[Dixielandjazz] Symphony players and rhythm sections

[Randy Fendrick]

On Wednesday, January 28, 2004, at 12:13 PM, Stephen Barbone wrote:

> Randy, you are a symphony
> player can you enlighten me? Do you hear the total sound?

I would argue that you don't hear the total sound.  You only hear the 
folks around you and its the conductors job to sort out what he/she 
wants.  Last year, our symphony put on a work shop for conductors from 
all over the world.  This was a cross between a graduate school seminar 
and marine boot camp.  As many people know, conductors are some of the 
most egotistical people on the face of the earth, so it was interesting 
watching these egos being deflated as the stood in front of the 
orchestra and tried to get from the orchestra what they needed or 
wanted.  One comment was "the good news is, this orchestra does exactly 
what you want them to do, the bad new is this orchestra does exactly 
what you want them to do."  In other words, it is up to the conductor 
to demand what he/she wants the orchestra to do.  In the final 
analyses, it is the conductors responsibility to determine the overall 
sound of the ensemble.  As an individual player, I must make the 
changes to fit within the brass section, or low brass section, or low 
voice section, or blend with the tenors in a choral piece.  I must 
listen intently to what others are doing so as to make what we are 
doing one voice.  I remember returning to school some 43 years ago, 
after playing in a navy band for four years,  and playing in a college 
big band,  the director said, Randy, you are playing too loud!  I said 
something like tell them to play up to me, but that attitude doesn't 
get it in any ensemble and had I thought about it I would not have said 
it.
As for listening to the drummer in a jazz group.  I have always felt 
that that drummer is not the most important person in the rhythm 
section, but would argue for the bass player.  I have played plenty of 
small group things without a drummer.  I have even played big band gigs 
without a drummer.  The bass player sets the tempo, along with the bass 
line,  and sets up the chord structure.  The guitar player (banjo, 
piano, whatever) carries its on from there.  In the old days, with a 
four beat bass drum, in 4/4 time, yea, the drummer did it, but I think 
it was Philly Joe Jones, who said something to the effect that his foot 
got tired that's why he stopped playing on every beat and began to use 
the pedal as an accent tool.  A good rhythm section, is just that a 
section, with all contributing to the establishment of the  overall 
sound of the ensemble.
later,

Randy Fendrick,
Southside Chicago Seven
Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra