frustration

It can be very frustrating to be a musician..Here's something I want you to think about.

One of the things I like to do is to check out artist that are unknown to me, especially saxophonist. It can be very frustrating when I hear someone who puts out a CD with ok to good tracks and the performance of the lead instrument is not of the best quality. Disclaimer: I am not saying that I can play circles around any saxophonist on the planet...I still have TONS to work on. However, It's obvious that there's something missing.

I hear this a lot in the smooth jazz genre. I hear it in others as well. Some artist, instead of playing their own music, will play the same smooth jazz/R&B material and people go nuts. Maybe it's because the audience knows the material, I don't know.

I guess it's the same in the traditional jazz arena. I get tired of playing the same stuff on a regular basis..that's one of the reasons I like freelancing. It's something different all of the time.

At the same time...sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do to get to places we want to be.

I'll go figure it out now...TTYl

They will let me start in August

A few days ago, I posted about starting at Lesley University. Well... I spoke to the people in the graduate office at UGA and the music department. They are allowing me to move my acceptance for the fall 2011 semester. I honestly didn't think they would do that. In my mind, i was just going on faith.

I realize that I really want to start back. Also, my career goals make getting a terminal degree almost a necessity. The one advantage that I wi have is that I have experience in k-12 and post-secondary experience. I want to move to a university position full time. That may happen before I finish. I just dont know how long I will keep the full time gig in public school. My wife doesn't care where money comes from as long as bills are paid. We will see. I am hoping for some form of assistantship for 2012-2013. That and gigs and teaching should work out. We just got to get the debt down. I got to set up for a gig


TTYL

I just want to play and write music.....

I was talking to my wife yesterday and I realized thT I just want to play and write music. That is what's best for me and that's what Im great at doing. As far as a career, I feel that everything else would be a waste of time (I don't think I feel that way about teaching). Going back to school for anything else may be a wasteful adventure....I at the plot where I can waste time doing frivolous and non-fruitful stuff.

The reality is that the music business is a tough business and a person had to have thick skin in order to succeed, plus some people skills and drive ( notice I didn't say talent...that's for another posting). Right now gigs and music sales are not paying the bills. Hopefully in the next few years it could. As much as I enjoy teaching my k-5 students, that's not an area I want to stay in education. I enjoy private teaching because of the schedule. Whatever God has for me I don't know but I dont want to waste anymore time or money.

TTYL

I'm just like a ship at sea....

We'll I have some interesting news:

I've found a graduate program where the class times are one weekend a month. It's a cohort program through Lesley University. It looks like I will be able to work to get a Ed.S (Specialist) degree starting July 9th. I will be 'grandfathered' into the old pay system for advanced degrees.

I've fought back and forth (hence the title of the blog) and realized that I do want to go back. In this cohort I'm applying for, the group of students meet at a specific location once a month on Saturdays and Sundays. The rest of the time, is study and other stuff.

This is better for me because I don't have to drive a whole bunch for school. Going to UGA would have burned a hole in my wallet and ripped my car to shreds.

It's not a Ph.D, but If I still want it, I'm sure the opportunity will avail itself to me. I hope everything works out. I was told just to get everything in within the next 3-4 days.

TTYL

Change of Plans (OMP CD)

I've had a change of plans..after thinking long and hard, I've decided to go ahead and start offering music for sale on my website. The thing with perfection: you never reach it. There is always something I can do better.

Music is available from me directly...soon "Evening Sky" will be on iTunes, CD Baby and other distribution markets.

Mid-June information

If you read my last few postings, you know I've decided not to go back to school at this time. I realized that studying education is not what I want to do and if I go back to school, I want to study things I want (performance, composition, whatever). I also don't know how long I will be in public school education. I have aspirations of teaching in a university setting full time. I also do not want to give up playing opportunities.

Update on the Jason Passmore Jazz CD:

4 tracks have been recorded (two with me and Daniel Padron and two with another group, we're working on a name change). All of the tracks sound great and I will be getting 2-track mixdowns soon, but don't expect to hear any of it soon. I have quite a few more tracks to record.I'm looking to release it around Nov-Dec.

Update on the Odyssey Music Project CD.

I've hit a snag...hopefully by July digital sales will be announced. Music is complete, but I need to do final mixing and mastering. I guess I want everything to be exactly how I want it.


TTYL

A change in plans

A few weeks ago, I believed that I was to start at UGA for an Ed.D degree in music and teaching this summer at Georgia PErimeter College. Both of those fell through. The GPC classes didn't materialize and I had a change of heart about school.

Here's why I'm NOT going to school

1. No More student loans

2. Want to spend time with the wife and kids

3. Don't want to give up everything I doing as far as private teaching and gigging.

4. Too Much other debt

5. I'm broke

6. See 1-5

As time went on, I realized that I'm not in a position to go back to school, even though I still want to go. It's not in God's plan, so I just need to forget about it for now.

Now that I have more time, I've picked up a few students and some gigs have come through. It's funny how these things work out. I've also realize that I just want to write music and gig (and get paid for it). I enjoy teaching...I have to find other ways to make it happen. If I can get upward towards 25-30 live students and a bunch of online students, I may can make the transition of leaving public school teaching.

We are also thinking about homeschooling....The more we work in a public school, the more we DO NOT want our kids there. Don't get me wrong, there are some great public schools out there. Speaking from personal experience, the majority of the schools can be great schools if ALL parties (students,teachers/staff, parents) so the things necessary to make an excellent school. That's all I will say about that.


TTYL