[Dixielandjazz] charts

[David Story]

Charts or no charts? That is the question. Is it better to hear the band fudge the chords, or enjoy a nice tight sound.


One thing I noticed listening to bands, and booking them is this. Pick up jazz bands often are at odds harmonically. The bass player and the piano player wind their way through the piece negotiating between them which chords they might play on the 2nd chorus. Everyone for themselves. (My favourite is the bass player who yells loud enough for the paying customers to hear, what an idiot the piano player is). Meanwhile the horn player is negotiating his own set of creative chord substitutions he heard recently on a Dianna Crawl CD.

As a sophisticated listener I'm left shaking my head. 

If you can't rehearse, use charts, at least a chord chart.

Dave