Playing jazz pianoIf your ambition is to be playing jazz piano on the jazz scene, my two most important pieces of advice would be to play as much and listen to as much jazz as you possibly can. Jazz was invented to be played and heard live, so find out where your nearest live music venues are and get down there! More often than not your local bar, club or pub will have some live music on at some point, so see who's playing and check out whether or not they're your thing.I began piano lessons at the age of 12 and it wasn't until I was in my early 20's that I started playing jazz piano. My first gig was actually on the drums, but that only lasted a few years until I was confident enough to start playing piano on my own. Those first gigs, even though they weren't on the piano were great experience. Aside from developing my sense of rhythm and timing, they also made me realise that I could perform and (fairly importantly) earn money from music; a fact careers advisors will go to great lengths to hide from you. I was told to keep it as a hobby, perhaps do it part time (if I must) but in the 'real' world (wherever that is) it's very hard to make money as a pianist, so I shouldn't take it too seriously. Luckily I didn't listen to them and by the age of 20 I had my first solo piano gig and I was playing six nights a week. The chances are if you want to focus on nothing but jazz, then solo piano work is likely to be harder to come by. I wouldn't rule it out though, because it does offer regular work and valuable time to improve your playing. Ask around at your local hotels and restaurants. You might find they already have a pianist. If so, don't let that put you off. I'm not suggesting that you muscle in on his gig (that's very bad practise!) but you could let him, or the hotel manager, know that if ever they need a dep, you'll be able to step in. The next place that offered me a great opportunity to meet and play with other musicians was my local jazz club. I was the resident pianist there and every Monday they had a jam night. These are great for anyone starting out. They're also great if you're a bit more established because you can exchange phone numbers, network and generally get to know people who are already doing what you want to do. Another successful move was getting an agent. There are lots of agencies out there offering to represent musicians. You do have to be careful, as I have learned from experience. Unfortunately there are a lot of musicians who really only want to play music and are open to exploitation as a result. They work for pennies and then don't see that money for months and months at a time. I know, because I was one of them when I started out. When applying to an agency, don't just fall for the first one who accepts you. Look at what they offer - how much do they take as a percentage? Anything over 25% (which is a lot) and your agent is extracting the urine somewhat. Make sure you get a contract and read it thoroughly. If necessary, get it checked out by a legal expert. Check to see if they offer a cancellation fee and make sure you know what the terms are if you need to cancel. Entertainments agencies often come up with corporate gigs and wedding functions. These aren't necessarily the most exciting, but they do tend to be well paid and sometimes can be surprisingly fruitful. You never know whose wedding or function you are attending - just look at Michael Buble!
All of the above are a great way of breaking your way onto the scene and ensuring you are able to make a living doing what you want. If you are part of a band already, then get gigs as soon as you can. Book the gigs even before you've started rehearsing. I know that sounds foolhardy, but (and again I say this from experience) the more you rehearse, the less you feel ready. You will never be ready for a gig until you do it. If you've never gigged before then there is no measure as to when you're ready, you just have to do it. Booking the venue will give you something to work for and it will make your rehearsals much more efficient.
Good luck and have a ball!
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