YOUR QUESTION:

07/28/2021

You have a so-called dream job, but does work ever feel like work—days where you’re not quite feeling up to it?

MY ANSWER:

It’s always curious to me when people say this sort of thing, or think that I’ve got everything all worked out. What makes it seem like a dream job? I still schlep my acoustic bass on the subway and up four or five flights of stairs just to get to a gig that might pay $150 if I’m lucky. Yes, sometimes I don’t feel up to it, however, I’ve found that just playing music usually turns my mood positive. There are many aspects to being a musician that involve sweat, stress and hardship. There are days when I feel overpaid, but those are probably outweighed by the number of times I’ve been underpaid. The older I get, the harder it is to carry a bass on my shoulder through various airports. Sometimes, it’s barely worth it and I’m just counting the dollars. But what can I say, I do what I love, and that is a dream.