Yes!

I'm a musician in New England area. Several times I play for different restaurants in Boston, Brockton and RI.

We carry our expensive instruments over there to play and get the risk of someone drunk or careless person to break it because of no discipline inside of the facility when it’s about singing on stage.
What we get paid? Per Musician? $50 top $80 maximum.

Why? Because there is musician out there that for fun can play for free. Yes FREE!



So what happen is: The owners of those restaurants don’t even care and decide to put a price in our job. “SORRY GUYS BUT I ONLY PAY $50 FOR EACH PLAYER PER NIGHT SHOW”!!! WHAT? $50 BUCK? I’LL BE BETTER OF PLAY FOR FREE!

This is not right! We don’t put price on their dishes? The way I see it there is no respect for musician in our community that really want to bring a little of our folklore to our hard worker “criolos” that goes there just to enjoy and remember his country.

My point is: LET BOICOTT THEM! LET THEM PLAY WITH CHEAP PLAYERS OR FACE THE MUSIC WITH CD'S.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!!!

provide a great service and you'll get more money. Quality comes first.

Let the truth be know that we Cape Verdeans as a people could care less of quality of it's musicians and artist of any type. It's true business kiss the asss of other CV musicians from other countries even if their music is not of good quality. The fact also is that we musician brought this disrespect on ourselfs a while back. People don't usally think of the what's going to be the next day. The fact still remains that we don't respect one another, whether it's musicians, business and so called Magazines. We have noticed and we all taking baby steps to correct this.

The other thing is Cabo Verde and it's festival organizers don't have respect for us as well and i think this has become a major issue for us mainly for the reason of one man. Some so called producer of MR Production who pays for everything to go the Gamboa, and puts a little something in the pockets of the organizers as well. The organizer on my opinion have gotten word of this and are trying to have us musicians go to Cape verde on some riduclous contracts. Contracts that plainly shows the disrespect they hold for the Cape Verdean musicians.

But like a few of us have mentioned and it will continued to be so by the grace of God, is that God have blessed us with this country ( Hate it or love- love it) that we call America. We musicians here have pockets also and can go where ever we please.

Honestly, I am a DJ from Boston. I have been djing for about 12 years now. Out of all of the years that I have djed, I've noticed that local artists in Boston (capeverdean) do not get as much respect as others in Holland. It seems to be that the majority of the music played, the productions seems to be added with more promotion. Artists in Holland seem to get a lot more promotion. Compare the promotion with American artists the promotion for it is crazy. Even though there's more money in it, why can't we do the same. In order to get more respect from a DJ or a club promoter or restaurant owner, you music needs to be promoted evenly over the States and overseas. Possibly if you can make a CD single with just two songs just to give to DJ's, then your music will be promoted more. If you promote your music on a website then your music will be more respected. You might have to spend more money on promotion then you will receiving from it. If...

THE CATCH IS THE MOST BE SOMEONE EXCEPTING A CHEAP PRICES SUCH AS $50.00 YOU HAVE TO FIND THAT PERSON (ARTIST) AND EXPLAIN THAT "WE CAN'T GET OUR MONEY'S WORTH BECAUSE YOU CHARGE SO LITTLE"

It's the same way with DJ's. There are a lot of false DJs in New England claiming that they are DJs but they aren't. So when they get a call from parties they charge $200.00; no matter what kind of party they still charge $200.00. When I charge $400.00 and I have been djing longer then they have obviously you would pay a dj that's $200.00 correct.....

In Music and in everithing in life, our behavior must be correct, we must be ectical in everything whe do in life.
Musicians must do their best to preform and give the audience a good show, but also the people that pay musicians must have respect for the musician´s work. If respect is not mutual, it will be dificult to change the way things are going.
I was born in Moçambique and I am a singer, but the base influence in my music is cv music. I have had both experiences. I have been very well treated by some, and bad treated by others, but the important thing is to believe in ourselves and keep on working to get better every day.
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When are we going to create an Association of Cape Verdean Artists in New England to start definding us and advocate for more respect and fair treatment to artists?

In order for the disrespect and unfairness in pricing to stop, we all have to be on the same page and come out with one united voice to address our concerns.

as an event promoter that has been caught in the middle. . .I would have to say there is a trade off. If I am booking talent it isn't just to provide music. A CD player can do that. I'm looking for an artist that is also going to bring me new business. An artist who might have a small following. An owner is providing a venue and an audience for an artist to showcase their talent, and they are paying, so what should they expect in return ?

I'm on the same page with you, Tony.

I feel ofended when I pay $50 or more for show like Beto Dias', Gilyto's and other artist to see them doing playback. Anybody can do that. Playback is not art. It's click and play. singers that use playback are not artist. they're as Cubans say, "Cantante".

I'd rather see artists like Santos Spencer, Candida Rose, Lura, Cesaria, Nhelas, Calu Bana and other that stand on the stage and show their talent with a live band. These, are what are considered artists.

Down to playback and up with live band and real artists.

you cannot unite cape verdeans. why do you think airline tickets to cv is so expensive and only a 6 hour plane ride.
people outside the USA can record junk or the same SH%t over and over and everyone think that's "awesome". it's all BS. I agree, they don't give the respect that they should.