he plays in NYC, mostly improv, often incorporating Bach and other classical works, but always without sheet music. Lately his focus has shifted to more atonal music, which contrary to what I would've thought has dramatically increased the rate at which people give him money.
With the rest of his free time he plays in a million different bands (most of whom who he met when they approached him on the subway platform) and smokes himself into a happy stupor.
> Lately his focus has shifted to more atonal music, which contrary to what I would've thought has dramatically increased the rate at which people give him money.
That's surprising. Maybe it works because the regular, tonal fare tends to be filtered away as background music?
Interesting theory. Not all atonal music sounds 'harsh' by the way. Berg's opera music is quite jolly in some parts.
Suggestion to relative: get a digital sound recorder and capture a few of the improvisations and a couple of the atonal pieces and put them on Soundcloud. Your relative might get (even) more attention.
With the rest of his free time he plays in a million different bands (most of whom who he met when they approached him on the subway platform) and smokes himself into a happy stupor.