[Dixielandjazz] Moon River

[Jim Kashishian]

We're playing a wedding tonight, and the groom has asked that we play the
waltz which is traditionally the first dance after dinner when the bride &
groom dance.  There are a number of traditional waltzes used for this
occasion, but we have been asked to play a "jazz waltz".  I've decided on
"Moon River", as it will be recognized by the crowd.  No sense in playing
Gravy Waltz or something else more jazzy, as they won't know it, and won't
understand it's a jazz tune. However, Moon River, which is not necessarily a
jazz tune, will be recognized as such by our Spanish audience.  Comes down
to playing to the audience!  

Here's the link to the "finca" where we will be playing if anyone is
interesting to see what a setup like this looks like in Spain, half hours
drive from Madrid:
 
http://www.lamatilla.com/ 

Go to Galeria for the pictures.  Funny, 'cause it could be a restaurant in
California!  :>

We will be outdoors, as it is in the 90's & 100's everyday now here.  Nights
remain in the high 80's.  We will begin playing at 8:30 for cocktails, as
the guests arrive.  We will do our normal party blend of decent jazz & a few
popular songs the crowd knows. 

This will go on for 1.5 hrs, then everyone will dine (band included!).  As
the champagne (cava, in our case, which is the Catalan version of champagne)
is being served at the end of the meal, we will play Moon River, followed by
two songs (probably Hello Dolly & New York, New York...which for some
unexplainable reason never fails to get every one up on the dancefloor!  End
of the night for the band!  Yep, from then on it is a dj, and we get to go
home!   :>

This is a scheme I dreamt up ages ago, to keep from having to play to 5am,
and so as not to have to resort to Salsa & Sevillanas, which is all any
innebriated Spaniard wants to dance to at 3am.  They will happily hire a
jazz band and agree "yes, we know you play jazz...no we really don't want
Sevillanas", but at 3am all that talk disappears into requests for the dance
from Seville that no one can particularly dance well, but insist on trying!


This way we're happy, and the crowd is happy.

P.s. As a snotty note: I once had the honor of playing in a big band on tv
with Henry Mancini directing.  We did all his famous songs, including Moon
River.  He was a lovely man & played a mean flute.

Jim