[Dixielandjazz] Leaders

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

One of the guys I work for likes to micro manage everything.  We have gone through so many drummers I have lost count.  It really doesn't help to try to over instruct.  You shouldn't tell guys how to play if you don't know what you're talking about.   This only makes them mad and doesn't do what you want.  If you don't like the guys playing don't hire him.  That's really simple I think but seems to be ignored by some leaders.

I was on tour with the Jimmy Dorsey Band and the leader walked up to me and said "you have the power to destroy the band".  I had never met him in my life nor played with him.  As it turned out I was the only one that he didn't savage on the whole tour.  Man he tore into everyone and needless to say the band tried but the damage was done.  The band sucked which is exactly what he seemed to want.  The band had no rehearsal,  few had played together and the book was tough.   I think when a leader micromanages or seems hostile to the band that this is really counterproductive.