[Dixielandjazz] vocals

[Patrick Cooke]

>>>Who remembers back when singers were secondary to the musicians they
performed with?<<

I remember when the names of all the musicians were listed on a 78 rpm
record and the singers name was in small print, if it was listed at all.
  Pat Cooke




----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Broadie" <richard.broadie at gte.net>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] vocals


> Have backed Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, Herb Jeffries and the
> Mills Bros. to name a few.
>
> Who remembers back when singers were secondary to the musicians they
> performed with?
>
> Frank turned all that around when he left Tommy Dorsey and we've been
> "working" for singers ever since.
>
> I don't like to compare either musicians or singers with one-another.
> However I do have my "A" list; my "B" list, etc.
>
> Dick Broadie
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Patrick Cooke" <patcooke at cox.net>
> To: "James Kashishian" <kash at ran.es>; <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 8:07 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] vocals
>
>
> > >>> I, personally, enjoy backing a singer that forms part of the music,
> but
> > do not like having one on stage who just takes over the band.<<<
> >
> >        When a singer is at the mike, the band becomes the singer's band.
> > You will play the singer's tunes, in the singer's keys, and in the
> singer's
> > tempos.  It just has to be that way.
> >         With a really good singer, I have no problems with that.  In
fact,
> I
> > enjoy the little mental gymnastics of playing something that requires to
> > exercise my ears and my sluggish old brain.  A good singer can make all
> the
> > difference in a so-so band.  A bad singer can be a nightmare.
> >        Conducting?  A singer has to communicate with the band.  A good
> > singer can so this by several different ways....a quick verbal rundown
> > before the tune, kicking off the tempo, and some singers just ooze with
so
> > much feeling you just can't miss what to do next.  Some just really
don't
> > know how to communicate.
> >        But the real nightmare is when a bad singer flubs the
> > performance....guess who gets the blame???????
> > You guessed it...the musicians!   I have had this happen with top
> > studio-level musicians reading the singer's charts.
> >         I have backed up some great singers, and some bad ones. I
> sincerely
> > hope your next singer isn't the club owner's girl friend.
> >         Pat Cooke
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "James Kashishian" <kash at ran.es>
> > To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 4:06 AM
> > Subject: [Dixielandjazz] vocals
> >
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > Brian wrote:
> > > >I wouldn't think it's an instrumentalists' thing or a jealousy thing
> > >
> > > Ok, maybe I didn't cover this deeply enough.  In some cases, it IS a
> > > pain to back a singer who completely ignores the band, or even directs
> > > it...or blames it if things go wrong.  And, many musicians (I'm not
> > > including myself here) just don't like a singer in the way.  I,
> > > personally, enjoy backing a singer that forms part of the music, but
do
> > > not like having one on stage who just takes over the band.
> > >
> > > >While an occasional vocal is ok, it's still the instruments that hold
> > > the
> > > >most interest.
> > >
> > > Some songs cry out for the words, though.  Trouble In Mind, Angel
Eyes,
> > > Doctor Jazz, Ain't Misbehavin'.... to name a few, with no connection
> > > whatsoever between them.  And, the general public likes to hear the
> > > words to a song.  They recognize a song, many times, by the words
rather
> > > than the melody.
> > >
> > > Anyway, I'm into the "heart" thing, and if a musician has it, that's
> > > great.  If a singer has it, that's great.  Doesn't matter the
instrument
> > > (the voice being an instrument in its own right).
> > >
> > > Jim
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > >
> >
> >
> >
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>
>
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