[Dixielandjazz] Band set up

[BillSargentDrums at aol.com]

<<Good point Tom.  Makes me wonder, how many bands are led by the drummer?>>

Mine is.

AND, I set up in front of the band.

1. Makes it easier to work with horn kicks and accents when you're in front 
of the DIRECTIONAL horns.

2. Even if he isn't officially, the drummer always has and always will be THE 
director of the band, he conducts tempo, time, groove, dynamics, colors, 
style, etc.

By the very nature of the instrument (waving of arms and physical movement 
gestures) he is also the natural conductor of any band. Therefore, with the 
above attributes being visual in nature, it is only logical to have the drummer in 
a position where eveyone can clearly see his movements.

3. Drummers (good drummers who also remember they are in the business of 
entertainment) are more entertaining for the audience to watch. Other than 
emotional facial expressions, there's not much entertainment value in watching a 
trumpet player's fingerings.

I know I stepped on a few toes with the above comments, but what the hey . . .

That all being said, when playing sideman on someone else's band, I set-up 
wherever they want me too. It's just that most times their bands aren't anywhere 
near as tight, swing as much, or play with as great a range of dynamics as my 
bands do.

Also, with the exception of my big band, the bassist always sets off my left 
and slightly behind on the hi hat side between the drummer and the pianist 
with the piano soundboard facing the bassist and drums on a 45 degree angle to 
the band. The horns set on a 45 degree angle toward me off my left so they have 
good sight lines.

That puts the piano directly behind the horns. The vocalist stands in the 
middle off my left in front of the horns.

Keep Swingin'!
Bill
414-777-0100
BillSargentBands.com