[Dixielandjazz] rehearsing

Mon Dec 17 05:53:12 PST 2007

Hello Ron,
"Here" is Israel.
Cheers

On 17/12/2007, Ron L'Herault <lherault at bu.edu> wrote:
> 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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