Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Your opinions on "sit-ins" please?

[DWSI at aol.com]

I agree with Don Ingle's answer to the effect that every situation must be 
judged on its own merits or lack thereof. When you ask the question you assume 
that the house thinks it's okay, the other guys in the band don't mind, the 
"sit-inee" has a card (if musician's union rules still apply) and that he or she 
knows the tunes. But it gets even more complicated than that in real life 
situations. Years ago when I was in the service I was asked to sit in at the piano 
for a much bigger band that came on after our five piece group was finished. 
I agreed to play the 12th Street Rag and they started up at a fast tempo. What 
they didn't tell me is they had it on charts only in Ab. Back then I could 
play it in my sleep in 4 different keys but not in that key. It was embarrassing 
for everybody. It might be wise for the band leader to also announce the 
sit-in as a guest and thereby avoid any bad reflections on the band if the sit-in 
screws up as I did.

Dan (piano fingers) Spink

PS. I still can't play it in Ab but who cares?