[Dixielandjazz] rehearsing

[Ron L'Herault]

Marek,

You didn't tell us where "here" is.

Due to bad weather and the fact that the dad of one of our musicians was
taken ill from shoveling snow, I had to cancel a gig to play at a mall
today.  We are all in Massachusetts, but close to Providence and the gig
site was in a town a bit south of Providence, RI.  I think it is the first
time I've missed that gig in something like ten years. Sigh.

Ron

-----Original Message-----
From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
[mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com] On Behalf Of Marek Boym
Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2007 4:20 PM
To: lherault at BU.EDU
Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] rehearsing

Hello listmates,
We have an excellent band here - the Good Time Jazz.
A few years ago, the band played in the lobby for a jazz festival -
three hours, with 15 minute breaks - without repeating a tune.
And when pressed, they can do more, at least the
soprano-tenor-clarinet player Jacques Sany and the drummer Rami Hann.
The other musicians are younger, and have a smaller repertoire, but
still quite large (unfortunately, two of the original members cannot
play anymore due to health problems).
SEASNON'S GREETINGS TO YOU ALL,
Marek

On 16/12/2007, Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis
<larrys.bands at charter.net> wrote:
> Great story but 50 tunes is, as I see it the magic number.  That's just
> enough to get through a three hour gig without repeating unless you
stretch
> each tune to ten minutes.  There are bands around here that by the time
> everyone solos they have sucked up ten minutes.  If you repeat a couple of
> tunes that can cut the number to even fewer.
>
> There is an old joke that was done, I think, on the show Happy Days when
the
> guys were putting a band together.  I don't remember the build up but the
> punch line was something like,  "Ok let's do it with words this time".
The
> other line is Ok let's do Bb blues this time in F.  There is a lot of
truth
> to all of that.  It's what three tune bands do.
>
> When I got to college I needed a band fast and when I got some guys
together
> we rehearsed about 50 tunes and we were in business.  I know a very good
> band here that has worked up a bunch of very popular wedding and dance
> tunes.  They handed me a list of about 60 tunes.  They only add a tune
> occasionally and have zero depth.  They put on a good show but it's 100%
> staged.  They play only the tunes on their list.  I will say they did a
good
> job.  I didn't take the gig with them because I knew that after a dozen or
> so gigs I would get bored out of my mind.
>
> Many bands have a pretty limited number of tunes that they play.  I would
> bet that most Dixie bands play about the same 50 tunes if that many.  I
work
> with a guy that has about a 50 or 60 tune list.  So I think my advice is
in
> the ball park and a reasonable goal to get started.  Most of my one hour
> shows uses about 20 tunes
>
> But no matter how many tunes you can play, getting into the business and
> learning can be difficult for a newcomer.
>
> It's true that a newbee needs to be able to make mistakes because we all
> make them but we learn to control the problems and a lot of time make it
> seem like we meant to do it all along.  If you get a lemon then make
> lemonade.
>
> If a person can't get over that hurdle then just how is he going to make
it
> in the business.  Music is only part of it.
>
> I know that you don't have to be the best player in town to do well and
that
> includes beginners but what you do have to do is be able to shake money
out
> of the trees.
>
> People aren't very critical actually.  Most of the time they aren't
> listening anyway.  We listen but the civilians don't really.  Musicians
hear
> differently.  We hear more and we listen carefully.  What's worse we think
> other people listen the same way.  Not true, other people talk, chew and
> watch the girls among other things.  My mother always had the radio going
> but never listened to it.  When I figured that out things went a whole lot
> smoother.
>
> When I started playing for concerts my first reaction was Gott in Himmel
> they are listening to me!  What do I do now? A scary thought.  I had to go
> from noisemaker to performer and entertainer.  That's the difference
between
> a wedding reception or dance and a concert.  Wedding music is not usually
> entertainment it's music and 90% of the people aren't listening much but
> doing their own thing.  Put anyone on stage though and it's a completely
> different animal.  You are front and center and you are the show.  As I
said
> a bunch of times " It's not about the music".
>
> I would never recommend for a newbee band to try concerts but rather
events
> where people are mobile such as a wedding reception, picnic or bar.
>
> Last week I did a thing where the people were milling and talking.  I have
> been developing my act for sometime and it was totally useless there.
There
> are two distinct kinds of performances music and music entertainment.
When
> I was young I was simply not capable of taking charge and entertaining
with
> music.  I played dances and weddings for years and when I had to start
> entertaining about 15 years ago I found I wasn't very good at it and it
> bothered me but I learned and am learning.  The choice was simple, go out
of
> business or adapt and re invent myself.  Personally I have made that
> transition from strictly musician playing gigs to an entertainer.  Are
there
> better ones? sure but there will always be someone better out there.
>
> I enjoy being an entertainer more than just a musician.  I am in control
and
> I know the music part of it will go well.
>
> A lot of actors are pretty shy people but when they put on their costume
or
> makeup they transform.  Those things allow the entertainer to hide behind
> them.  I understand that Johnny Carson was a pretty shy person.  When I
get
> behind the mike and on stage I become different.
>
> If you can't get a band to hire you go out and get a gig and then hire
them.
> Larry
> StL
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "pj.ladd" <pj.ladd at btinternet.com>
> To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
> Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2007 4:43 AM
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] rehearsing
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > locally there is a `Big Band`. Plays all the good swing stuff , Miller,
> > James etc. Gigs for big bands are few and far between so they hired a
> > large room at a local pub in which to rehearse. Gradually they attracted
a
> > following of afficianados.After a while the audience got so large and
> > regular that the landlord provided the room free because of the extyra
> > beer he sold and the band began to charge entrance money.
> > This has been going on for the last 5 years and still going strong.
> >
> > Totally different. Re the advice to learn 50 tunes and go and get gigs.
I
> > know a guy who lived in Pensford, Acker Bilks home village. He played a
> > few banjo chords and was in Ackers original group. He told me that they
> > knew 2 tunes when Acker entered the band in a local talent competition.
> > They played one of the tunes and were given such a rapturous reception
> > that they got stuck with playing again. They played their second tune
> > andthe crowd demanded more and they finished up playing the only 2 tunes
> > the knew alternately for the rest of the evening so that the audience
> > could dance
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Pat
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
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> >
>
>
>
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