[Dixielandjazz] vocals

Richard Broadie richard.broadie at gte.net
Thu Feb 6 22:04:19 PST 2003


Those were the good ol' days, Pat!  Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Patrick Cooke" <patcooke at cox.net>
To: "Richard Broadie" <richard.broadie at gte.net>;
<dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 7:54 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] vocals


> >>>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
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Dixielandjazz mailing list
> > > > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> > > > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Dixielandjazz mailing list
> > > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> > > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Dixielandjazz mailing list
> > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
> >
>
>
>





More information about the Dixielandjazz mailing list