| In the UK for the last 18 years at least, a whole | | | | career working with theatre orchestras and larger |
| generation has been virtually starved of live musicians | | | | musical combos, I have recently returned to working |
| for a variety of reasons. The advent of computers | | | | a lot of solo gigs as a cocktail pianist playing a variety |
| being a standard household utility with their | | | | of music styles but often older standards such as |
| accompanying music production and downloadable | | | | Cole Porter, George Gershwin, etc. The thing is, not |
| music format devices, together with widespread | | | | only am I now finding I'm being booked by the |
| video and latterly DVD technology has kept many a | | | | youngster that first saw me a few years ago, but |
| youngster indoors for most of their leisure time. | | | | they are requesting that I play the same style of |
| Coupled with the rising overheads and prohibitive | | | | music for their wedding reception or birthday party. |
| licence fees and conditions imposed on UK venues | | | | It seems that they have got into this sort of music |
| such as pubs and restaurants to house live artistes | | | | through being made aware of it when I first played |
| (or even play recorded music), this has had a | | | | for them and they were so intrigued by it. |
| devastating effect on professional musicians and | | | | There is very little coverage on UK radio or television |
| potential artistes alike. The biggest losers are the | | | | of any music style other than the most recent |
| members of our younger generations - many of | | | | commercial music. The sad thing is that if younger |
| whom have never even heard a live musician or band. | | | | people do not get the opportunity to witness other |
| It is easy to see why therefore, that during my live | | | | musical styles because it is not in the mainstream |
| gigs lately, I am frequently faced with a young | | | | broadcasts and because live music is so rare, we are |
| person totally agape watching the live musician at | | | | not giving them the chance to decide if they like it or |
| work. They have no doubt become conditioned to | | | | not. We have therefore been creating a generation |
| accepting music as an impersonally generated medium | | | | for many years that is one-tracked in its musical |
| and find it fascinating to witness the live, hands-on | | | | culture, when we should have been giving our |
| music creativity. Fortunately, this seems to be having | | | | youngsters much more choice. |
| an inspirational effect. Having spent most of my | | | | |