[Dixielandjazz] Audience

[Randy Fendrick]

We like to try out new stuff when the crowd leaves.  We are working a 
once a week gig and during the last 15 minutes or so, when the crowd 
seems to dissipate, we then bring out stuff that we have not played in 
awhile or are trying to fix.  For instance, last Monday night we 
brought out a really outside arrangement of 12th Street Rag.  We had 
tried it once, maybe 6 or 7 years ago, and it didn't seem to work, or 
at least we didn't get into it.  Monday night, we tried it again and 
the arrangement cooks.  I am sure that after several more times 
through, we will plan to put it on our next CD.  I recall what Woody 
Herman used to say, his band had to play something 40 times before it 
became a part of his repertoire.  Is this jazz?  Hell yes it is!  Our 
arrangements are extremely loose, with a suggestion, as to what each 
person should be playing.  There is plenty of improvisation within the 
arrangement and, of course, within the solo's.  The arrangements is 
used as a form to follow, and I like that.  It also serves, when a sub 
is on the band to allow that players interpretation of our book to be 
somewhat in line with the remainder of the players.  I heard Jiggs 
Whigham in a workshop several years ago, explain jazz to folks who 
don't play much jazz, that it's an improvised form of music and each 
solo will never be the same.  While this is true, for the solo, it is 
also true, that short of memorizing or reading each part, it is 
necessary, for me at least, to have some form that we all follow.  
Since we are unable to rehearse on a regular basis, that is to play for 
ourselves, we do it when the crowd is growing smaller, because of the 
lateness of the hour.
Again, Is this jazz? Again, Hell yes it is!
later,
rf
Randy Fendrick,
Southside Chicago Seven
Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra