[Dixielandjazz] Re: Simultaneous Appearances And Fraud

[AL LEVY]

So, we went to a wedding. I had been out of the music scene
for about 15 years. The band played "Sept. In The Rain."
I was intrigued. The Shearing Quintet recording exact.
I asked the keyboard player "How did you do that"?
His reply: I sequenced it this morning.
"Not likely" I thought. I knew nothing of midi nor electronic
music. Never even heard of Karioke. (Please forgive the spelling).
=======
Went to another affair and the guitar player was doing continuous. (NY for playing between sets)
I heard a bass. In my ignorance "where's the bass player"? He replied: I'm not playing, it's a tape.
last boring example: 8 piece band doing Sinatra's "The Summer Wind" backing up a singer.
Hell, the bari, tenor, organ and alto solos were all there plus all the other good riddle things. (?)
I asked and got the same answer as the first example.
It took me a few years to catch on to the fact that they were using background tapes or cds.

The irony - I quit music because of electronics (guitars and keyboards) and ended up building
computers and writing software. (1973)

1993 - got into midi at the urging of my friends. Charlie Perry called and asked me to put his
new drum book on computer (Finale). He insisted I sit it in on a seminar that he was giving along
with Lynn Milano (Bass). At one point he announced that the "trio" would play a few tunes.
I was "volunteered". And so, my fingers touched a piano again after 20-30 years lay off.
Talk about anger. I only listened to talk shows that entire period. But, music is a disease
and I became re-infected. I am trying my best to reach some level of adequacy. My current schedule
includes three solo nights in a club, two rehearsals with big bands and two mornings with combos.

Best part - I don't have to hear about your hard drive crashing anymore.

Cheers,
Al
Pianist, Composer, Arranger, Conductor, Teacher and Music Prep.
Please visit me at
http://alevy.com