[Dixielandjazz] Re: Banjos and Bagpipes

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

It's not only those two instruments.  I played two gigs where the fill in
piano player showed up with bongos.  This guy was really hyper and the
leader of the band let him do it.  The leader used the wide Buddy Rich big
band "V" set up where the drums and rhythm are in the center and the sax
section is off to the right.  I was playing Bari Sax on the end of the line.
The leader was off to the left about 25 ft away.  This idiot parked himself
right behind me and played every tune including Misty, In a Sentimental Mood
and Star Dust.  The only thing worse would have been a tambourine. (Sorry if
I offended the tambourine players)  He bonked all evening and to make
matters worse he played very fast and was often off beat.

Well I thought after the first night of that the leader would get the hint.
He didn't.  The next gig I was appalled to see Charlie walk in with his
bongos and sit down behind my chair.  I told the leader that if he wanted a
bongo in the band he should have him right behind the trumpet section.  I
then read the riot act to Charlie and he moved behind the Trumpet section
who enjoyed him as much as I did. He proceeded to play nonstop the whole
evening, before tunes, after tunes, during solos and on the breaks.  The
Idiot wouldn't stop.  I was first in line to lay down the law to the leader
that there would be no more Bongo Charlie.

That's usually the unmistakable mark of the non pro musician.  Some guys
just don't get it.  It's also the mark of the non professional leader who
should clue these guys in as to what's expected of them.  It's the same with
talking between tunes, late after the break, carrying cell phones on the
job, wearing the wrong tie or cloths.  The list goes on and on but
practicing on the gig is a no no and personally annoying to me.

There are a certain group of musicians that either believe that they can't
be replaced or they can do whatever they want.  This is arrogance toward the
audience.  They pay to see us perform not practice, tell jokes etc etc.

Larry

P.S. My thoughts on the Wide V setup for the big band are pretty negative.
If you have the bucks to set up and maintain an excellent monitoring system
it can work but never if you don't.  That setup is great for TV and
exceptionally good pros with a good monitoring system.  The leader of this
band was an idiot too but for this and other reasons.  It was the only band
that I ever committed gigicide with, that is burning all bridges so they
would never hire me again.  But that's a whole another story.

Add to the musicians dictionary
Gigicide a verb i.e. to commit gigacide.  to destroy all likelihood that you
will ever be hired again by a leader.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <richard88jazz at att.net>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 8:56 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Banjos and Bagpipes


> Gents:
>
> Just my two cents worth on the subject:
>
> Only one problem with banjo and bagpipe players - they NEVER stop playing
on the job.  It's like they wait for the gig to start their praticing and
then never stop!  Ever try figuring out the chords with that BAGPIPE
bleating all the time?  Or figuring out the next tune you want to play with
that BANJO plunking your ear?  Given a choice, though, I'd have to pick the
banjo over the bagpipes - at least you get an occasional right chord!
>
> Here's to pianos.
>
> Rich Skrika
> Albany, NY
> richard88jazz at att.net
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