[Dixielandjazz] Dixieland

[Don Ingle]

Brian: Our band plays about fifty percent no charts, and  50 percent charts.
However, our charts are "vest pocket charts" -- most are memorized and all
have open solo area for improv by the players. In addition, we double
instruments and that is a bit of a show in itself. We may have two trombones
(valve and slide) and Bari sax, two clarinet and either cornet or v.bone,
trad cornet clar, trom front line, and other combinations, often with
changes within a tune.
Charts are okay as long as you do not forget the audience eye contact, to
smile and look as if you are enjoying yourself when the horn in not stuck in
your face, and in fact have a good time.
It all depends on how you approach using charts. Some damn good rehearsals
and some memorizing goes a long way to looking chart free. On some gigs we
do not use charts since we call out many we know in our sleep. Just as long
as we don't play them like we are asleep, it works fine. I for one never got
tired of seeing and hearing the WGJB when I could, charts of no charts -- 
the players were giants and anyone getting upset by their playing one of
Wilbur, Matlock or Haggart's hen scratches was in the wrong place to begin
with.
Don Ingle
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brian Harvey" <brer.rabbit at tiscali.co.uk>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Friday, September 03, 2004 2:00 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Dixieland


> Larry wrote -..... We got trashed because we were reading.
>
> Maybe if you'd ignored the dots - looked up at the audience and - dare I
say
> it? - improvised and had an obviously good time - they might have loved
you.
> Jazz, I thought, was supposes to be mainly improvised. Or am I in the
wrong
> discussion group?
> Brian Harvey
>
>
>
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