[Dixielandjazz] Cloddish MUSICIANS?

[James Kashishian]

As a bassist, with an amplifier, I need to speak up here.........

So I say it is a matter of balance, cooperation, and leadership.

D a v i d   M c C a r t n e y
     A real standup fella

______________________________________________

Have to agree with David.  If the keyboard is amplified (& it must to have a
sound), then the rest of the instruments have to rise to his level.  The
only way for the bass to do that is to be amplified.  Even if a proper piano
is used, it will most likely be amplified at least a bit, and then so will
the bass and the vocals.

Horns & mics?  I like to have a mic so that we can "play" with it.  We are a
2 man front line now that our reed retired (bone & trumpet), and Pepe and I
move around the mic (prefer one between us), using the distances on purpose
for different balances between the horns.  

I really like to go close, but play very softly, and get a very "personal"
sound from the horn on some solos.  Hand under the bell & one finger
touching half way inside the bell will "mute" the horn in a mellow sort of
way.  All kinds of tricks that are fun and keep me interested and
experimenting.  

Amplification can be done well & musically, but I prefer to have control
rather than some guy whose never heard the band.

Jim

By the way, I always have my trusty plunger (not the rubber ones) with me,
and also use a T. Dorsey mellowtone jobber (*) & a bucket mute.  Plunger
gets used the most.  Bit of a trademark now, I guess.  Don't fully
understand the discussion about whether or not the use of mutes is a good
thing or not.  Isn't that a rather personal thing?

(*) also great for singing through...