But...the risk factor is also part of what makes live music worth doing - the buzz, if you will.

Even more so so if part or all of your act contains some element of genuine improvisation. The joy and horror of playing jazz and some blues is always the anticipation of the solo to be played and the efforts to play something meaningful, interesting, musical - even, God help us - original!

In any musical endeavour there's no substitute for constructive practice, practice and more practice.