case, or don’t if you don’t feel comfortable, but enjoy the performance regardless.</p>
<p>HIMom - why do you feel conflicted? Just curious. Most of the street musicians are trying to earn a living in a very difficult economy. Most will use the money to buy groceries and pay rent.</p>
<p>I love street musicians, I think they add a great deal of grace to life. Accordion players, the girls doing Marilyn Monroe, string players, the lone sax – I love them all. They provide a service that I value so I always throw something in their jar.</p>
<p>Don’t know–guess I think the should somehow be licensed or regulated so that they are reporting their income like everyone else. </p>
<p>I don’t know, maybe I will start putting money in the jar for some of them (tho some look VERY scruffy). Also am conflicted about feeding homeless because that might keep them from seeking out the services they really SHOULD be getting and just become dependent on handouts. I do work in public health and we do a lot of outreach and provide services for those with low income.</p>
<p>Many of the performers I have heard are very good. I have also dated several very musical young men. One played guitar & would sometimes play at the local coffee shop. The other played flute.</p>
<p>most people are probably familiar with this story: [Nathaniel</a> Ayers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Ayers]Nathaniel”>Nathaniel Ayers - Wikipedia) but I figured I would post anyway</p>