[Dixielandjazz] Re: Strange Blues - indeed

[Jim Kashishian]

Bill wrote:
Why, oh why, do so many of the US musicians on this list need a lead sheet
and chords for every tune/song before they even attempt it?


I will let the U.S. based musicians answer your question, obviously.
However, I do have one comment to make.  I find that myself & our trumpeter
are more happy to play a melody "by ear" than are the chord guys in our
band.  They prefer a written sheet.  From that sheet, the bass & pianist
often restructure some of the chords to their liking, using the written
score as a type of basic guide.  "Oh, no", some will shout!  "That's
tampering with the original tune!"
Yeah, that's what jazz is about, isn't it?  Anyway, who says what's on the
paper was the original bit?  Or, even what is on that famous recording?  

The new "improvised bit" fits the style of the band, fits the style of the
player, makes the band happy, doesn't clash with the melody line?  Ok!
Where the so-called original came from, be it a recording or a paper sheet
doesn't really matter.  

We like to try out a new tune on the stage.  Pass the chord sheet around,
the horn man that knows the melody will do the major honking (we will use a
written sheet for anyone not so familiar with the song).  If the tune
"clicks" with the band, then we get into it more deeply, and rely heavily on
things that happen while playing the song to mold those good bits into a
head arrangement.  "Hey, that ending (or intro, or break) was
great...remember that for the next time!"

Of course that works well with steady personel in a steadily working band.
If you rely more on a long list of musicians that you can call for a gig, it
is less likely to work.

Jim